Prologis signed an agreement with Ultimate Padel to develop one of Sweden’s largest padel centers in Upplands Väsby. The project will convert 6,250 square meters into a state-of-the-art center with 18 indoor courts and an additional four to six courts outdoors. Ultimate Padel also intends to start competitions and youth activities at the center, which will be adapted for games up to the WC level. The facility will open in October 2020.
Padel is one of Sweden’s fastest-growing sports with over 360 facilities and more than 10,000 registered players. One of Stockholm’s largest and most modern padel halls is now emerging in Upplands Väsby, comprising over 6,000 square meters, including space for offices, changing rooms, saunas, classrooms and conference rooms. The facility will also have LED lighting, which provides both excellent light and significant energy savings.
“We’re developing the hall to make it a great playing environment with good visibility of the courts through glass walls without metal strips at the floor. There will be big, fresh, well-appointed changing rooms with a spa-like feel. We’ve also invested in good noise insulation in the hall and a fantastic ceiling height of 11 meters,” says Felix Johansson, cofounder and communications manager at Ultimate Padel.
But ambitions don’t end there. Ultimate Padel also wants to reach new players in a sport sometimes referred to as “the sport of middle managers.” Johansson says, “We’re going to invest in organized activities for kids and teens, and in attracting more girls to the sport. We also want to attract large international competitions with our internationally approved courts that have video capacity and good seating for spectators.” The facility should be a benefit to the local community.
Prologis acquired the property in 2018. And when the previous tenant moved on schedule at the end of the year, Prologis wanted to broaden the area of use. An analysis showed the facility had potential to become an ideal padel center. Ultimate Padel was among the stakeholders, and their innovative vision determined how to develop the property.
“We were immediately drawn to their plan to create a center that takes the sport to a whole new level,” says Gunnar Gillholm, VP country manager at Prologis Nordics. “This includes how they want to create a modern training facility, as well as their thoughts about how the padel center should contribute to the local community.”