Lakewood Ranch gets two new places to play pickleball and swim before the end of the year. They sit a short drive apart on Lakewood Ranch Boulevard. Life Time is listed as "Arriving October 12" at 5000 Lakewood Ranch Blvd N. Manatee County's Athletics & Aquatics Center at Premier Sports Campus North is expected to open in December. As of late September, the county hadn't set an opening date. Life Time has the firm date and the bigger marketing push. The county building next to the Lakewood Ranch Library is the one that will change what a weekday game and a lap swim cost here.
The Starting Point Is Six Courts
Right now the nearest public courts are at Lakewood Ranch Park, 5350 Lakewood Ranch Blvd. Manatee County lists six pickleball courts, a practice wall and sunrise-to-sunset hours there. When the East County Observer stopped by on a September morning in 2024, about 20 players had filled five of the six courts. One regular said winter Tuesday mornings could bring 50 to 60 players. Another player told the paper the area needed more neighborhood courts. Those counts are two years old, but they show the demand the county was building for.
The next-closest large public complex is G.T. Bray/C.V. Walton, with 20 courts. Fourteen are covered, and drop-in play costs $5 for up to two hours. Premier uses the same county pricing and adds four more courts.
Premier Is Nearly Done
Manatee County's Sports and Leisure director, Molly White, has been tracking construction from the roof of the Lakewood Ranch Library. Work began in February 2025 on what is now a $44 million, 44,000-square-foot center. As of the September 23 Observer report, the buildings were up, the pools were full, the pickleball courts were painted and the concrete walking trail was poured. What's left is moving in furniture, hanging shade sails and laying turf in the pickleball waiting area.
The center has 24 courts, and 14 of them are covered. A shaded hitting wall is going in as well. Some courts will always be open for drop-in play, and the rest can be booked through CourtReserve. White said staff will watch the booking software to see which hours are busiest and keep drop-in courts available then. Restrooms sit between the pool and the courts, in one building split into two sides so the pickleball floors stay dry. A walking path behind the courts loops around a pond. The county has also left space for tennis courts if funding comes through.
What a Game Costs at Each Spot
| Venue | Courts | Covered or indoor | Cost to play |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood Ranch Park | 6 plus a practice wall | None listed | County page lists no fee |
| G.T. Bray/C.V. Walton | 20 | 14 covered | $5 per two-hour drop-in |
| Premier Athletics & Aquatics Center | 24 | 14 covered | $5 per two-hour drop-in or $35 a month |
| Life Time Lakewood Ranch | 14 | 3 indoor, 5 covered outdoor | Membership. Court booking requires a Signature Membership |
At Premier, the math is simple. Seven two-hour drop-ins at $5 each add up to $35, the price of a monthly membership. If you play twice a week, the membership costs less by the end of the month.
As of October 3, Life Time's online signup shows $339 a month for a primary member once the club opens, plus taxes and fees, with $0 in joining fees due at signup. The checkout doesn't name a membership tier. That matters for players because Life Time's Lakewood Ranch pickleball page says court reservations are free only with a Signature Membership. Mixers led by a pickleball pro and leagues are open to all members, but both carry extra fees. If you're signing up mainly to play pickleball, ask which tier includes court booking before you commit.
The Pool Swim Parents Pushed For
Pickleball gets the attention, but the pool is where Premier stands furthest from anything else in Lakewood Ranch. Local swimmers can use it for free. Teams will pay to use the pool, but Manatee County doesn't charge residents to use county pools. The competition pool is 50 meters and heated. A $1 million geothermal system regulates the water temperature.
The pool is 50 meters because local swim families asked for it. In 2021, swimmers, coaches and parents filled the county commission chambers and persuaded the county to drop its original plan for a 25-meter pool. Some of them came back this past June to thank the commission.
"The Premier Aquatic Center will save families countless hours on the road, reduce transportation costs and give parents and athletes more time at home, at school and in our community," said a parent.
The Lakewood Ranch Swim Association Lightning and the Sarasota Tsunami already share lanes at the John Marble Aquatics Center, and they'll share at Premier too. Chet Brown, a Public Safety division chief with the county, said there will always be plenty of room in the two pools for both the public and the teams. The second pool is a therapy pool, and both pools have lifts for swimmers who need help getting in and out. Lightning coach Steve Lubrino said the Lightning, Tsunami and Parrish Bull Sharks are planning a swim meet for the grand opening.
The building also has a community room with floor-to-ceiling windows over the pools. It can be used as one space or split in two, and the county will rent it for parties. The library's rooftop next door can be rented too. Lockers are first-come, first-served.
What the Life Time Membership Includes
Life Time calls its 86,000-square-foot Lakewood Ranch building an "athletic country club." In March, a company spokesperson told the Observer that membership would be limited so the club never feels crowded. The outdoor courts are surrounded by pickleball lounges, seating and a bistro. Beyond pickleball, members get a leisure pool with waterslides, two lap pools, group fitness studios, a full training floor, a work lounge, a spa, hot and cold plunge pools, and Kids Academy and Kids Gym programs.
Premier is mainly about courts and lanes. Life Time packages the same activities with recovery amenities, childcare programs and a place to eat or work between games. The $339 monthly price covers that whole package, so it isn't a fair comparison with Premier's $35 court membership. If you play one sport a few mornings a week, Premier offers plenty of room. If you'd use the gym, spa and kids' programs too, the Life Time membership covers more.
Life Time's hours page has a heading but no schedule posted yet. Check it before you plan an early-morning game during the first week.
Fall Dates for Lakewood Ranch Players
- October 7: Ranch Nite Wednesdays returns to Waterside Place with food trucks, live music and cornhole, running through May 26, 2027.
- October 12: Life Time Lakewood Ranch is listed as opening.
- December, date to be announced: Premier's grand opening. White described plans for a community celebration with open play on the courts and the swim teams' meet in the 50-meter pool.
Other work at Premier is due to wrap up by the end of the year, including the second floor of the Lakewood Ranch Library and two new synthetic soccer fields. In December, Lakewood Ranch players go from six public courts at Lakewood Ranch Park to 30 between Lakewood Ranch Park and Premier, and the 24 new ones charge the same $5 drop-in rate as G.T. Bray.
If you're weighing a home closer to Premier or Life Time, or just want to know how these new amenities are showing up in Lakewood Ranch home values, Marlin Yoder can walk you through it. Get your instant home valuation or schedule a consultation.
