When a club reaches its 65th year, expansion isn’t about chasing a trend — it’s about meeting the expectations of the people who have sustained it for decades.
That’s the mindset behind the Wenatchee Racquet and Athletic Club’s (WRAC) new 17,500-square-foot, semi-connected dedicated pickleball facility, an addition that reflects both the sport’s rising demand and the club’s responsibility to its members.
Evy Gillin, the general manager of the member-owned facility in Wenatchee, Washington, has seen the club go through many changes and expansions in her 42 years working for WRAC. With the new pickleball facility, she described it as part of a continuous goal to enhance the member experience.
Designing with Player Experience in Mind
WRAC approached its pickleball facility design with a level of operational maturity that sets it apart from many new standalone clubs. Years of managing tennis, racquetball and fitness amenities gave them a clear understanding of what matters most to players: lighting, surface quality, spacing and the ability to move comfortably around the courts.
One of the things that has become more common is the use of indirect lighting on the courts, and WRAC did just that. Paired with their high ceilings, the lighting helps eliminate issues such as glare and shadows, which can be seen in facilities with more direct lighting.
“We’re really happy with the outcome,” said Gillin. “Equal lighting for everyone in every place in the building.”
While building the facility, the state’s energy code changed, which led to the facility having a full HVAC system. This system allows the facility to maintain a consistent temperature and keep players comfortable, no matter the weather outside. “We have really hot summers, windy springs, smoky falls, so year-round play in this facility is going to be a really attractive component,” said Gillin.
The pickleball facility also has its own lockers and lobby space, which allows players to stay on the courts longer rather than returning to the main campus for a towel or water. All of this was shaped by member input, keeping them at the forefront of every decision.
Building on an Established Member Base
An advantage that WRAC had when building its pickleball facility was that they already had their member base. “We’ve done this for a long time and have had the chance to develop the program,” said Gillin. “We’re not having to start from scratch.”
Before, the club used their existing tennis courts as flex courts to build a player base. Now, they can expand programming and host tournaments.
The plan, as Gillin explained, is to have a tournament in the spring and fall. “We have about 150 players and we’re hoping to get even bigger this year,” she said, noting that WRAC wants to expand its membership to capacity. “We have the ability to have up to 22 courts going at one time indoors, so that gives us a huge hole to be able to fill, which is awesome.”
Membership at WRAC ranges across all ages and many are regularly using the pickleball facility, highlighting the accessibility of the sport. Families who have been members of WRAC since it opened are coming, with older member using the facility during the day and younger members playing in the early morning or evening hours.
“It’s broadened rapidly,” said Gillin. “I think that’s only going to evolve even more so as we get more court time available.”
A Member-Owned Culture of Community
One of the things that has set WRAC apart from other fitness clubs and pickleball facilities is the fact that it’s a member-owned, non-profit organization. Decisions on dues and policies are made by a board of directors made up of nine active members of the club. The everyday staff is also made up by members, including Gillin, and everything members pay goes directly into keeping the facility running.
“It’s just a little bit of a different mentality that comes with being a member of the WRAC, which is, I think, a positive thing,” said Gillin. “It makes people have a little bit more attention to care and respect of the facility. Everyone’s working on the same team.”
Investing in their members is what allows their culture of community to thrive and WRAC to feel like home. “Members come here because they have work and they have their home and they have their second home,” said Gillin. “They’re greeted by our staff in a way that makes them feel welcome.”
And that starts before a member even joins. The staff at WRAC aim to answer any and all questions a prospect may have before they join, including giving a tour, program overviews and how to sign up, and even letting them step on a court if they’re interested so they feel a part of the club from the beginning.
Balancing Operations, Value and Financial Sustainability
Gillin pointed out that one of the misconceptions people may have about running a facility is about how much work actually goes into it. “We want our members to feel that it’s all fun,” she said. “But to see the back side of it is that there’s a lot of work that goes into filtering out all of the different things you hear and trying to make a program work for the biggest group of people you have in your membership.”
To do this, Gillin said her team works hard to make sure members clearly see the value behind membership pricing. For WRAC, Gillin explained that some members had the impression that pickleball was always free due to the number of outdoor courts at parks available. As the sport grew, members began to understand the value of indoor courts and how the aspects WRAC focused on, like the lighting and temperature, became essential requirements for regular players.
“If you’re going to offer this, you have to do it right,” said Gillin. “Make sure you offer the right mix of the facility components, the right programming and make sure that the value you’re presenting matches what you need to charge to make it all work financially.”
Gillin emphasized that doing so is what keep members loyal, especially as the industry becomes more saturated. “Pickleballers want to play where everyone else plays,” she said. “So, wherever the key people play is where that attraction is going to be. It’s a lot of thought and care about your community, the base of people you’ve got in it and whether or not you’re really adding to the mix.”
Expanding with Long-Term Vision
When it comes to the future of WRAC, Gillin hopes to see everything all in one location. The facility is split between its original setup with the outdoor tennis and pickleball courts, clubhouse and pool on one side of the street, and their indoor pickleball facility and gym on the other side. Currently utilizing just 45 percent of the club’s 14 acres, Gillin believes that combining their campuses into one cohesive location will only allow them to grow.
As they work on this, WRAC’s goal is to continue to be the place that people can exercise and have fun all at the same time. “Whether you’re playing on a court or in a class, we want the club to be a place where you can play every day,” said Gillin, sharing the club’s slogan.
With those goals in mind, WRAC is taking a simple approach for the near future — to highlight the new pickleball facility, increase membership and maintain the health of the program. As new clubs open all over, WRAC sets an example acknowledging that long-term success depends on thoughtful design, community grounding and creating value around the club — not just hopping onto the latest trend.
WRAC shows what it means to grow not for growth’s sake, but for the people who call it home. In such a fast-growing industry, the member-owned model may be one of the most strategic advantages of all.
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Jordan Meek is a staff writer for Pickleball Innovators, where she covers the rapidly evolving business of pickleball — from facility growth and technology to player experience and industry strategy. A graduate of Denison University with a degree in Journalism, she joined Peake Media in 2025 and brings a passion for storytelling and curiosity to every piece. Jordan is driven to spotlight the leaders shaping the sport and uncover insights that help operators thrive in the fastest-growing game in America.
