Padel Den, the first padel facility in Utah County, opened in Orem this past April, according to a Oct. 7 report. Founded by Utah Valley University graduates Kyle and Parker Quinlan, the facility aims to introduce the growing racquet sport to the local community.
The Quinlan brothers discovered the sport while on vacation in Puerto Rico. Kyle Quinlan, who earned a degree in business management, and Parker Quinlan, who studied information systems at Utah Valley University, decided to launch the business together after returning to Utah and finding no local padel courts.
Padel Den is the second facility to open in the state, following a period where Utah transitioned from zero courts to 30. The facility is located at 1440 N 1380 W in Orem, positioned for accessibility from I-15 and central to Provo, Orem, and Lindon.
The sport of padel is a racquet sport that combines elements of racquetball, squash, pickleball, and tennis. Played as a doubles sport on artificial turf, it features a court roughly one-third the size of a tennis court and requires underhand serves.
Kyle Quinlan noted that padel has recently surpassed pickleball as the fastest-growing sport in the United States. While the United States has approximately 1,000 courts, Spain has 17,000. Kyle Quinlan stated that the sport is currently in an awareness phase in the U.S., focused on getting people to try the game.
Padel Den operates from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., with peak hours occurring between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. The facility offers daily classes at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., including free lessons and clinics for beginner, intermediate, and advanced players.
Court rentals cost $60, which can be split among four players, while racquet rentals are available for $5. The facility also offers a 15-day trial membership for $29 that provides unlimited access. Additional amenities include a ping pong table, a warm-up gym, televisions, and a 24-hour golf simulator.
Padel was invented in 1969 by Enrique Corcuera in Mexico. The sport is played with a focus on control rather than power, and the inclusion of walls allows play to continue even if a ball passes a player. While professional padel exists in the United States through the Pro Padel League, most players in that league are from Spain and Portugal. A world championship is held every two years in Argentina.
