Volli Bellingham will be closing its indoor pickleball courts and installing a go-kart race track as the business renames itself to Mach1 Speedway and Arcade.
The 12,000 square feet that currently hold pickleball courts will be converted into a go-kart race track, general manager Heidi Taylor said on Wednesday, Feb. 28. The courts will close on March 31, but the front room and rest of the business will remain open during that time. Taylor said they hope to open the go-kart track in May or June.
Taylor said they’ve ordered electric go-karts, retro arcade games to put in the area where pickleball once was. Mini golf will stay as is, as will the kitchen, bar and other activities.
Volli Bellingham opened in 2022, and boasts the title of the “largest dedicated indoor pickleball facility in the Northwest” on its website.
Taylor said they decided to move away from pickleball because they were not able to make enough revenue.
“We got to a point where we said, well we’re either going to close the doors or we’re going to convert the business into something different,” she said. Taylor added that the two “rooms” of the business — the front room entertainment center and the back room as a recreation center — haven’t mixed well.
“[The pickleball players] are not the ones that are coming in and playing cornhole and having a pizza,” Taylor said.
In an email sent to customers on Wednesday, Taylor expressed her “deepest gratitude” for the support of and loyalty to pickleball, and said she understands the importance of the courts to many in the community.
“We are truly grateful for the memories and friendships that have been forged on our pickleball courts,” Taylor wrote.
“As we embark on this new chapter and transition to Mach1 Speedway and Arcade, we remain committed to providing a space for fun, excitement, and community engagement,” Taylor said in the email. “We hope that you will continue to support us as we evolve and grow.”
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
