Performance Pickleball RVA to Open at Regency Mall's Former Macy's Space

Regency, a western Henrico mall in Virginia, will soon be home to an 18-court pickleball venue. Performance Pickleball RVA will be constructed in a 41,000-square-foot vacant space, formerly the ground floor of Macy's North store. The venue will feature a mix of indoor and outdoor pickleball courts, along with a pro shop, restaurant, and bar. It is expected to be the largest venue of its kind in Virginia, and construction is slated to start in May or June, with a target completion date of December for the first phase of the project.

The ownership group of Performance Pickleball includes Lee Warfield, CEO of Thalhimer, a Richmond commercial real estate firm that is part owner of Regency. Warfield's partners in the venture are Jon Laaser, Jeff Newman, and Leah Fremouw. Laaser will manage the venue's day-to-day operations. He is president and co-founder of Laaser’s Ladybug Society, a local nonprofit that raises money to support mental health initiatives in Richmond-area public schools.

The venue plans to hold clinics, leagues, and drop-in play sessions, as well as tournaments. It will offer memberships but will also be open to nonmembers. The first phase of the project will include the construction of 12 indoor courts, with phase two featuring six outdoor courts and an outdoor spectator area. Interactive Design Group is the project's architecture firm.

The pickleball venue is part of Regency's move from a traditional mall toward a mix of uses under Thalhimer and Rebkee Co's ownership. Warfield said the pickleball facility would be a good complement to Regency's apartments and newer tenants such as Surge and the NOVA of Virginia Aquatics swimming facility.

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/04/13/breaking-news-pickleball-venue-coming-to-former-macys-space-at-regency-mall/