Wilmington is no exception to trends in membership-based sports clubs. More than just a place for sports, those in the industry say the clubs leverage technology and offer curated amenities, such as lounge seating that encourages social connection, plus dining experiences with elevated food and sports-themed drinks.

Mike Harms is the managing partner at The Club at Midtown, 4950 Holly Tree Road in Wilmington. Opening in late September, the club has 11 indoor pickleball courts, four covered, lighted outdoor courts, two new clay tennis courts, an outdoor putting green, golf simulator bays, a 1,200-square-foot gym, a junior Olympic-size resort-style outdoor swimming pool, a restaurant, a cafe and a full-service bar. Three padel courts are in the planning stage. The Club at Midtown aims to be one of the premier pickleball destinations in the Southeast, hosting member tournaments, leagues, and social events.

“I had the idea for the club for a couple of years,” Harms said. “I retired to Florida, but I got bored. When I came back to Wilmington, I heard the property was for sale.”

Nearly everything at the club is new, except the pool, which has been upgraded with a new deck and pool house, chairs, umbrellas and palm trees. The pickleball courts are cushioned with eight layers of padding – “easier on the joints,” Harms explained.

The gym has enough workout equipment for a full-body workout: free weights, treadmills, ellipticals, plus stretching, rowing and universal machines. For golf enthusiasts, there are three Full Swing golf simulators.

“They are top of the line, endorsed by Tiger Woods and used by many pros,” Harms said.

Catering to both open and league formats, the tennis and pickleball programs feature divisions tailored to players with similar skill ratings.

In the kitchen, chef Kevin Vermilyea, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, is plating flatbreads and salads, short ribs and salmon.

“Many have joined the club for the social connection,” Harms said.

The first floor features a pro shop and a cafe with grab-and-go food, coffee and smoothies. The second floor is home to a full-service bar and grill. A spacious wraparound deck provides outdoor seating. “It’s friendly and social, not stuffy,” Harms said.

Founding and charter memberships are sold out, but other types of memberships are available.

“We are not going to oversell memberships,” Harms added. “Members will be able to use the facility when they want.”

All reservations, from scheduling a court to reserving a table for dinner, will be done from an app.

“The club is unique, that’s for sure,” Harms said.

This July, Mike and Cat Wilson, owners of Backspin Social in Wilmington, opened their second location in Leland in response to customer demand.

“We were seeing folks from Brunswick County driving over the bridge to our Wilmington location,” Mike Wilson said. “Backspin is intentionally designed for both golfers and non-golfers. Both locations offer state-of-the-art golf simulators for the golfers, but live music and food trucks on the weekends are an important part of the experience.”

Backspin offers leagues, sports viewing, flexible private-event space for company parties, team-building, holiday celebrations, fundraisers and other gatherings.

“Creating community is so important to us,” Mike Wilson said.

Big leather couches and coffee tables define the vibe at the Wilmington location.

“It’s spacious, comfortable, and homey,” he said.

In Leland, the atmosphere has a brewery feel created by garage doors that open fully to outside seating. Leland and Wilmington host trivia, and music bingo is coming to Leland. Both locations have pool tables and dartboards.

Backspin Social offers memberships with perks, but anyone can drop by to play golf on four indoor Uneekor golf simulators on 2,600 courses around the world.

“For experienced golfers, the simulators provide data to improve game accuracy while built-in slow-motion cameras analyze your swing. The accuracy of the simulators is second to none,” Mike Wilson said. “For novices, it’s simply fun, hitting balls at targets and blowing up stuff.”

Both locations feature TVs for catching Sunday NFL games, college football, basketball and, of course, golf. The bars feature local craft beers, weekly wine specials and golf-themed cocktails, like A Little Birdie, Shank Cure and Water Hazard.

“Folks can expect a different seasonal fall lineup of cocktails,” Mike Wilson said. “And our customer service is top-notch.”

Building community is always top of mind, he said. Last spring, Backspin hosted a golf garage sale, and plans include a maker’s market in September and a cat and dog adoption event in the future. Mike Wilson hosts Backspin in Real Life, which gives people the chance to test skills gained from the golf simulators on a local course.

“You don’t have to be a golfer or even be interested in golf to hang out at Backspin,” Mike Wilson said. “Walk in and book a time. The community we built is powerful.”