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During its work session Monday night, the Austin City Council had a conversation with a local pickleball group regarding the possible building of pickleball courts in Rotary Centennial Park.

Council members heard a presentation from the Austin Minnesota Area Pickleball Association (AMAPA), which laid out a broad idea for the plan that calls for eight courts to be built in 2026 if the plan goes through.

According to the presentation, the eight-court lay-out would come to an estimated cost of $380,000 and ideally would consist of funds raised by AMAPA, the City of Austin and The Hormel Foundation.

While nothing was decided Monday night, both parties recognized the funding of the project is at the heart of moving it forward.

“We do know that money is an issue, probably the biggest issue,” AMAPA Board Member Bob Rosel said. “We do think the benefits of pickleball are worth the city contributing.”

Council members were unified in supporting the idea of the proposed project, but they were cautious in approaching it, understanding that there might be similar asks from other groups in Austin, including a drive to add caneball courts in Austin.

“I want the council to consider all of our recreation needs,” First Ward Council Member Laura Helle said to Rosel and supporters in attendance. “I think it’s reasonable for the city to be a player, the foundation to be a player and do  your own fundraiser.”

Second Ward Council Member Mike Postma also cautioned as to the impact courts might have on the 2026 tax levy and budget, which the council will begin preliminary work on in June.

According to Director of Administrative Services Tom Dankert, funding could feasibly come from one of two areas regarding the city side of things: Capital funds supported by the 2026 tax levy and the building fund.

There was also some concern about the fundraising aspect of the project and whether or not AMAPA could raise their side of things as the project goes forward. A couple years ago, a similar effort was made but ended when adequate fundraising dollars couldn’t be raised.

That knowledge marked the importance of a shared project.

“I think having some sort of split makes sense,” Postma said.

Still, Rosel pledged that regardless of how the project goes forward, fundraising for the courts would continue.

“What we’re here to find out is what is possible,” he said. “We’re confident that pickleball courts will have a positive impact on Austin.”

“We’re hopeful this is the start of the process,” he later added.