Ace Padel applies for liquor license at former Great Divide brewery in Denver

Overview

Updated Sep 25

Ace Padel is one step closer to opening its Denver club. City records show a pending liquor license application and a construction permit for tenant improvements at 1812 35th St., the former Great Divide Brewing Co. building in RiNo.

The 26,000-square-foot space will hold eight courts, saunas, cold plunges and a restaurant. Co-founder Elliot Carnello plans to open in the third quarter, as padel operators across the US bet the sport will follow pickleball's trajectory.

Why it matters

If Ace opens on schedule, Denver gets one of its first full-size padel clubs in a space that was a brewery a year ago.

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Key Indicators

Courts planned at Denver club

Five indoor and three outdoor courts across 26,000 square feet.

26,000 sq ft

Club footprint

The former Great Divide brewery space in the River North neighborhood.

700

Padel courts in the United States

Roughly 30,000 in Spain and 5,000 in Sweden, per Ace co-founder Elliot Carnello.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

Elliot Carnello

Co-founder and CEO, Ace Padel

Leading Ace's Miami, Denver, Los Angeles and Dallas openings

Organizations Involved

Ace Padel

Private company

Opening clubs in Miami, Denver, Los Angeles and Dallas

Luxury padel club operator with membership programs, restaurants and wellness amenities.

McWhinney

Real estate developer

Owns 1812 35th St., leases to Ace Padel

Colorado-based developer that owns the former Great Divide brewery building.

Great Divide Brewing Co.

Craft brewery

Closed; sold to Wilding Brands

Denver craft brewery that occupied 1812 35th St. from 2015 to June 2025.

Padel Haus

Sports club operator

Planning a Denver location at 2501 Welton St.

New York-based padel club operator with US expansion plans.

Timeline

June 2024 September 2026

4 events Latest: September 17th, 2026 · 2 months ago

Tap a bar to jump to that date

September 2026
Tenant-finish permit filed for 1812 35th St
Latest Permit

Denver records a tenant-finish construction permit for the address. The city also lists a pending liquor license application for Ace Padel, but publishes no date for that application.
September 17th, 2026
January 2026
Ace Padel announces Denver club
Announcement

Ace says it will open an eight-court padel club in the former brewery.
January 14th, 2026
June 2025
Great Divide closes its RiNo brewery
Closure

Great Divide Brewing shuts the building after its sale to Wilding Brands.
June 2025
June 2024
Padel Haus announces Denver location
Announcement

New York-based Padel Haus says it will open at 2501 Welton St. in Denver.
June 2024

Scenarios

Ace Padel opens its Denver club

Likely Resolves by Q1 2027

Discussed by: Ace Padel; The Denver Post

Ace says the club should serve customers in the third quarter of 2026. The pending liquor license and construction permit are the latest approvals in the process. If the tenant finish and inspections wrap up on schedule, the club opens at 1812 35th St. with eight courts and a restaurant.

Permitting or construction pushes Ace's Denver opening into 2027

Possible Resolves by Q1 2027

Discussed by: Commercial construction industry norms

Tenant finishes on a 26,000-square-foot industrial space with eight courts, saunas and a restaurant can run past initial estimates. If inspections, licensing or build-out delays accumulate, Ace's Q3 2026 target slips. The record shows the permit and license are still pending as of mid-September, with no opening date confirmed.

Denver becomes a two-club padel market

Uncertain Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Padel Haus; Ace Padel

New York-based Padel Haus says its Denver location at 2501 Welton St. will open in winter 2026-27. If both clubs open, Denver would have two full-size padel venues, signaling the sport's US expansion is moving beyond single pilot locations.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2019-2023

Pickleball's US boom (2019-2023)

Pickleball went from a retirement-community game to America's fastest-growing sport. Participation jumped from about 3 million to 8 million players, and clubs and dedicated courts proliferated as investors chased the trend.

Then

Rapid court construction and club openings across the country.

Now

Some markets built more courts than demand supported, leading to consolidation and closures as growth flattened.

Why this matters now

Shows both the upside and the oversupply risk for a racket sport like padel expanding into US cities.

2015-2023

Padel's Nordic explosion (2015-2023)

Padel swept Sweden, Norway and Finland, with thousands of courts built in converted warehouses and industrial spaces. Sweden alone went from a few hundred courts to roughly 5,000.

Then

Rapid club construction; padel became a mainstream recreational sport in Scandinavia.

Now

The boom overshot demand in places; some operators consolidated or closed as competition intensified.

Why this matters now

Ace's co-founder cites the Nordic boom as his template for the US, where padel has about 700 courts versus 30,000 in Spain.