St. Martin's Skatepark Has a Design. The Pickleball Courts Get Built First.

St. Martin's skatepark now has a preliminary design, a designer and a size estimate of about 20,000 square feet. It has no construction budget yet. That gap sets the order of everything at the West Jackson County Soccer Complex on Lemoyne Boulevard. Nine pickleball courts are scheduled to break ground this November. The concrete bowl that skaters saw in renderings this month is expected to wait until 2028.

Anyone who drives past 16305 Lemoyne Boulevard over the next year will see crews working before the skatepark headlines turn into anything physical. Here is how the pieces fit together and what to expect on the ground.

The Design Came Before the Money

On the evening of Oct. 13, Jackson County and the Gulf Coast Skateparks Association held a meeting at Cedar Grove Community Center, 7216 Melrose Drive, to show the first preliminary design for the permanent park. WLOX's preview described the session as a chance to weigh in on specific ramps and rails. It also said the park is meant to serve skateboarders, bikers and rollerbladers.

Grindline Skateparks drew the concept, which includes a bowl, boxes and rails. In WLOX's coverage of the meeting, Grindline CEO Matt Fluegge was clear about the ambition:

"This is going to be the biggest skatepark in Mississippi. So, we really want it to be a standout and world-class."

Local skaters at the meeting also liked the design. Elias Carrillo told WLOX that "it's got just about everything in it. Transition, flow." Sheldon Przyborowski called it "a very open and dynamic park for everybody." An overhead rendering published by RHCJC News shows concrete bowls, curved ramps, stairs and rails. The outlet described the layout as having features for both beginners and experienced skaters.

The funding is still missing. RHCJC News reported that Jackson County has no construction money budgeted for the skatepark. County project manager Matthew Hosey said the county plans to apply for state and federal grants and may ask local industries for support. The county hopes to have funding in place by fall 2027. According to WLOX, the project is expected to cost around $2 million, with construction expected to begin in 2028.

What Gets Built at the Complex First

The skatepark belongs to a larger set of improvements, and the rest of that package is further along. When WLOX reported in June, it said the county's first phase of work at the complex included a new playground and nine pickleball courts, plus the future skatepark.

Jackson County's online plan room notice for "Recreation Improvements at West Jackson County Soccer Complex" lists the work: site grading, storm drainage, sidewalks, curb and gutter, asphalt paving and striping, and the nine pickleball courts. Neel-Schaffer is the engineering contact. The engineer's estimate is $1.6 million to $1.9 million. Bids were due by noon on May 20, 2026, and the notice now shows bidding as closed.

That puts the courts-and-sitework package in the same range as the skatepark's projected cost of about $2 million. The difference is that the courts package has already gone out to bid. The skatepark is still waiting for grant applications.

In June, Jackson County Recreation Director DJ Pulley told WLOX that work on the broader complex improvements was expected to begin in August, saying, "You'll start seeing some progress out here in August." RHCJC News reported in mid-October that construction on the pickleball courts is expected to begin in November and take about six months. If that schedule holds, the courts could be finished around spring 2027. That date is an estimate based on the reported timeline. The county has not announced a completion date.

The courts will join facilities already on the site. In 2020, WXXV described the complex as having two lighted soccer fields, a challenge course with seven elements and a timed 40-yard dash, ADA sidewalks, parking and a concession and restroom building.

The Skatepark Estimates Have Changed Since June

The skatepark's size and cost have both shifted during design, so the current figures are best read as working estimates.

The October figures are the latest and come from the design stage. The rise from the association's earlier estimate to about $2 million helps explain why the county is now looking for outside funding. The "biggest in Mississippi" description comes from Grindline's CEO, and none of the published coverage measures it against named parks elsewhere in the state.

The Skatepark St. Martin Already Has

The skaters reacting to renderings this month already have a park. The Gulf Coast Skateparks Association built a DIY park out of wooden ramps across the street from the complex. WXXV covered its opening in April 2025 and reported that association members built the ramps and rails and gave lessons there.

That volunteer park is how St. Martin ended up with a county skatepark project at all. WLOX reported in June that local skaters had been gathering there for more than a year. County officials said that once the permanent concrete park opens, the wooden ramps could be moved to another part of Jackson County.

The association has built a DIY park in Biloxi too. Its website says that one was completed with $7,000 in grassroots funding and volunteer labor and has 14 custom features. Grassroots money built the Biloxi park, but the St. Martin concrete park is expected to cost about $2 million, which is why the county is looking to grants and industry. Association founder Ty Prowant has been the link between the volunteer ramps and the county's plans. In WLOX's October report, he said skaters were "totally blown away" by the design and that "it's clear they paid attention to exactly what the skaters in this community wanted."

Andrew Buras, the association's vice president, learned to skate in Gulfport. He told RHCJC News that the group's broader goal is "just getting these communities to have these free public use parks."

The Schedule at 16305 Lemoyne Boulevard

Here is the expected order of work at the complex, based on the current reporting:

1. November 2026. Construction on the nine pickleball courts is expected to begin and take about six months.
2. Around spring 2027. The courts could be finished if the six-month estimate holds.
3. Fall 2027. This is the county's target for securing skatepark construction funding.
4. 2028. Skatepark construction is expected to begin.
5. After the concrete park opens. The wooden DIY ramps across the street could be moved elsewhere in the county.

Steps two through five depend on things the county has not finalized, including a completion date for the courts and a grant award for the skatepark.

Where Pickleball Is Played Nearby Until the Courts Open

Until the Lemoyne Boulevard courts open, the closest public courts are a short drive away. A Gulf Coast pickleball directory last updated in September 2025 listed these spots. Confirm current schedules before heading out.

• Inner Harbor Park, Ocean Springs. Four lit outdoor courts, with weekday play listed from 8 to 11 a.m.
• West Jackson County Safe Room, 13000 Walker Road. Two indoor courts, with play listed Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 2 to 6 p.m.
• Vancleave Community Park. Four lit outdoor courts, with play listed Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings, plus Thursday evening.

The same directory lists Mississippi Gulf Coast Pickleball as a regional nonprofit organization for the sport. Once the Lemoyne Boulevard courts are finished, the West Jackson County Soccer Complex will have nine courts, more than twice as many as any of these sites listed on its own.

At Rain, we follow county projects like the Lemoyne Boulevard complex because parks, courts and the timelines behind them shape daily life in St. Martin long after the renderings are shown. If you'd like to talk through what's changing around your part of the Coast, Talk With an Advisor.