Topgolf St. Louis Midtown had its grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony on Oct. 20. The brand-new facility features 102 hitting bays, the largest bay Topgolf has constructed. It is a three-floor venue, home to a full bar and restaurant, over 200 HDTVs, a 28-foot video wall and multiple patios.
The ceremony featured many guest speakers, including SLU President Fred Pestello, Alderwoman Laura Keys, Greater St. Louis CEO Jason Hall and Mayor’s Office Chief of Staff Jared Boyd.
The speakers said this event space will act as yet another attraction to build up the increasingly developing Midtown community.
“I think it’s one more thing for our students to do. So, I think back when I started nine and a half years ago, the city foundry wasn’t there. The armory wasn’t there. We didn’t have a lot of this development,” Pestello said. “From what I hear from students, they really love what’s happening at City Foundry. I’m very excited that they’ve got one more thing for those who might be interested in coming out here and having some fun hitting golf balls.”
In a city as much a victim of urban sprawl as any other, Midtown is working hard to draw people back with the grand opening of the City Foundry, with Fresh Thyme, The Armory, the Alamo Drafthouse and now Topgolf in the last two years.
Boyd mentioned in his speech at the ceremony that there is an increase in traffic coming in from the suburbs rather than the reverse as it has often been.
“They’re going to be a lot of people who when they’re looking for a date night, when they’re looking for family night, are not going to be getting on highway 64. They’re going to be coming right here,” Boyd said.
Topgolf will not only bring fun to SLU students but also employment to the region. Andy Najjar, director of operations at Top Golf said nearly four dozen students are employed at the facility.
Topgolf seeks to enrich the community further by partnering with local businesses and working with SLU, Najjar added.
“We’re excited to be part of the St. Louis Redevelopment Corporation here, which is associated with St. Louis University here in Midtown. We have a strong partnership with Saint Louis University, and we’re looking forward to being a part of this renaissance here in Midtown,” Najjar said.
“We want golf to be open and accessible to everyone, and Topgolf is a great way to do that. It’s a great place to start. You know, we do have lessons we do in the summer, we’ll have kids academies. We want everyone to participate. We want golf to be for everybody,” Najjar said.
The price per bay per hour ranges significantly, from as little as 15 an hour to as much as 58. For a cheaper cost, look to visit on Tuesdays, which feature half-off admission from open to close. Prices increase the later in the day you visit, and Friday to Sunday are 5-7 dollars more expensive than their weekday counterparts. There are not currently any discounts for students.
When asked how much the facility cost to construct, Najjar declined to comment. A similar 102-bay facility in El Paso cost 15.7 million to build in 2017. Given the recent trends of inflation, this venue may have cost even more. Likewise, where this money came from was not disclosed.
As for events, the facility will be easing into things for the first few weeks. However, Najjar confirmed some to-be-announced events with local partners are coming down the road. Topgolf is now open to the public seven days a week, 9 a.m.-11 p.m., except Friday and Saturday, where it is open until midnight.
The ceremony’s speakers say they expect it to become a premier attraction in the Midtown community for everyone.
Owen Herdrick / University News
