The investors behind a new multi-use family entertainment center under construction in East Peoria insist there's more than just golf involved in the venture.
Group spokesperson JR Runkel says The Putt Club will feature a full bar and restaurant, along with two 18-hole putting courses, one indoor and one outdoor.
“First of all, we don't want to use word ‘putt-putt,’ because it's way more than putt-putt,” said Runkel, who started discussing the project publicly this week after East Peoria Mayor John Kahl revealed the nature of the business in a recent interview with WCBU.
“We've had a lot of different things in place and we were really weren't in a position to announce everything. But now we're excited to start talking about it and sharing with everybody on what's going on, because we've been super excited for a couple of years to get this thing up and running.”
Anyone driving along Interstate 74, particularly westbound approaching the Murray Baker Bridge, can see the work underway at the city-owned empty lot sandwiched between the highway and Bass Pro Shops.
In August 2022, the East Peoria city council approved a vaguely identified “family entertainment project” at the site, although details were scarce. For months, speculation about what the business would be persisted.
Runkel, a partner and agent with Fortner Insurance, said they envision The Putt Club as a destination, with the professionally designed turf putting courses featuring bunkers and water features.
The 18,000-square-foot building on the opposite side of the property from the Illinois River will hold the indoor course, along with the dining space Runkel hopes will stand on its own as a destination spot.
“It’s going to be high-end quality food. We spent a lot of time putting our menu together,” Runkel said. “We have a group of local investors working with a local bank, to put this project together. We’ve got a lot of people that have a lot of experience in this in this area, and we just think it's going to be a super opportunity for indoor and outdoor family entertainment.”
Runkel said the investors have been working on developing The Putt Club for more than two years.
“We're looking at every detail,” he said. "It’s group of people that have experience in this in the past, so it's something that we're looking to have East Peoria as our first site and then branch out over time.”
Runkel said the indoor-outdoor nature of the venue will allow for year-round operations and a unique experience, adding the indoor facility will have meeting space available for events, while the outdoor area will have cabanas with TVs for group rentals.
Runkel also noted that The Putt Club’s prominent location will help draw customers.
“You have about 60,000 cars that go by every day on (Interstate) 74, so it's something that from a brand-awareness (aspect) and people being able to see it,” he said. “We're going to have signage that definitely will be something that will attract people, and when they drive by and they see this beautiful looking golf facility, that's going to draw their attention to it.”
Runkel said the target is February for completion of construction ahead of an early-March opening.
