Christi Turdo has been a force in the paddle sports industry for most of her life. After winning a high school tennis state championship, she played number one singles and doubles at The Ohio State University and spent time on the professional circuit. She took that drive and talent into the club-owning world, opening her first indoor pickleball club in Chicago in 2018. With two successful clubs in Chicago, Christi wanted to return to Florida and open a club that brought together tennis, pickleball and platform tennis. After five years of searching for the perfect location, she found a Palm Beach County property that checked all the boxes, and The Brook in Boynton Beach, Florida, was born.
Key Takeaways
- The Brook in Boynton Beach, Florida, is a 79,000-square-foot club opening in winter 2026 with five indoor tennis courts and 12 indoor pickleball courts.
- Founder Christi Turdo focused on selling the vision of the club before construction was complete, using architectural renderings, social media and the track record of her Chicago clubs.
- A tiered membership program started with 100 memberships at $100/month, which sold out in two hours, followed by 200 more at $139/month in three days.
- Tiered pricing created urgency without heavy discounting that could jeopardize the club’s financial health.
- Free buzz from local press and Instagram and Facebook promotion helps new operators build awareness.
- Staying in touch with pre-opening members at least every two weeks builds trust while construction continues.
Building a Club Where Tennis and Pickleball Meet
Instead of waiting until construction was closer to completion to sell memberships, Christi focused on what the club would become to set it up for success before the doors even opened.
With 79,000 square feet of space opening in winter of 2026, The Brook will offer five indoor tennis courts and 12 indoor pickleball courts with a members-only restaurant in between the two playing areas. Christi decided to strategically place the restaurant in the middle of the space to encourage socializing between the two groups of players.
“My vision for The Brook is to marry pickleball and tennis with a social aspect,” says Christi.
Selling the Vision Before the Doors Open
To help potential members visualize the space, she used architectural renderings, social media and the success of her Chicago clubs along with savvy business practices.
Once local players learned about the club, Christi began offering limited memberships with special pricing. She started with 100 memberships priced at $100/month for the first year. These were all purchased within two hours. She next increased the price to $139/month and sold another 200 memberships in three days. With these memberships almost sold out, the next steps will be $159 and then $179/month. This new member campaign created urgency without offering too many discounts that could jeopardize the financial health of the club, resulting in 557 memberships. Selling memberships in a tiered program generates excitement, encourages players to actively join instead of waiting and builds lines of communication with prospective members and their playing partners.
Creating Free Buzz
Christi’s previous success with her Chicago clubs lent credibility to the new club. However, even club owners new to the business can create free buzz like Christi by making the most of what is around them. Scoring an article in the local paper is a great way to get your new business out there, especially when followed up with promotion on Instagram and Facebook.
Keeping Members Engaged Before Opening Day
Keeping members engaged with a club that hasn’t opened yet is essential to establishing trust and maintaining excitement, as well as continuing membership growth until the doors officially open.
“I make sure to be in touch with our members at least every two weeks through direct messaging and emails to keep them up to date with the construction status,” says Christi. “They have trusted their money with us, and I want them to feel secure in that transaction.”
Growing Racquet Sports Together
The Brook is a unique opportunity to continue the growth of racquet sports in Florida by allowing players of both sports to exist together and hopefully pique interest in trying or returning to a past paddle sport. Christi also has promotions in place to keep interest growing, especially among younger players, to encourage them to try tennis or pickleball. She says the goal is to get more people playing to keep growing the sport, the community and ultimately the club.
For those considering opening a new club, or if an expansion is on the horizon, The Brook demonstrates that a successful grand opening can happen ahead of the official opening day. Through clear communication, building trust, a well-thought-out membership strategy and consistent communication, a successful opening day and club can be attained.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Brook?
The Brook is a 79,000-square-foot indoor tennis and pickleball club in Boynton Beach, Florida, opening in winter 2026 with five indoor tennis courts, 12 indoor pickleball courts and a members-only restaurant between the two playing areas.
How did The Brook sell memberships before opening?
Founder Christi Turdo used a tiered pricing program, starting with 100 memberships at $100/month that sold out in two hours, then 200 more at $139/month that sold in three days, with higher price tiers to follow.
How can a new club build buzz before opening?
Combine architectural renderings and social media with local press coverage, then keep members updated on construction progress with direct messages and emails at least every two weeks.
Why is the restaurant between the tennis and pickleball courts?
Christi placed the members-only restaurant in the middle of the space to encourage socializing between tennis and pickleball players.
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