Padel boom fuels club expansions and new development in Reynosa

REYNOSA, Tamaulipas — When Marcos Ramírez López first heard about padel’s popularity in Monterrey, he wasn’t convinced the sport would catch on in Reynosa.

At the time, few people in the border city knew what padel was, making the idea of opening a club feel like a gamble.

With support from his family, he decided to move forward anyway and opened Padel Club Reynosa two years ago.

Today, the club serves between 300 and 400 active members, supports approximately 20 direct and indirect jobs, and is preparing its next phase of expansion.

“My greatest satisfaction is knowing that we’re contributing something positive to society,” Ramírez said.

What began as a bet on an unfamiliar sport is now part of a broader trend. 

Growing demand for padel is driving both club expansions and new sports-oriented developments across Reynosa.

From one club to multiple projects

Padel Club Reynosa, located at 1730 Sinaloa St. in the Ampliación Rodríguez neighborhood, opened a little more than two years ago with five courts and is now expanding.

The club is adding a climate-controlled court designed for private events, corporate gatherings and social celebrations. The venue will accommodate between 100 and 120 guests and feature independent audio and video systems.

“The biggest economic impact doesn’t come from court rentals. It comes from everything else we offer,” Pepe Fernández, general manager of Padel Club Reynosa, said.

The club is also broadening its amenities. 

Later this year, it plans to open a fitness facility focused on functional training and HYROX, a competition that combines endurance and strength-based exercises. The expansion will also include a golf simulator.

Fernández said the club’s growth reflects increasing demand for sports, recreation and social experiences in the city.

That demand is also attracting new investment.

A separate sports and recreation complex currently under construction — which developers have not yet publicly named — is rising at the intersection of Tamaulipas and Sinaloa streets in the same neighborhood, about a block from Padel Club Reynosa.

The new development is unrelated to the existing club, according to representatives for both projects.

The complex will include four padel courts, a fitness center, sauna, food service area and social gathering spaces across approximately 34,445 square feet.

Construction is underway, with the project expected to be completed later this year and open during the first quarter of 2027.

Daniel González Fernández, an on-site project supervisor, said interest in the sport is helping drive the development.

“There is strong demand. We’re taking advantage of the boom to open our new padel courts,” González said.

The project will occupy much of a city block, making it one of the larger sports and recreation developments currently underway in Reynosa.

More than a sport

Ramírez said one of the most visible changes since opening the club has been the growing participation of young people and the formation of communities centered around physical activity.

Today, the club offers training programs for children and adults while providing equipment and instruction for newcomers interested in learning the game.

The facility operates from 6 a.m. until midnight.

Padel promoters point to the sport’s appeal across multiple age groups, with children, adults and older residents participating in lessons, recreational play and organized competition.

Building a single court can cost anywhere from about $18,000 to more than $53,000, illustrating the level of investment required to enter the sector.

Tournaments bring visitors

The sport’s growth is also beginning to generate tourism activity.

In August, Reynosa will host a Grand Slam event on the Mexican Professional Padel Association circuit. Only three Grand Slam tournaments are held annually within the organization.

The club also recently hosted an exhibition featuring Tolito Aguirre, one of the sport’s most recognized professional players, drawing participants and spectators from across the region.

Padel Club Reynosa is also preparing to host a Multimedios tournament expected to bring together approximately 120 participants and nearly 80 teams.

Fernández said the tournaments are bringing players and spectators to the city, creating business for hotels, restaurants and other local services.

“We wanted to bring something different to the city, something that would bring people together and strengthen the community,” Fernández said.