WEST DES MOINES, IA / AGILITYPR.NEWS / March 06, 2024 / Smash Park’s Newest Location in Westerville, Ohio will be Located in Westar Place

Eatertainment destination Smash Park, known for its social mix of food, drinks, and recreation – including its flagship activity, pickleball – is announcing plans for a new location in the Columbus, Ohio suburb of Westerville.

The future Smash Park will be located in the Westar Place business district and construction on the nearly 50,000 square foot venue is expected to begin during summer 2024.

“We carefully consider each new location, and the Columbus metro is a diverse and active community, perfectly suited for the booming sport of pickleball and our other social offerings.” said Smash Park CEO Monty Lockyear. “The community has been so welcoming, and we can’t wait to bring our unique mix of food, drinks, entertainment and recreation to Westerville and the surrounding area.”

The Smash Park venue will have 30,000+ square feet of indoor space to house pickleball courts, a full-service restaurant with craft food and drinks, a 21-and-over “Paddle Club” axe-throwing, duckpin bowling and two private karaoke “Sing Suites”. More than 100 HDTVs will make it the ultimate destination for sports watch parties. There will be space for private events to host from five to 500 people.

Its 15,000+ square-foot outdoor space will include two pickleball courts, outdoor shuffleboard, bocce ball, a premier patio, rooftop bar, televisions and yard games. Pet-lovers will find dedicated dog space adjacent to a dog-friendly outdoor patio.

Smash Park will host weekly leagues for pickleball, cornhole, darts, duckpin bowling, and axe-throwing. The recreation area will be equipped for nighttime entertainment such as glow pickleball and glow dodgeball. In addition, Smash Park will be the go-to place for weekly events such as trivia, themed tournaments, and its popular Brunch Bingo.

Smash Park plans to hire more than 100 employees and expects more than 500,000 visitors annually. The anticipated open date is summer 2025.

“Westerville is proud to welcome Smash Park to Westar Place.” said Rachel Ray, City of Westerville Economic Development Director. “Westerville is home to a number of corporate headquarters, and this is exactly the type of amenity those businesses have requested and that we’ve envisioned for this prominent site. With its event spaces and team-focused games, we’re confident that Smash Park will become a go-to destination for employees of Westar business and visitors from across the region.”

For five consecutive years, pickleball has been the fastest-growing sport in the nation, with 48.3 million U.S. adults reporting having played at least one game in the last 12 months, according to the Association of Pickleball Professionals.

“Westerville has one of the nation’s most recognized and awarded parks and recreation systems, and demand for pickleball continues to grow. Westerville and our neighbors will enthusiastically embrace Smash Park to complement the range of active recreational offerings available in our community,” said Jason Bechtold, Westerville Assistant City Manager.