Top Golf Offers a Preview

I'm excited by the prospects of something to do in B'game besides eat, workout and get one's nails done.  Building something other than offices and high-density, rack-and-stack housing is a good thing!  So the long-awaited Top Golf facility at the driving range that we discussed here is quite welcome.  Top Golf will be offering a preview of their plans this Wednesday, April 10 at 6 pm at the Rec Center where reps from the company will also listen to community ideas and concerns.

I took the opportunity to get in touch with the Top Golf PR team and learned a bit more in advance of the meetings.  There are 49 US venues and four international sites already operating with 10 venues scheduled to open in 2019 including San Jose which is to break ground soon (2Q19).  Like the other sites, the B'game proposal includes 3 stories (approximately 53’ max height of the building) with 102 bays and three main full service bars with seating areas, food and alcohol served throughout the whole venue.  The company estimates that sites draw from a 45 mile radius so San Jose would overlap a bit but not if you use drive time instead of distance to estimate draw.  Clearly the concentration of hotels on our Bayfront make for a build-in draw.

It should make for a nice addition to partially ease our entertainment drought in town.  Of course, traffic and lighting will need to be addressed, but at least it offers something to do.  I will miss Gabriel & Daniel's Mexican Grill that operates in the Pro Shop and it wouldn't be crazy for Top Golf to offer them a good lease on site to continue as a tenant.  I will also be interested to hear if B'game residents will be offered a discount the way San Mateo residents get a break at Coyote Point or Mountain View residents get at Shoreline Amphitheater.  Anyway you look at it, it is an upgrade from the current set-up.

 

Comments

[B. DeArmond]

The current Burlingame Golf Center is a low cost way to introduce kids to golf and a good practice area. Top golf is a very different experience. I've been to Top Golf in San Antonio, Texas on two occasions. Although it involves hitting golf balls, the emphasis is on food and drink. It is a more expensive activity than the current practice area. My biggest concern the impact that Top Golf might have on parking for Murray Field.

[Peter Garrison]

PS- Don’t aim the driving range so you’re hitting into the afternoon sun.

[Puzz]

Not a golfer but it looks fun. Checked website www.topgolf.com. At he meeting you will have the typical negative lefties concerned about the frogs and tidal waves caused by people having fun in life.

[[email protected]]

Attempting to "Reinvent the Wheel/Golf Center" in a place that faces the Sun,plus Fifteen to Forty MPH Winds daily, is No Place for a Driving Range.
In my opinion,(that everyone cares about) an Up-Scale Drive In Movie Theater would be unique. Profitable too.
Bose type speakers, "State of the Art Screen," "Gourmet Style Drive In Menu", Wine, Beer, Movie Themed Cocktails.
The Parking Lot needs to be flawless. Security-Security-Security.
$60.00 per car. Plus, Per customer fee. The people that have the most disposable income first purchase a Car. Now, show it off...
Would you rather sit in a Nasty Gum/Sugar/Condom, Cold Flu other germs, Popcorn floor/seat/arm rest?
(Think about it.. Movie Theaters are F'n Gross.)
Or sit in your own luxury car with the doors locked and Music on?
Burlingame Drive In..
Or we could spend another 15 years attempting to make a profit on ANOTHER City of Burlingame Debacle.

[Joe]

I couldn't make the meeting last night so anyone who did please fill us in.

In the meantime I got the answers to my two questions/ideas from TopGolf:

1. Gabriel & Daniel's Mexican Grill operates in the current, existing Pro Shop. Will Gabriel & Daniel's Mexican Grill be given the opportunity to enter into a lease in the new Topgolf facility?
a. Answer: Topgolf operates their own food and beverage facilities and does not lease to third party tenants for food and beverage operations.

2. Will Burlingame residents be offered a discount to use the facility the same way that San Mateo residents get a break at Coyote Point or Mountain View residents get at Shoreline Amphitheater?
a. Answer: Topgolf charges the same rates to all users, regardless of their city of residence.

[[email protected]]

Come on Joe...
Even a 10% Citizen of Burlingame discount may result in a $1.00 discount.
Next.

[Bruce Dickinson]

Looks like Top Golf places Bottom Priority on Burlingame residents and businesses.

This concept, while sounds kind of cool, reeks of being at or near the peak of a bubble. Basically a more adult version of Chuck E Cheese's or Dave & Busters.

Top Golf has a sordid history in operating in other communities. Not sure this is the greatest business for Burlingame.

[Joe]

The DJ article about the meeting added a few tidbits to what I had in the original post:

Maximum planned occupancy will be 1,300 people, including 125 employees on the property spanning about 13 acres. Ultimately, it is expected nearly 500 people, including part-time employees, will work at the center.

There are 475 parking spaces planned and the location is expected to operate from 9 a.m. until about midnight during the week, and 2 a.m. on the weekends.

https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/topgolf-shares-plans-for-burlingame/article_6d4debd6-5d99-11e9-89fd-f783027af636.html

[Dead Project]

Expected completion date: 6/2023 at the earliest.

[Family of Six]

What a fun place on website demo. Our family would love it and hope it opens soon. The extra revenue can certainly help with some of our City's expenses.

[[email protected]]

"I can't wait...
3.5 years.
Dear B. DeArmond,
There will never be a shortage of food out there due to your "neighbors" food, hats, gloves, Golf Bag, blow over your lane..
Do you folks know the normal wind speed out there is between 25 & 35 MPH?
Not Fun. As is the full Sun in your eyes 2:00PM until Night?
I think we should all get behind an Official US Olympic Luge Course.
SFO, Silicon Valley Engineers, ridiculous amounts of disposable income?
Or not.. Just do not waste our time and money attempting to make a "Silk Purse out of a Pig Ear."
Any "Outdoor Golf Venue" in that space is really, just plain weird..
Or Criminal?

[Joe]

The Daily Journal recapped the Planning Commission meeting regarding TopGolf today. The only thing we haven't covered already is that the plan is to hit towards the bay (thus avoiding the sunset blinding golfers) and that TopGolf sort of forgot about the winds that come up in the late afternoon and early evening so they may rework the plan a bit now that they know.

[HMB]

TopGolf is going to be a place for "team building" for all the Oculus/Facebook employees that are going into all those nearby buildings under construction.

[Joe]

From the city e-newsletter:

The City of Burlingame has prepared an environmental study for the proposed Topgolf facility at 250 Anza Boulevard. You may view the document directly by visiting the Topgolf Burlingame Project Page, or by visiting the Planning Division on the second level of City Hall at 501 Primrose Road.

This project involves the redevelopment of the 13-acre Burlingame Golf Center site to include a Topgolf entertainment complex that would include a three level, 71,074 square-foot building reaching up to 46 feet in height, an outdoor patio, and a five acre outdoor driving range outfield. The driving range would be bordered by net poles up to 205 feet high. All existing improvements on the site would be removed to accommodate the proposed development. In addition to the internal building areas, a 20,000 square-foot external mini-golf area is being proposed adjacent to the outdoor patio area. Vehicular access to the project site would be provided by Anza Boulevard, as well as a proposed driveway connection to Airport Boulevard.

[Joe]

Looks like things are progressing pretty much as originally planned:

The Burlingame Planning Commission unanimously approved the environmental and design documents associated with building the sports entertainment facility at 250 Anza Blvd., home of the Burlingame Golf Center.

https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/topgolf-plans-advance-in-burlingame/article_b29e12e4-971b-11ea-acdb-1b6cd5e404c3.html#utm_source=smdailyjournal.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Fheadlines%2F%3F-dc%3D1589637612&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline

[[email protected]]

How can State, County, and Cities, Fund these Projects?
City of Burlingame Employees want to be paid.
Maintenance of ALL COB properties want to be paid.
Not Many know what the Future holds.

How in the World can Every City of Burlingame Elder, and The City of Burlingame Manager sign off on the continued funding of Multi Million Dollar Projects that may never see the light of Day.

[JP]

It's a private company. Duh.

[[email protected]]

I am sorry that I did not state more clearly I was writing about the Recreation Center.
Again, how in the world, in these times can a Recreation Center be built? It may never be able to be used.

[Joe]

While Top Golf is working on their plans the range is going to put to completely different and good use:

A woman with a bag of golf clubs slung over her shoulder stepped inside Burlingame Golf Center Wednesday looking to sharpen her swing.

Instead, she was turned away. The golf center was closed.

It will reopen Thursday transformed into the “Bayshore Drive-In” and will host nine live music and comedy performances over the next three weekends with the audience watching from their cars on the driving range of the Burlingame Golf Center.

“They have big acts (coming in),” said Chris Aliaga, operator of the Burlingame Golf Center. “They’re doing 400 cars and they’ve already sold out some shows.

https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/concert-series-comes-to-burlingame/article_e2772092-141a-11eb-b470-33e5e77c1bc3.html#utm_source=smdailyjournal.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Fheadlines%2F%3F-dc%3D1603375203&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline

[Cassandra]

Sound curfew please.

[MBGA]

Oh man, I know in the theater industry there has been some thought about driveins making a comeback but this one is really bizarre. Comediennes doing jokes on a stage in front of 400 cars. Each car will have a designated honker to show their laughter? Or heckling horns?
"Sound curfew"? Yeah, I'd be curious how far the sound of 400 horns travels? Probably depends on which way the cars are facing.

If the entertainment industry is now going to be pulling ideas out their a**, why not a flotilla in the bay? At least they could float a little further off shore, right?

The reality is this whole shutdown thing with all its insanity and stupidity (see above) ends with the election. If MAGA wins we go back to work. If we lose then the economy quickly dies permanently as china, state/big business control of everything and the NWO will be in control.

[Wunderkind]

Big amen.

[Joe]

A bit of business news from the WSJ:

Callaway Golf Co. agreed to buy the rest of driving-range operator Topgolf Entertainment Group in a move that will bring a company known for its clubs and golf balls into the fast-growing sports-entertainment business.

Topgolf, based in Dallas, operates about 60 entertainment centers in the U.S. and elsewhere that offer virtual golf-related games as well as lessons and host private parties. It generated about $1.1 billion in revenue in 2019 and has grown at a 30% compound annual rate since 2017, the companies said. It could be a valuable entry point into a sport that has been struggling to attract younger players, since over 50% of Topgolf’s customers don’t identify as golfers.

Topgolf’s outdoor driving ranges have been a big draw during the coronavirus pandemic as people look for ways to safely socialize out of the home.

[Joe]

It's been exactly a year since the last comment, but the finishing touches on the lease are finally done:

The council authorized signing a lease agreement between the city and Topgolf at its Oct. 17 meeting and declared the property exempt surplus land as required under state law. The lease starts at 20 years, with Topgolf having the option of extending for four consecutive terms of five years, totaling 40 years. Rent will go to the city’s general fund and range from $1.5 million per year in the first five years to nearly $2 million in years 16 to 20. Annual rent will increase by 10% each extension term following year 20. Topgolf will also pay two community benefit fees of $250,000 each and a $350,000 commercial linkage fee. Ten years after the facility opens, Topgolf has the option to change the site’s use if there are potential market changes.

https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/burlingame-approves-topgolf-plans/article_9127cb56-51bc-11ed-b72a-672abbaac2c2.html

[Joe]

Now stepping up to the first tee...Burlingame:

From the e-newsletter:

The construction of the new Top Golf facility is well underway at the old Burlingame Golf Center driving range. Construction is expected to take up to 24 months to complete. Preliminary pile driving is expected to start on May 1 and be completed on May 2. Expect noise between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

If you are interested in being added to the Construction Update Email Notification List, contact Joleen at the Parks and Recreation Department at [email protected].