A family entertainment venue under construction in East Peoria will feature two professional-grade miniature golf courses, Mayor John Kahl confirmed in an interview with WCBU.
“I think the word’s out on social media,” said Kahl. “We call it a family entertainment center, but it's an indoor/outdoor – I call it mini golf, the developer would probably use different terms. When I say that, it's very unique. It's a professionally designed course – 18 holes outdoor (and) 18 holes indoor, so it's going to be year round.”
The development is already under construction on city-owned land near the Bass Pro Shops. Kahl said the venue will also have a 4,000-square-foot restaurant and bar.
“It's first of its kind here in Illinois, you see similar concepts down in southern states where it's more tropical,” said Kahl. “This is unique in itself, and it's the first of more to come. But we're super excited.”
A sign at the site identifies Turf Solutions Group and Austin Engineering as the companies doing the work. Kahl said the small boulders that are currently being put in place will be part of the outdoor course.
“Like I said, it's professionally designed; it's not like your typical putt-putt golf course or mini golf,” he said. “The outdoor course will be on the river side, overlooking the river and then the indoor part where the bar and the indoor course will be, will be more towards where that large sign (along Interstate 74) is at.”
Kahl thinks the venue has the potential to do extremely well as an attraction for people who come to the region for athletic events at the Louisville Slugger and EastSide Centre sports complexes.
“We have a lot of folks that come in here, so that'd be something they can stay busy doing, too,” he said. “We have a lot of really neat things that people tend to overlook that they can do — family friendly things.”
Kahl said the developers are targeting Feb. 1 for a grand opening.
