Carmel Valley resident Fernando Garcia Sotelo, alongside business partner Francisco “Chisko” Angel, has launched a new sports and social club in San Diego’s Bay Ho neighborhood. The Kingdom of Padel, built inside a repurposed Harley-Davidson warehouse on Morena Boulevard, features six padel courts, three pickleball courts, three golf simulators, a gym, and a restaurant-bar. The club offers open play, coaching, clinics, and a vibrant community atmosphere.
A soft opening took place on October 13, with a grand opening scheduled for next month. The founding 65 members have already begun enjoying the facilities. “We have been busy, we are happy,” said Garcia Sotelo.
From Mexico City to San Diego
Garcia Sotelo’s passion for padel began in his teenage years in Mexico City, where he played regularly during weekends in Acapulco, the sport’s birthplace. After earning a master’s degree from Columbia University and working in commercial real estate, he moved to San Diego and continued playing padel at King of Padel, where he met Angel.
“I learned about this new padel place opening and I found a really nice community, making friends, playing almost every week and then I met Chisko,” Garcia Sotelo said. When the previous location closed due to low ceilings, Angel found a new space and invited Garcia Sotelo to join him as co-owner.
A transformed space with indoor courts
The renovation of the old warehouse has drawn attention, even from former Harley-Davidson employees who stopped by to admire the transformation. The Kingdom includes two outdoor padel courts and four indoor courts—an uncommon feature in San Diego.
“All of the professional players really value playing indoors because that’s when the real padel shows up,” Garcia Sotelo explained. The indoor setup eliminates external factors, allowing for a purer form of the game.
More than just courts
Beyond racket sports, the Kingdom offers a full fitness experience. There’s a gym, locker rooms with showers, and three Trackman golf simulators with access to over 450 courses. A health-focused restaurant serves coffee, smoothies, avocado toast, and açaí bowls, while the space transitions into a sports bar after 4 p.m. Yoga, pilates, massage therapy, and a kids’ playground round out the amenities.
Garcia Sotelo envisions the club as a weekend destination for families and friends. “I don’t think there’s another club that offers a nicer facility than we do. We really invested in the place, it’s a really beautiful place,” he said.
Building a padel community
The Kingdom’s staff includes certified coaches dedicated to growing padel in the U.S. Through clinics and lessons, they aim to introduce the sport to new players and develop young talent. Plans are underway to bring in an international professional as head coach, with hopes of supporting padel’s push toward Olympic inclusion by 2032.
“One of our priorities is no client or no member will lose a game because they didn’t find someone to play with,” Garcia Sotelo added. “All the time our employees are jumping in to play a game or sometimes, I play. You always meet different people.”
Looking ahead, Garcia Sotelo believes padel’s popularity will continue to rise. “If Europe is any indication of what’s going to happen, I think padel is going to replace a lot of the racquet sports like pickleball in popularity for the amateur player,” he said.
