Bob Hassan Courts
Building a Place for Fun, Friends, & Fitness
Friendships are forged. Bonds are created. This is pickleball.
It’s just a parking lot today, but with your support we can turn it into a place where community comes together to enjoy the state sport of pickleball. Seattle Parks & Rec (SPR) has committed $1.7M to build 8-12 lighted pickleball courts at the E5 parking lot at Magnuson Park. SMPA’s plan is to raise money to expand the scope of the project to build 25 courts.
FAQ
What's the goal of this project?
The goal is to build 25 courts at the E5 parking lot at Magnuson Park. We don’t yet have an estimated budget to reach 25 courts, but our educated guess is about $8M, including matching funds.
Does Seattle Parks and Recreation support this effort?
How will my donation be used?
Your generous donation will go towards the construction of 25 dedicated pickleball courts at Magnuson Park in Seattle. Currently Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) has budget and plans to build 8-10 courts. SMPA is raising money to increase the project scope and build additional courts up to a proposed 25.
Is my donation tax deductible?
Yes. Both the Seattle Metro Pickleball Association and the Seattle Parks Foundation are registered non-profits and as such any donations made to either organization for the Magnuson Park Courts project are eligible for tax deductions.
Is my donation eligible for corporate matching?
Yes. Both the Seattle Metro Pickleball Association and the Seattle Parks Foundation are registered non-profits and as such any donations made to either organization for the Magnuson Park Courts project are eligible for corporate matches.
Can I donate stocks?
Yes. Gifts of stocks and securities can be made through the Seattle Parks Foundation.
Tell me more about the 100% match on all donations. Is there anything I need to do to receive the match?
All donations to the Magnuson Parks Project are being matched 100% by an anonymous donor. Simply make your donation through the Seattle Parks Foundation. Our generous benefactor has pledged to match the total funds raised by our campaign.
Will my company's match also be matched?
Yes. Once your company’s match is deposited into our campaign fund it will be included in the total that is reported and matched by our benefactor.
When will the project be finished?
The current plan from SPR calls for the start of construction in the spring of 2026 with an estimated completion date in late 2026.
How many courts will be built?
The current plan from SPR includes budget and scope for 8-10 courts. Additional courts, up to 25, will need to be funded by private donations. The more money we can raise in 2025, the more courts will be built in 2026. But there is no deadline to raise all the money for the first phase. If we need to build additional courts later as funding becomes available, we can do so. SMPA’s goal is to raise enough funds to build all 25 courts in a single phase.
Will the courts have lights?
Yes. The design currently includes lights for all courts. This feature is not yet funded.
Will the courts be covered?
Yes. The current design calls for some of the courts to be covered. This feature is not yet funded.
Who was Bob Hassan?
Retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Dr Bob Hassan was a passionate pickleball player in northeast Seattle. He served his nation proudly, first as a U.S. Navy flight surgeon, then as a U.S. Air Force “Full Bird” Colonel flight surgeon, followed by five years in the Air Force Reserves.
He organized social groups for seniors including pinochle, bocce, and pickleball, and was a regular fixture at the Maple Leaf and Green Lake pickleball courts. He loved playing pickleball at Magnuson Park, where he taped pickleball lines on the old tennis courts in the heart of the park. He would often talk about building dedicated courts there.
In 2019, Bob was tragically taken from us when he became the random victim of a carjacking while driving home on Sand Point Way in Lake City.
The Bob Hassan Courts at Magnuson Park is a project seeking to honor Bob’s memory by completing his dream of building dedicated courts and creating a vibrant community where friends, fitness, mental health and well-being come together through the state sport of pickleball.
We believe in the power of pickleball to engage, inspire, empower, unify, heal, to persevere and allow the spirit to soar. There is no better place to honor the service of U.S. Air Force Colonel Dr Bob Hassan and his contributions to the local community than at the former Sand Point Naval Air Station at Magnuson Park.
How was the E5 parking lot site selected and were other sites within Magnuson Park considered?
In 2018, SMPA assessed 47 potential sites for dedicated pickleball courts, eventually submitting a list of 7 sites, including the old tennis courts at Magnuson Park, to Seattle Parks. Independently, SPR conducted its own studies in 2019 and 2022, which included a list of five potential sites.
In the fall of 2023 with the intent to conduct a detailed analysis of the five court locations identified in the 2021-2022 study. An advisory committee was formed, including tennis and pickleball players and advocates.
In October 2023, after a more detailed review of the sites along with input from the advisory committee, SPR determined to continue work on the two best options: a facility at Warren G. Magnuson Park; and a facility at Georgetown Playfield.
In 2004, the Magnuson Park Master Plan incorporated designs for the construction of 4 ballfields, including one at the E5 parking lot. Two of the proposed 4 fields were built.
The proposed pickleball courts would replace the ballfield planned for E5 while maintaining a portion of the current parking lot. (Which would have been displaced entirely by the ballfield.)