Compromise over basketball and pickleball courts at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park faces new wave of pushback

A battle over popular basketball courts at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park has entered a new phase, as opponents of a redesign are now pushing back against a compromise that would house both basketball and new pickleball courts.

The basketball courts are so popular that a previous proposal to replace them entirely with pickleball courts generated "lots of pushback," prompting the city to develop a new plan. CBS News Miami was the first station to report on the initial dispute.

The current design, which accommodates both facilities, involves moving the outdoor workout space, picnic tables, and grills farther south to make room for an Astroturf area for yoga and general recreation.

Brian Wright, who spends a significant amount of time at the park, supports the additions, noting they provide "broader amenities [that] make people want to come more often".

However, Leo Lorenz, who led the original fight to save the basketball courts, is now demanding a different design. Lorenz wants to nix the Astroturf and keep the existing basketball courts, outdoor gym, and picnic areas together.

Lorenz argued that the existing layout is practical for users. "Us as basketball players out here, when we play over here, we like to come over to the gym area, workout area, and loosen up, exercise in between games, while other people are out there playing," he said. He believes the new design "doesn't match up with the area, and it doesn't make any sense".

City Commissioner Steve Glassman, who supported the changes, said it is time to proceed. "We did our best to change course, and we actually kept the basketball in its exact location," Glassman said, recalling that people didn't even want the courts moved slightly south. He thought the compromise would be a "win-win," but now says, "Lo and behold, now it's something else".