Special to the Reporter

The Mercer Island Country Club (MICC) celebrated a major milestone on Feb. 28 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its brand-new tennis/pickleball bubble. The event drew a crowd of local leaders, community members and MICC supporters to commemorate the completion of the long-anticipated project.

Mercer Island Mayor Salim Nice, cut the ribbon to open the new facility and was joined by Deputy Mayor Dave Rosenbaum and councilmembers Lisa Anderl and Jake Jacobson, representing the city who worked closely with the club to bring this to reality.

Susie Vannatter, MICC board president, kicked off the event with a reflection on the club’s significance to the Island and her family and pride in witnessing the long-awaited achievement come to life.

“For literally decades, people have been talking about the idea of putting up a bubble here at the club,” Vannatter said. “Now, standing inside it today, it’s truly amazing to see this dream become a reality.”

The new seasonal dome covers four of the club’s eight outdoor courts with an air-inflated structure. The driving force behind the project, former MICC board president Dan Nordale, talked about the importance of the project to Islander tennis.

“The dome over the outdoor tennis courts will expand access to tennis and pickleball by 60% during our rainy season, a significant step toward further elevating our juniors tennis program that is already the best in the Pacific Northwest,” Nordale said.

The dome itself is an impressive feat of engineering, designed to withstand the elements and meet the needs of the community. Measuring 35 feet at the highest point, the air-inflated structure is equipped with an air handling unit capable of ensuring stability even in winds up to 100 mph.

“We’ve taken every precaution to ensure that this dome is both safe and environmentally conscious,” Nordale added. “We’ve planted 30 new trees across the MICC and adjacent properties to replace unhealthy ones, further integrating the structure into the natural landscape.”

The cutting of the ribbon by the mayor officially opened the bubble for the community. Following the ribbon cutting, attendees enjoyed a champagne and cider toast to honor the project’s completion and the beginning of a new chapter for the club.

“The tennis bubble is a game-changer,” said MICC General Manager Dorrinda Pierce. ”It not only gives us the chance to play year-round, regardless of the weather, it also brings our Islander community closer together. It will benefit everyone for years to come.”

As the celebration came to a close, Nordale offered one final invitation to the crowd, “Thanks for coming — let’s play tennis and pickleball!”

The MICC’s tennis dome marks a new era for the Island’s sports community, ensuring that residents can stay active, engaged and connected, no matter the season.

The new Mercer Island Country Club tennis/pickleball bubble. Courtesy photo