TIFTON — Pickleball may gain even more prominence in Tift County following a recent decision from the county board of commissioners.

Tift County commissioners voted unanimously to approve the construction of a pickleball court complex at the county recreation department during their Sep. 11 meeting.

The project would see four of the recreation department’s tennis courts converted into eight pickleball courts.

County manager Jim Carter explained during the meeting that since opening the bid for the project Sep. 8, the county had received two bids: S.C. Barker at $1,131,324.50 and Standard Contractors at $1,238,927.56.

Carter recommended that the county select Standard Contractors for the job, reporting that the two contractors had been asked to provide an additional price on entirely reconstructing the courts from the ground up, but only Standard had responded. He stated that the county would be receiving a better deal despite the higher price, which the commissioners ultimately agreed with.