Local badminton enthusiasts will soon have new courts to visit in the metroplex.
Velocity Badminton will soon open 35 new badminton courts across the Dallas area. A majority of them are expected to arrive in 2024.
The company announced it intends to open facilities in Allen, East Plano, McKinney, and Murphy. Fourteen of the new courts will debut at the new location in McKinney.
Velocity Badminton stated in a Facebook post that it had officially received a permit to begin construction of its McKinney facility on June 22. As previously reported by The Dallas Express, North Texas has been seeing a building boom in recent years that has seemingly left Dallas behind — likely in part due to the City’s reported inefficiencies in issuing building permits.
The project site is located at 4220 Ridge Rd. It has been dubbed “the inaugural Velocity Badminton Academy.” Along with 14 courts, the McKinney location will feature an observation area for parents to watch their kids practice.
“The anticipation surrounding this project is palpable, as it promises to contribute significantly to the fitness and well-being of our community,” wrote the company in its Facebook post. “We are genuinely excited about this endeavor and remain committed to providing regular updates on the construction progress.”
Cardiovascular and aerobic activities like badminton have been linked to disease prevention, improved health, and reduced obesity, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Construction of the facility is expected to begin next month.
Another 16-court facility from a different entity — McKinney Badminton Center — is also expected to open soon. The scheduled completion date for its facility was initially set for June but is now expected to be mid-August.
Badminton is considered the second most popular sport on the planet. Approximately 220 million people play it around the globe each year, according to Badminton Warehouse.
While the United States boasts about 1 million people playing per year, other nations, such as England, have about 1 million playing per week, reported Badminton Best.