A new club for padel ball, a cross between tennis and squash, is eying a vacant parking lot in downtown Overland Park for its future home.

Earlier this week, the Overland Park Planning Commission voted 10-0 to recommend approval of a required 10-year special use permit and a certificate of conformity for the development, proposed by Padel KC at the northeast corner of 77th Street and Floyd Street.

Padel ball, sometimes called padel tennis, is similar to other racquet sports, like tennis or squash. The game is usually played in teams of two on smaller courts surrounded by some kind of wall, usually glass, and divided by a net.

Padel (pronounced “puh-dell”) is part of an increasingly popular assortment of paddle and racquet games, including pickleball, that have picked up in recent years, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike pickleball, however, padel uses more standard tennis balls — not hard plastic balls — and perforated paddles.

Padel KC wants six courts in downtown OP

• The prospective 20,000-square-foot facility will contain four indoor courts.
• There will be an additional two outdoor courts on the property, as well.
• Padel KC is also planning a small restaurant space inside with some seating.

Some downtown Overland Park neighbors are concerned

• During the planning commission meeting on Monday, some neighbors who live near 77th and Floyd expressed concerns with the project.
• Those who spoke said they were worried about potential noise from the facility, the proposed parking layout and hours of operation.
• Some neighbors also questioned whether such a facility would fit in with the area’s character.

Commissioners call it a step toward downtown OP’s future

Though some commissioners were sympathetic to the worries of residents, they were broadly interested in seeing some kind of activity-oriented business take over what is presently a vacant parking lot, just to the west of Metcalf Avenue and adjacent to a U-Haul facility.

The property — which was once used as an off-street lot for a car dealership — is in the city’s special zoning overlay district for downtown. The district focuses on walkability throughout the entire corridor and prioritizes mixed-use development patterns.

“These are the things that we have been advocating for as a city,” Commissioner Rob Krewson said. “I feel like we have a chance here to take a vacant parking lot and turn it into something that is pretty nice and looks nice.”

Next steps:

• Padel KC’s proposed development now goes to the Overland Park City Council.
• The special use permit and certificate of conformity are currently scheduled for the council’s July 1 meeting.
• Later, city staff will require a second certificate of conformity for city staff to review the final design.

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