By Terry Schrimscher
CLAY — Pickleball players will descend upon the City of Clay in March as the city plays host to the 4th annual Alabama Open. The pickleball tournament will take place at the city’s Pickleball Complex and is open to players of all ages and skill levels.
The tournament is scheduled to take place March 28-30, 2024. The schedule was recently amended due to the Easter holiday. City Manager Ronnie Dixon announced the change in his report during the February 27 meeting of the Clay City Council.
“That’s a change from what we have been talking about,” Dixon said. “There was a lot of push back from the city on playing on Easter Sunday, so Sunday play has been cancelled. It will finish up on Saturday night. We will play on Good Friday,” he added.
Registration for the event costs $65 and is open until March 7. Information on the tournament can be found online at www.pickleballeventsgroup.org under the tournaments tab.
The Alabama Open takes place at the City of Clay Pickleball Complex located at 6745 Old Springville Road. The tournament is not a sanctioned event, according to the website, but will have referees for all doubles matches. Matches include singles brackets, doubles brackets for men and woman and a mixed doubles bracket.
The Council also approved a $30,000 donation to the Clay Chalkville High School band to reduce expenses for a pending trip to Orlando, Florida to participate in a parade. The donation was announced in an earlier meeting and was approved during the consent agenda portion of the meeting. The donation reduces expenses for the students from $800 to $150.
The Council also amended conflicting language in local alcohol ordinances. The change was recommended unanimously by the zoning board.
Speaking to The Tribune, Dixon explained the restriction for on-premises consumption of alcohol was changed years ago from 1000 ft to 300 ft from a school, library or church but the verbiage was not updated in different sections of the ordinance.
The next meeting of the Clay City Council is scheduled for 6 p.m. on March 12, 2024 at City Hall.