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KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN & AUBURN HILLS, MICHIGAN – Wednesday March 5, 2025 – Element 22 Commercial Group recently coordinated the successful financing of a multi-million dollar pickleball facility being constructed in Eastern Michigan. Greystone Pickleball Club, LLC is a planned sports and recreational facility that will cover 4.9 acres, featuring 18 courts within 60,000 square foot indoor space. The facility is designed to support pickleball activities for players of all levels, with amenities for play, learning, and social interaction. This financing of this project was made possible by the collaboration of multiple financial institutions, business consultants and Credit Union Service Organizations (CUSOs) across the state of Michigan and the nation, including Blue Ox Credit Union, Chief Financial Credit Union, CU Evolution, Connects Federal Credit Union, Forest Area Federal Credit Union, Great Lakes Commercial Finance, Honor Credit Union, Independence Business Consulting, Michigan Business Connection, Land of Lincoln Credit Union, Public Service Credit Union, Safe Harbor Credit Union, Security Credit Union, TBA Credit Union and Traverse Catholic Federal Credit Union.
“It has been a great pleasure working with Independence Business Consulting, Security Credit Union, Great Lakes Commercial Finance, Greystone Pickleball Club and the 12 other financial institution participants that helped bring this project together,” comments Kenneth Leonard, CEO of Element 22 Commercial Group. “It is through this collaboration that we are able to assist our credit union and bank clients on these types of projects.”
Pat Chisholm, President of Greystone Pickleball Club remarks “We are so excited for our project in Auburn Hills. Pickleball is such a communal, social sport where people can spend quality time together. Our development team, operations team and equity partners are all family and friends, and it is fitting that we have Security Credit Union as our project lender and Element 22 as the Loan Servicer and Participant aggregator. We have been treated like family by Element 22 from the onset and are so happy to have them involved with us as we start this venture.”
“It was a pleasure working with Pat Chisholm and the Greystone Pickleball development team to bring their idea of a “country club inspired pickleball facility” to life,” says Dennis Murphy, CEO of Independence Business Consulting headquartered in Northville, MI, “ A ground up project of this magnitude is never easy to get funded, but we love a challenge at IBC. We took the file to market and found that Element 22, a Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO) would syndicate the loan with their network of credit unions to get the loan done. We have worked on development deals in the past with Kenny Leonard and his team at Element 22 and enjoy working together to overcome the inevitable hurdles on projects like this. This is what Independence Business Consulting (IBC) does best; we use our background in title, construction and 20 plus years of lending to find creative solutions for lending. This loan was done as an SBA 504loan in conjunction with Great Lakes Commercial Finance (GLCF) , a CDC out of Grand Rapids Michigan that IBC works with frequently. Tom Sreckovic, Gary Witkowski and the entire GLCF team are always a great guide through the SBA gauntlet.”
“At GLCF, we are honored to support small businesses across Michigan,” adds Gary Witkowski, VP of Business Development & Underwriting at Great Lakes Commercial Finance. “This project is particularly exciting as it brings a new pickleball facility to Auburn Hills, impacting the local community and contributing to the east side’s growth. We are proud to help fund a project that adds true value and creates new opportunities for residents and visitors.”
Wallace Dawson, Commercial Services Manager of Security Credit Union added, “Security Credit Union is proud to support the Greystone Pickleball Club, a project that brings new recreational opportunities and economic growth to Auburn Hills. Our commitment goes beyond financing— we are dedicated to investing in the communities within our field of membership and supporting initiatives that enhance the quality of life for our members and neighbors.”
Element 22 Commercial Group, based out of Kalamazoo, MI, assists credit unions and banks nationwide with all things related to commercial lending – loan sourcing, underwriting, closing documents, loan servicing and participation loans. With a focus on the quality of the services, the staff at Element 22 Commercial Group enjoy assisting their valued clients to get commercial lending done for them. For more information, visit www.element22cg.com.
Headquartered in Grand Blanc, Mich., Security Credit Union has been committed to providing secure and convenient service since 1949. With more than 50,000 members and 14 locations, SCU tends to the financial needs of members across the state of Michigan and northwestern Ohio. SCU members receive quality service and exceptional value when choosing SCU as their trusted financial partner. For more information, visit securitycu.org, or call (800) 373-2333.
Independence Business Consulting (IBC) stands as a pivotal ally for small businesses, specializing in preparing our clients for the lending process, aligning the client’s needs with the right financial institutions, and facilitating a seamless connection between the client and potential lenders. Our expertise in helping businesses get ready to secure funding and identifying the ideal lender match makes us an invaluable partner to businesses like yours, streamlining your path to securing the right funding for your project. To learn more about IBC visit https://www.ibcbizloans.com/
Great Lakes Commercial Finance (GLCF) has been financing growing businesses in Michigan since 1981 and specializes in the SBA 504 loan program. The program offers many advantages for small businesses, including access to capital with a low down payment, a fixed interest rate, and a longer-term for purchasing or constructing a building, land, or equipment. GLCF’s staff is dedicated to making the process smooth and seamless with hands-on personal attention. For more information about SBA 504 loans, visit www.glcf.org