BullDog co-founders outline four-step plan to build community-focused padel club

Opening in late 2025, BullDog will be the first padel-only facility to open in the Lake Nona area, a suburb southeast of downtown Orlando. It will feature world-class courts and an area for guests to socialise before and after matches. In an interview with Padel Business Magazine’s US reporter Rodney Reeves, co-founders Jim Allan and Ben Cheng discuss BullDog’s vision for its flagship location, how technology will enhance the playing experience, and how it will integrate within the local community.

Even though it’s not yet open, BullDog has been busy establishing itself within the Lake Nona community and within the United States Padel Association (USPA) ecosystem.

It has joined the Lake Nona Regional Chamber of Commerce, an enterprising organisation featuring 500 local businesses as members. BullDog is also distinguished as a Premier Club with the USPA, which will give the club higher visibility and ensure it can bid on and host all levels of USPA tournaments.

Once it officially opens its doors, BullDog’s first padel club will feature at least six outdoor courts constructed with the highest-quality materials. There will also be a lounge area with comfortable seating and food and beverage options.

Every aspect of the club’s design complements padel’s inherent social nature, allowing its expected diverse attendees options to consort and network.

Co-founders Jim Allan and Ben Cheng bring plenty of valuable experience with padel and in business, despite BullDog being their first club.

Both are based in Albany, a resort community based on the island of New Providence in the Bahamas, about 20-30 minutes away from the capital Nassau. Albany’s small but vibrant padel facility features six outdoor courts and three indoor courts. As long-time residents of Albany, Allan and Cheng quickly became captivated by the sport.

On the business side, both work with financial services firm Trinity Atlantic Capital, with Allan serving as the founder and president and Cheng as a full-time consultant.

Their intimate understanding of the financial markets and watching the explosion of padel clubs in the US over the past few years led them to consider opening their own club.

Choosing Lake Nona over other areas

The choice of BullDog’s location in Lake Nona closely coincides with the establishment of Albany.

Albany was established in 2010 and was developed by a group of investors, including British businessman and former Tottenham Hotspur owner Joe Lewis’s Tavistock Group, and the golfers Tiger Woods and Ernie Els. Lewis, a real estate developer and passionate padel fan, ensured padel courts were constructed right from the beginning.

Tavistock Development Company is the real estate development subsidiary of Tavistock Group. It developed Lake Nona into a hub for medical research and what became a thriving mixed-use community. This connection led to Lake Nona’s selection as the neighbourhood for BullDog’s flagship location.

“We had a lot of strong relationships with the Tavistock Group”, says Allan.

“They've been pretty incredible in terms of supporting us. They're obviously big fans of padel, but they've taken a lot of time in helping us find just under two acres of land that I think is perfectly situated for the club.”

Lake Nona is also home to the United States Tennis Association (USTA) National Campus, which is less than two miles away from BullDog and is one of the largest tennis facilities in the US.

The USTA National Campus features four padel courts constructed in 2021 and Marcos Del Pilar as its padel consultant. Del Pilar is considered the godfather of padel’s growth in the US and is an associate of BullDog’s founders.

Four-step plan to build awareness of first club

To take advantage of its prime location, BullDog has a four-part plan to raise awareness and establish itself within the Lake Nona community. Cheng explained how BullDog will first look to connect with other local businesses to encourage collaboration.

“How can we do business with KPMG, how can we do business with Starbucks? And how can they then do business with us?” says Cheng.

He continues: “And it's not just one and done. We will continue to work together with other businesses within Lake Nona to create awareness and hopefully bring business to other businesses and have them bring business to us.”

Second is through working with a seasoned marketing firm, Razor Creative, to hone its brand image. Through the firm's input, BullDog will optimise the look and feel of its presentation to its guests.

The third part is being active on social media to grow its presence locally. BullDog plans to use its social media accounts to connect with padel enthusiasts of all ages and demographics around Orlando. Its metro population includes 2.9 million residents and is the second-fastest-growing large metro area in the US.

The fourth and final part of the plan is through ongoing community outreach.

In addition to its membership with the Lake Nona Regional Chamber of Commerce, BullDog will look to connect with the major hospitals in the area, such as AdventHealth and the University of Central Florida. It plans to offer special events and packages to nurses and college students interested in trying out padel.

“We'll figure this all out and make sure that this is a fun sport for everybody in the community to enjoy and make sure that our courts are as full as possible”, says Cheng.

Enhancing the guest experience through technology

BullDog sees technology playing a vital role in elevating the playing experience.

“I think technology can play a huge part in just focusing the experience on play”, says Allan. “I think to the extent we can get our team members focused on making sure that our players are as happy and engaged as they can possibly be, the better for us.”

The club will be cashless and use Play by Point as its official booking system, which will help streamline coordinating events, connecting members with one another, and rating players for matching skill levels.

In addition, BullDog plans to feature vending machines in its lobby to allow guests to rent padel equipment and purchase beverages. The club will also look to feature AI-powered cameras as a key feature of its club to record matches, using technology from companies like PlaySight – featured in Padel Business Magazine in March – to capture highlights.

For the type of padel enthusiasts BullDog aims to attract, this level of insight and technical analysis will be invaluable for helping players improve and build strong connections while playing.

“Not only can you have the pleasure of watching yourself hit an out by four smash or whatever it may be, but it can be used either on your own or with coaches to analyse your own game”, says Allan.

“I think it can be used in a fantastic way so everybody can see their highlights and maybe their lowlights and all have a laugh together.”

Community-first expansion plans

Once the flagship location in Lake Nona is established and flourishing, BullDog hopes to open a cluster of other clubs in Florida around Orlando, Tampa and Ocala.

As well as optimising its own club-based events, BullDog is also excited to collaborate with other clubs in the area to help grow padel together.

“We're happy if other people build clubs as well”, says Cheng. “It would be fantastic to have club-based tournaments. And it's gonna help the recognition and the fun and enjoyment of the sport. No matter where we are, we want to be a part of the community.”

Another aspect the co-founders would like to implement to boost membership and community involvement is through offering family memberships for BullDog, rather than only providing a tiered structure for membership, like many clubs do.

“If you have your wife and two kids, why not make it for the whole family, right?”, explains Cheng.

“So the kids can come, they have something fun to do after school. If mom has a day off work or if she's at home, she can come play with her friends during the day. All these kinds of things, I think, engender our participation in the community.”

Cementing BullDog as a padel staple

Allan emphasises that BullDog will remain focused on providing excellence in padel play to differentiate its club from others.

“Our plan is to focus on padel”, says Allan. “We are very focused on between six and 12 courts to create a community, almost a tribal feel.”

Their plans for the club are thoughtful and measured, even down to the club's name.

“The name BullDog kind of brings to mind something strong and fun, but not overly fancy and adorable”, explains Allan.

He continues: “The culture we're trying to create is one that's active, vibrant and fun. We want, to the extent that's respectable of the community, to have a great vibe, have some music going.

“So whether you're learning padel, or becoming a very good player, hopefully we'll have the kind of culture that you can become a part of.”

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