ST. LOUIS — Topgolf is nearing a deal to acquire Saint Louis University-owned land for a second location in the region, according to people familiar with the matter.
The Dallas-based operator of golf-based entertainment facilities is in the due diligence phase for property at the northwest corner of South Compton and Chouteau avenues in Midtown, the people said. The 15-acre site includes a sports field operated by university athletics, plus a pallet company's old facilities.
In order to accommodate a Topgolf facility, the property will have to be rezoned, the people said, a process that could start next month. A deal for the property could close in October, they said.
Spokespeople for Topgolf and SLU didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
The development of a Topgolf in the City of St. Louis would mark a big win for the area. Though the design and scale of the new development are unclear, some of the company's projects can cost as much as $25 million to develop and can employ upwards of 500 people. Developers of a Topgolf facility in Omaha, Nebraska, in 2017 estimated it and surrounding restaurants would generate $1 million in sales tax annually.
Urban locations are rare for Topgolf, usually because of space requirements. But it opened its first urban location in Midtown Atlanta in 2015, calling it "very special."
The Business Journal in late 2019 reported on Topgolf's interest in the SLU site, but the pandemic slowed plans, the people said. SLU acquired the property occupied by the pallet company in August 2019 for $5 million.
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