LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – In the months since Topgolf released plans for a driving range and entertainment complex at Oxmoor Center, some neighbors fighting it have repeated a common refrain:
We want Topgolf in Louisville. Just not at the mall.
But a company official told WDRB News this week that if the project doesn’t happen at Oxmoor, it won’t occur anywhere else in town.
The company has evaluated other locations in the area and believes only the Oxmoor site meets its criteria, said Tanner Micheli, Topgolf’s director of real estate development.
“If for whatever reason this site doesn’t work out, Topgolf will not be in Louisville,” Micheli said in an interview. “We will exit the market.”
Topgolf is seeking a zoning change to build a three-story building and outdoor driving range at Oxmoor, razing and replacing the Sears store that closed last year and extending into the mall’s parking lot. Plans show more than 100 climate-controlled outdoor hitting bays, a bar, dining area and roof terrace.
The site’s 22 acres already allows commercial uses, but Topgolf wants to zone the entire area for more intense commercial purposes and get a permit to build a driving range. It also is asking for other waivers and exceptions.
The Louisville Metro Planning Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the requests on Monday, Oct. 1 at the University of Louisville’s Shelby Campus.
Hurstbourne's city commission has formally opposed the project, and some neighbors claim the outdoor range and its netting will be unsightly and result in increased noise and light.
Oxmoor and Topgolf say they've sought to be good neighbors and made changes to address those concerns. Supporters of the project cite the economic development benefits of hundreds of jobs and a new tenant at the mall.
The Jefferson Development Group has proposed a similar project as part of a larger venture in eastern Jefferson County near the Gene Snyder and Old Henry Road. It has not disclosed which company would operate the driving range.
Micheli said Topgolf has turned down offers to build at that site, saying “it just doesn’t meet our criteria.”
Coming this weekend: WDRB’s Sunday Edition explores the debate over Topgolf, including the public funds being spent to oppose the project at Oxmoor. Read that story at wdrb.com.
Reach reporter Marcus Green at 502-585-0825, mgreen@wdrb.com, on Twitter or on Facebook. Copyright 2018 WDRB Media. All rights reserved.
