For about a year and a half, Molly White has kept climbing to the roof of the Lakewood Ranch Library. As Your Observer reported in September, White is Manatee County's director of Sports and Leisure, and that rooftop gives the best view of the construction next door. Work there started in February 2025. What she has been watching is a $44 million, 44,000-square-foot Athletics & Aquatics Center at Premier Sports Campus North.
By late September the buildings were up, the pools were full, the pickleball courts were painted and the walking trail had been poured. The county is aiming for late December. White told the Bradenton Herald in early October that they were "just working on dates for a grand opening but aiming for the end of December." The Lakewood Ranch Beacon reported on Oct. 12 that the county still hadn't announced a ribbon-cutting date.
This center is the first thing on Premier Sports Campus North built largely the way residents asked. It also opens while the county is still working out what goes on the rest of the land, and it shows clearly what residents mean when they ask for community amenities there.
The Pool Started as a Smaller Plan
The county's original plan called for a 25-meter pool. In 2021, swimmers, coaches and parents filled the Manatee County Commission chambers to argue for a competition-size pool. The county went with 50 meters. Some of those same families came back to the chambers this June to say thank you.
The finished aquatics side includes these features.
- A heated 50-meter pool. It runs eight lanes the long way or about 18 lanes across.
- Myrtha pool technology. County aquatic safety Capt. John Linxwiler told the Beacon it is the same system used for USA Swimming's Olympic Trials.
- A 25-by-15-foot scoreboard that can show race information and stream meets live.
- A smaller therapy pool for lessons, therapy and recreational programs.
- Pool lifts on both pools. Every county pool is accessible.
Together the two pools hold 832,704 gallons, and a $1 million, 40-by-40-foot geothermal yard controls the water temperature. That costs more to install than a standard system. Your Observer cited the U.S. Department of Energy, which says the energy savings pay back the installation in five to 10 years, and a geothermal yard can last more than 50 years.
Even the landscaping was planned around the pools. The palm trees give shade without dropping leaves or flowers. Artificial turf fills the spaces between sidewalks so grass and mulch stay out of the water.
Residents Swim Free and Teams Pay
How the pool will be shared matters more to everyday users than the specs. Manatee County doesn't charge residents to use county pools, so individuals can swim at Premier for free. Teams will pay for their pool time.
Teams are already lining up. Lakewood Ranch Swim Association Lightning and Sarasota Tsunami currently share lanes at the John Marble Aquatics Center, and they'll share at Premier once it opens. The Parrish Bull Sharks will keep practicing at the Lincoln Aquatic Center in Palmetto. Public Safety division chief Chet Brown said water polo and underwater hockey teams have also reached out. FOX 13 reported that college programs are expected to train there over winter and spring breaks, according to the Beacon.
If you swim laps on your own, that's a lot of competition for lane space. Brown addressed it directly in September: "We'll always have plenty of space between the two pools for the public and the swim teams. There'll be no issues." The county hasn't published an open-swim or lane schedule yet. That schedule will show how the sharing works day to day.
Pickleball at G.T. Bray Prices
The athletics side follows the same idea. There are 24 pickleball courts, and 14 of them are covered. A shaded hitting wall by the covered courts was among the final touches still going in this fall. Courts are booked through CourtReserve. White said the county watches the bookings to see which times are most in demand and keeps courts open for drop-in play at those times. The Beacon reported that players will use the CourtReserve app to check open-play sessions, and some courts will stay available for walk-up play.
The fees match what Manatee players already pay at G.T. Bray Park, and White told the Herald the match is on purpose. The Herald said the courts will look much like G.T. Bray's, with artificial turf, tables, benches and paddle racks for players waiting on a game.
| What's planned | Details reported in fall 2026 |
|---|---|
| Pickleball drop-in | $5 for two straight hours of play |
| Pickleball membership | $35 a month |
| Lap swimming | Free for residents under county policy |
| Proposed hours, Mon–Thu | 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Proposed hours, Friday | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Proposed hours, Sat–Sun | 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Parking | More than 240 spaces planned |
The Beacon describes these hours as proposed and says to confirm hours, fees and programs once the county announces the official opening. If you plan around weekends, note that the proposed weekend closing time is 4 p.m.
A few other details will matter once you're there. The outdoor restroom building is split down the middle, with one side for pickleball and one for the pool, so the pickleball floors stay dry. Lockers are first-come, first-served. Food trucks are planned. If you'd rather walk than play, a path behind the courts loops around one of the ponds. White also said there's room behind the courts for tennis courts if funding comes through.
A Room With a Pool View
The community room is the one space you can use without a paddle or a swimsuit. It has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the pools. You can use it as one large room or split it in two, and each half gets its own TV and access to the catering kitchen. The county will rent it for parties. The library roof next door, where White kept watch over construction, can also be rented for a view across the campus.
The county's facility page lists the center at 16350 Rangeland Pkwy and still marks it "Coming Soon." The Lakewood Ranch Library is next door at 16410 Rangeland Pkwy.
The Rest of the Campus by Year-End
The center is one of several projects due to wrap up on the 111-acre Premier Sports Campus North site. These are also expected by the end of 2026:
- A second floor for the Lakewood Ranch Library
- A Manatee County Sheriff's Office substation
- Two synthetic-turf soccer fields
As of mid-October, all three were still described as expected, with no completion dates. "We'll be celebrating a lot of things," White told Your Observer. She has said she pictures the grand opening as a "fun, community celebration," with open play on the courts and local swimmers in the big pool. Lightning coach Steve Lubrino said the Lightning, Bull Sharks and Tsunami are planning a swim meet to go with it.
What Happens Next Door Is Still Open
This center matters beyond the pool and courts because of how the county got this land. Manatee County bought Premier Sports Campus North from Schroeder-Manatee Ranch in two purchases, in 2017 and 2018. Residents were told then that the land would bring a library plus amenities like softball and baseball fields, a dog park and an amphitheater. Your Observer reported that the library and this swim and pickleball complex are the parts that have come through. Many of the other amenities have not.
This summer the site was being considered for a different use. The county was negotiating with a private developer to build a 190,000-square-foot ice arena on the campus. The deal included leasing 22 acres for $1 a year and a $5 million county contribution toward a parking garage, paid with tourist development tax money. On Sept. 1, commissioners voted unanimously to end those negotiations. More than 50 residents in red shirts came to the meeting. Speakers from Solera and Lorraine Lakes asked for park amenities in the arena's place.
The commissioners don't agree on what comes next. Commission Chair Tal Siddique said, "If residents hate it and don't use what's built, we've failed." District 5 Commissioner Bob McCann, who represents the Lakewood Ranch area, wants county staff to bring a master plan to the public for comment instead of holding a workshop first. He has said the site "should be a public park for taxpayer use."
The ice arena is off the table, and the Athletics & Aquatics Center is the clearest example of what residents have been asking for. Swimmers made the case for a bigger pool, and the county built it. Swimming is free and pickleball costs the same as at G.T. Bray. The plan for the land beside it hasn't been written yet. The center opens around the same time that plan starts to take shape.
If you're thinking about a move to Lakewood Ranch and want to know how close a home would be to Rangeland Parkway, or what other amenities are near the communities you're considering, I'm happy to help you compare them. Celine Charleson can share what's open, what's still coming and how each fits the way you want to live. Let's Connect.
