Few recall the San Diego Convention Center once had six tennis courts on its roof (proximal to the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina).
Entrepreneurial partners Claudio Cañive and Gareth Ashworth want to redesign this forgotten amenity into a pickleball club.
The plan has been received enthusiastically by some downtown San Diego pickleball players, who say limited existing courts are in high demand. Serving up change to a space with oversight by multiple city entities, however, is making it hard to proceed.
The convention center’s roof was shut down 16 years ago. The Fire Marshal determined there wasn’t a safe way in or out of the tennis courts in case of an emergency situation. The area’s viability worsened when the east and west sides of the roof started leaking.
Despite these issues, Cañive and Ashworth think their project (SKYPKL) can reactivate the roof for the sake of pickleball, America’s fastest-growing sport. Note: The Gaslamp Urban Pickleball Tournament is happening on city streets now through September 3.
Cañive and Ashworth created a business team and have a vision to use the convention center roof to build 16-18 pickleball courts. In addition to the courts, plans call for an indoor pro shop, cafe and stadium-style bleachers.
The pair said they’ll cover construction costs themselves. They said Lamborghini is interested in being sponsor.
“The city gets another revenue stream, the convention center gets another amenity,” Ashworth said. “It’s a win-win for all parties.”
The partners hope to get the courts on a tournament circuit. Cañive said his connections at Comcast and NBC have expressed interest in broadcasting a tournament.
If the plan comes to fruition, the club courts will be pay-to-play, with memberships spanning from weekend to longer-term options.
Brian Prospal is a regular at downtown San Diego’s Waterfront Park courts and the creator of the OpenPlayGrid app. He’s in favor of the rooftop project.
“If these courts become a reality, I can definitely see myself and a lot of my fellow pickleball players giving them a try,” Prospal said.
Becoming a reality won’t be easy.
The rooftop’s jurisdiction spans across The Port, the convention center and the city of San Diego.
Cañive and Ashworth said they’ve lobbied the mayor’s office and received a favorable response from staff.
“Working with the government is a different animal,” Ashworth said. “They have to do everything correctly.”
He’s waiting to hear back from the Convention Center’s Chief of Infrastructure and Modernization Corey Albright.
The Sun also reached out to Albright.
“We are working with the city of San Diego on plans to replace the convention center roof,” Albright said. “Together with the city, we will evaluate SKYPKL’s proposal as we assess other proposals associated with the roof replacement.”
Another issue: The center’s primary job of hosting conventions allows scant flexibility for undertaking a project that would include a temporary building closure and create dust and debris.
Still, the partners are undaunted.
“We both love San Diego,” Cañive said. “It’s a second home for us there, so we want to make an impact.” SDSun
