Helios Pickleball Centre Set to Lead Asia’s Pro Pickleball Boom
What's the Score?
Robinsons Land Corp (RLC), a prominent real estate developer, is making a monumental entry into the sports and recreation sector with the strategic launch of Robinsons Sports, Entertainment, and Recreation. As its flagship debut project, RLC has announced the development of the Helios Pickleball Centre in Pasig City, Philippines. This ambitious undertaking is set to establish Asia's first tournament-grade professional pickleball complex, signalling a significant and bold expansion for RLC beyond its traditional real estate ventures and providing a massive boost for pickleball's burgeoning growth across the Asian continent.
Hit it deeper!
The recent announcement of the Helios Pickleball Centre by the Gokongwei-led Robinsons Land Corp (RLC) signals a major strategic shift for one of Asia's most prominent and established real estate developers. With the official launch of its new business arm, Robinsons Sports, Entertainment, and Recreation, RLC is making an emphatic foray into the dynamic fields of sports, entertainment, and leisure, thereby expanding significantly beyond its well-established core portfolio of malls, office towers, and residential developments. The Helios Pickleball Centre is not merely another project; it represents the definitive debut for this massive and ambitious expansion, with RLC poised to break ground on the facility in the near future.
The profound significance of the Helios Pickleball Centre is notably underscored by the expected attendance at its groundbreaking event. This high-profile gathering is anticipated to include RLC Chairman Lance Y. Gokongwei himself, alongside key representatives from the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) and Major League Pickleball (MLP). This calibre of attendance powerfully emphasises the centre's immense potential to truly become "Asia’s finest" pickleball facility, setting a new benchmark for the sport in the region. RLC President and CEO Mybelle V. Aragon-GoBio articulated the strategic vision behind this bold move, stating, "With the launch of Robinsons Sports, Entertainment, and Recreation, we are expanding into new spaces that complement Robinsons Land’s recognised strengths—especially our malls that serve Filipino communities nationwide and our growing Destination Estates like Bridgetowne... Helios is just the beginning".
The Helios Pickleball Centre will be developed as a joint venture with Kosmas Athletic Ventures Corporation (KAVC) and will be strategically located within the expansive Bridgetowne Destination Estate in Pasig City. This impressive eight-story facility is poised to become the very first tournament-grade pickleball complex of its kind anywhere in Asia. Its establishment will further reinforce Bridgetowne’s identity as a progressive and forward-thinking urban hub that actively supports and promotes active, wellness-driven lifestyles among its residents and visitors. GoBio further emphasised that the entire project aligns seamlessly with RLC’s broader vision "to support the rising popularity of pickleball while creating accessible, world-class venues that promote active lifestyles and national pride through sport".
Scheduled for a comprehensive completion in 2027, the Helios facility is meticulously designed to serve as a truly comprehensive and world-class hub for pickleball excellence. It will feature an impressive total of 25 professional-grade pickleball courts, a standout inclusion being a dedicated stadium court built to exacting international standards, making it suitable for hosting major global competitions. Beyond the extensive court facilities, the sprawling 17,500-square-meter complex will house a wide range of essential amenities for athletes and visitors alike. These include a modern, fully equipped gym for training, a specialised sports clinic for player wellness and rehabilitation, various dining options to cater to diverse tastes, and two levels of convenient basement parking. This expansive infrastructure aims to provide every conceivable facility that pickleball players could possibly need or desire, consolidating all services under one roof.
Crucially, the Helios Pickleball Centre is already envisioned as a future venue on the PPA Tour, a strategic move that would position it to attract high-profile international competitions and significantly elevate the sport's profile throughout the region. To ensure broad public participation and widespread accessibility, the courts will be made available to the general public through PodPlay, an intuitive digital booking platform. This inclusive approach reflects a broader and encouraging societal shift within the Philippines, where health, connectivity, and purpose are becoming increasingly integrated into modern urban living, with RLC aligning its developments to meet these evolving needs.
This monumental development comes at a particularly opportune time, as pickleball has experienced an explosive and unprecedented surge in popularity globally in recent years. Once largely considered a niche recreational activity, its participation rate in the United States alone more than doubled from 8.9 million in 2022 to nearly 20 million by 2024, unequivocally transforming it into a "global phenomenon and a billion-dollar industry". The sport's inherent appeal—characterised by its simple rules, low barrier to entry, and remarkable cross-generational appeal—has been a major driving force behind its rapid rise. Furthermore, pickleball is now actively eyeing a highly anticipated debut at the Brisbane 2032 Olympics, with international governing bodies vigorously rallying behind its bid for inclusion.
The World Pickleball Verdict
The groundbreaking of the Helios Pickleball Centre in the Philippines is far more than just the establishment of a new sports facility; it unequivocally signifies a pivotal moment for pickleball's global expansion, particularly its professionalisation and commercialisation within the vast and growing Asian market. RLC’s substantial investment, combined with the planned international-standard courts and the clear potential for hosting PPA Tour events, firmly positions the Philippines at the vanguard of Asia's burgeoning pickleball boom. This impressive development powerfully highlights how major corporations are increasingly recognising pickleball's immense, multi-generational appeal and its significant potential as a dynamic vehicle for fostering community wellness, promoting active lifestyles, and driving substantial economic growth. The Helios Pickleball Centre is not merely building courts; it is actively laying down foundational infrastructure that will nurture emerging talent, attract elite-level competitions, and inspire millions across the region, thereby underscoring pickleball's unstoppable and sustained rise as a truly global sport.