An adaptive reuse conversion is underway on International Drive as construction crews continue transforming a prominent piece of Orlando’s recreational history into a dual-sport venue. Smash Point Club, a corporate-owned racket sports brand launching its inaugural facility in Orlando before expanding to locations in New York and Fort Myers, plans to open in October, roughly three months from now.
The property originally opened as Festival Bay Mall, which held its grand opening on April 3, 2003. The property later transformed into the artisanal craft hub Artegon Marketplace, which shuttered in 2017, and then Dezerland Park Orlando, an auto museum and largest indoor attraction in the state of Florida. Smash Point Club will occupy a 54,160-square-foot anchor footprint within the larger 850,000-square-foot complex, formerly Vans Skatepark.
The location holds a distinct history in the Central Florida action sports community. Opened in January 2002, Vans Skatepark was a 61,000-square-foot destination featuring a 40-foot wooden vertical ramp, street courses and an above-ground concrete pool designed for professional and amateur riders. The park closed in January 2012. The current adaptive reuse project reconfigures the layout, clearing away the physical structures of the skateboarding era to make way for modern athletic courts.
Vans Skatepark opened at the former Festival Bay Mall in 2003. (PHOTO BY JOHN RAOUX/ORLANDO SENTINEL)
Demolition crews dismantle the interior structures of the former Vans Skatepark on June 3, 2026, clearing the way for the construction of Smash Point Club Orlando. (Photo: Sarah Kinbar)
The building’s high ceilings give players ample overhead room for lob shots on the five padel and four pickleball surfaces. Two outdoor padel courts complete the 11-court lineup.
By expanding the upper level, the facility’s total usable area scales to 60,550 square feet. City permitting documents indicate that the building’s original 570-square-foot mezzanine platform is being enlarged into a 6,390-square-foot upper deck.
This newly expanded mezzanine area is designated for an eating and drinking layout that includes a social bar and a warming kitchen, according to Smash Point Club owner Hakan Ugdur. The second-floor space will support corporate gatherings and private events with a capacity of up to 50 people, he said.
A top-down schematic illustrates how the 54,160-square-foot ground-floor layout optimizes traffic flow and maximizes court placement within the former mall anchor space. (Courtesy Smash Point Club)
Once open, the club will also feature a juice bar, a pro shop, dedicated fitness spaces and a members-only coworking lounge.
Crews have three months to complete the entire build-out and mezzanine expansion, Ugdur said.
Meeting the growing demand for padel in Orlando
Ugdur, who is based in New York and has operated the Unlimited Tennis Club in Fort Myers since June 2020, said the choice of International Drive was strategic.
“Orlando has the highest international tourism out of anywhere else in the U.S., and padel attracts the international crowd, especially South Americans,” Ugdur said. “This part of Orlando has the highest concentration of South Americans, and that’s why I chose it.”
The Orlando launch represents the first phase of a multi-city rollout for the Smash Point Club brand. Ugdur confirmed that the business is expanding as a corporate-owned chain and is not a franchise.
Ugdur is simultaneously coordinating expansions across his other multi-club holdings. In Fort Myers, Ugdur is adding four padel courts to his property with a targeted opening date of January 1, 2027. The new courts will debut under the Smash Point Club name, while the facility will retain the Unlimited Tennis Club branding for its traditional clay tennis courts. A 15-court Smash Point Club location at the Review Avenue Complex in Long Island City, New York, is scheduled to open in July 2027.
This expansion aligns with the ongoing surge in court sports.
According to the State of US Padel 2026 report published by Padel Courts Finder, Florida has the densest padel market in the United States, with 83 active clubs.
Meanwhile, the 2026 Florida Pickleball Market Context report by Branded Pickleball notes that the state has 1.62 million players. Orlando ranks as the third most active metro area in Florida, holding 380 courts across 121 facilities and experiencing a 37% year-over-year growth in court inventory.
Ugdur said they are still finalizing the club’s pricing, but rates will be set below the marketplace average.
“It’s going to be cheaper than anywhere else,” he said.
The March 2026 State of the Courts Report by CourtSource.us shows typical rates of $40 to $80 per hour for pickleball and $60 to $120 per hour for padel clubs nationwide.
The development of Smash Point Club follows other major racquet entries along the corridor, including the 92,531-square-foot Society Park complex at 8001 International Drive. Society Park is currently in active development on a 2.4-acre slice of the former Wyndham resort site.
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