Topgolf proposed for King of Prussia

Source, Philadelphia Business Journal, Natalie Kostelni

Provco Group has filed plans to develop a Topgolf Entertainment Group facility at a property in Upper Merion.

The project at 588 N. Gulph Rd. has been in the works behind the scenes for nearly a year and will come before Upper Merion planning officials at a meeting next week. The plans call for demolishing two existing structures at the former American Baptist Church, according to plans filed with the township and Montgomery County. One of the structures is a 145,000-square-foot circular building referred to as the Holy Donut and the other is a 126,000-square-foot, crescent-shaped building.

Those two razed buildings would make way for the development of a 68,000-square-foot Topgolf facility that would have indoor driving ranges with dining. Topgolf provides golf lessons as well as games, competitions as well as a venue for parties and events. Most of its facilities are three stories, total between 60,000 square feet and 65,000 square feet, and employ several hundred people.

American Baptist sold the property and relocated to another building in King of Prussia. It had been at the property since 1962 when it bought the land and had the two buildings constructed for its national offices. At one point, more than 700 employees worked at the facility.

Topgolf is part of a growing sports entertainment sector that is replacing parts of traditional retail. The company has been expanding in the region and last fall opened a facility in Mount Laurel, N.J. It is also proposing a Topgolf in Northeast Philadelphia.

The King of Prussia property is located at Gulph Road and First Avenue with nearby access to Route 422 and other major roadways. It sits within a mixed-use district that allows for a variety of densely built uses.