Padel’s Florida Boom, From the Ground Up: An Inside Look With MejorSet USA

Padel’s rapid rise in the United States has been especially visible in Florida, where new courts and clubs continue to appear across the state. Few companies have had a closer view of that growth than MejorSet, a leading padel court manufacturer and builder with deep roots in Europe and an expanding footprint in the U.S.

In a recent conversation with Florida Tennis Magazine, Dan Polerecky, Country Manager USA for MejorSet, shared insight into why Florida has become the epicenter of American padel, what prospective club owners should consider before building, and the most common mistakes he sees new developers make.

Why Florida Is Leading the Padel Surge

According to Polerecky, Florida’s padel explosion is no coincidence. “Padel was invented in Mexico, and then it really took off in Latin American countries—Argentina especially—and in Spain,” he explained. “Florida has a big Latin community, and they’ve been exposed to playing padel for much longer than most people in the United States.”

That cultural familiarity, combined with Florida’s climate, has created ideal conditions for growth. “The weather is good most of the time, so outdoor courts work really well here,” Polerecky said. “And the ease of play is huge. It’s an easy game to pick up.”

He also pointed to padel’s social appeal as a driving factor. “It’s very family-oriented. You start getting families playing, then couples—date-night padel is becoming a real thing,” he noted. “It’s 2v2, it’s social, and it just keeps expanding.”

Planning a Padel Club: What Matters Most

For those considering launching a padel club in Florida, Polerecky emphasized that decisions made early in the planning stage can define long-term success.

One of the first considerations is indoor versus outdoor courts. “Weather is a real factor in Florida,” he said. “If it’s raining a lot, you’re losing play time outdoors. Indoors, you’re climate-controlled and can operate year-round.”

Permitting is another critical—and often underestimated—issue. “Local permits are a big one, especially in Miami-Dade,” Polerecky explained. “Many courts have to be hurricane-coded. Our X-Treme court is built to withstand 165-mile-per-hour winds.”

He cautioned that cities are becoming stricter. “Temporary permits aren’t being allowed the way they used to be. Understanding local permitting requirements before you build is absolutely essential.”

Court count also plays a major role in a project’s viability. “Two courts is generally small,” Polerecky said. “The sweet spot is usually four to six courts. That’s where you can really start to see a solid return on investment. You can always expand later.”

Indoor vs. Outdoor: Cost and Flexibility

From a cost standpoint, indoor facilities often make more sense at the outset. “Inside is definitely less expensive,” Polerecky said. “If you already have a slab—like in a warehouse—we can anchor directly to it. You don’t need to pour a new concrete pad, which can sometimes cost as much as the courts themselves.”

Indoor clubs also avoid wind-load requirements and hurricane-rated structures. “You can use a less expensive model indoors and skip a lot of permitting complexity,” he explained.

That said, Polerecky believes the ideal scenario is a mix. “People love playing outside. Fresh air matters. If you can do both indoor and outdoor, that’s usually the best-case setup.”

From Design to First Ball: The Construction Process

MejorSet’s process typically begins with layout and design. “We start with an initial conversation, then we take their layout—preferably in CAD—and design the courts to fit the space,” Polerecky said. “From there, we provide plans and a quote.”

For outdoor projects, groundwork adds time. “The concrete pad takes about 10 days to build and around 30 days to cure,” he explained. “While that’s happening, we’re already ordering the courts from Spain.”

Once materials arrive, installation moves quickly. “It usually takes about three days per court,” Polerecky said. “Six courts might take around 15 to 18 days total.”

The biggest wildcard, however, remains permitting. “I can’t stress this enough,” he said. “We’ve seen permits come through in a month, and we’ve seen them take eight months. That’s often the biggest delay in the entire process.”

Common Mistakes—and How to Avoid Them

From Polerecky’s perspective, the most frequent mistake happens before construction even begins. “You need a sound business plan,” he said. “The most successful padel clubs integrate other amenities—gyms, Pilates, events—so they’re not relying only on court rentals.”

Community-building is equally important. “The clubs that thrive are hosting corporate events, tournaments, lessons, and social programming,” he explained. “It has to be bigger than just padel.”

Neglecting social spaces is another pitfall. “If people are hanging out, they’re buying drinks, gear, services,” Polerecky said. “If you don’t create that social environment, you’re missing a huge opportunity.”

On the construction side, he warned against cutting corners. “In Florida, we strongly recommend a full concrete pad—not asphalt, which can warp in the heat,” he said. “And don’t go cheap on installation. Unlicensed or uninsured contractors can create serious problems down the line.”

MejorSet’s Global Experience, Local Impact

MejorSet brings more than two decades of experience to the U.S. market. “We’ve been in business for over 20 years in Spain and Europe,” Polerecky said. “We’ve been operating in the U.S. for about three years as a subsidiary.”

The company is uniquely positioned in the sport. “We’re partners with both the International Padel Federation—the governing body that sets all the standards—and the Premier Padel Tour,” he noted. “We’re also partners with the USPA and the American Sports Builders Association.”

In Florida alone, MejorSet has delivered projects such as Ultra, Padel X, Apogee in Stuart, and Arena Madness in Miami, with many more underway. Nationwide, their portfolio includes Padel 39 in Texas, Ballers in Philadelphia, Padel Hub in Boston, Padel Cube in Chicago, and the recently completed John McEnroe Academy in New York.

“We’ve done somewhere between 50 and 100 projects in the U.S. over the last three years,” Polerecky said. “And our pipeline for the coming year is very strong.”

As padel continues to establish itself in Florida’s racquet-sports landscape, Polerecky’s message is clear: success comes from thoughtful planning, quality construction, and a strong focus on community—long before the first match is played.

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Written by Associate Editor Osvaldo Godoy. Photo credits: MejorSet