Rendering courtesy of Smash Park
Smash Park
Based in Des Moines, Smash Park, a “one-stop-shop for food, drinks, and fun,” announced that it is planning to open at least two Twin Cities locations in 2023 and 2024, according to a press release.
The original Smash Park location opened in West Des Moines, Iowa, in 2018. After moving into the Nebraska market, Smash Park CEO Monty Lockyear believes the Twin Cities is the next best destination for a social mix of food, drinks, and pickleball.
“When we considered the local demographics, competitive landscape, and our offerings, we felt we had a lot to bring to the Twin Cities market,” Lockyear said in a statement. “We can’t wait to bring residents our fun and social combination of food and recreation.”
The venue will be home to a 30,000 square foot indoor space filled with pickleball courts, craft food and drinks, a 21-and-over “Paddle Club,” ax throwing, duckpin bowling, a private karaoke “Sing Suite,” events, and live music. Outdoors, there will be 15,000 square feet of space housing a patio, a rooftop bar, televisions, and yard games.
Smash Park will host pickleball, cornhole, darts, duckpin bowling, and ax throwing leagues each week. The facility is also equipped for nighttime entertainment like glow pickleball and glow dodgeball.
At Smash Park, there is truly something for everyone. “During the course of one week at Smash park, we see all ages and demographics represented,” Lockyear said.
The sport that started in the summer of 1965 as three dads’ attempt to get their kids up and moving during the summer, transitioned from a simple game involving ping pong paddles and a plastic ball on a badminton court to what is now a trending sport which combines tennis, badminton, and ping pong.
Pickleball is noted as the fastest-growing sport in America with an impressive 4.2 million players in 2020. Smash Park’s courts will present Minnesotans with another venue to play outside of the growing number of spots the Twin Cities already offer.
Construction on the first venue is expected to begin this summer, while the land purchase is finalized. The company is looking at Edina, Maple Grove, Roseville, and Woodbury.
