The world's fastest growing racket sport, padel, is gaining fans and driving development in Los Angeles.
Two enthusiasts are converting a former 1920s mansion on 1 acre in Culver City into the Los Angeles Padel Club, with seven padel courts, coworking spaces, health and wellness amenities, and food and beverage services this summer.
Los Angeles-based commercial real estate investor and padel fan Steve Shpilsky has teamed with Christ Ishoo, owner of Los Angeles' professional padel team, the LA Beat, to redevelop the property at 3801 Lenawee Ave.
The Los Angeles Padel Center will be “the premier athletic and social destination for padel players of all levels in Los Angeles," Steve Shpilsky said in a statement.
Padel, not to be confused with Pickleball, is played on an enclosed court about one-third the size of a tennis court. A hybrid of tennis and racquetball, padel is a social game, played in doubles and with a group of friends to rotate through matches.
According to the International Padel Federation, the sport had more than 30 million active players across more than 90 countries in 2024, up from 25 million players in 2023.
Padel's power play
Los Angeles already has a few existing padel facilities including The Padel Courts, a two-court facility that opened in Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard in April, while the three-court Pura Paddle opened on the rooftop of Westfield Fashion Square Mall in Sherman Oaks in August.
New ones are popping up. San Diego, California-based operator The King of Padel will open a 50,000-square-foot location at the second phase of the West Harbor development near the Port of Los Angeles later this year. The King of Padel will have six padel courts and 10 pickleball courts that will be available for open play as well as club and league games.
Padel became popular in the United States in the 2000s, though the first courts were built in the 1990s. The sport has since become more widely played in states like California, Florida, New York and Texas.
Luxury resorts operated by companies like Rosewood and St. Regis began adding padel courts to their properties in recent years.
Shpilsky, who has more than two decades of experience as an entrepreneur, real estate fund manager and developer, including working on the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills and LAX Hyatt House/Place hotels, teaches hotel development at the University of Southern California.
Meanwhile, Ishoo is a co-founder of fitness concept AllStars Gym Spain and of EEP Capital and EE Padel, venture capital firms that fund padel businesses.