Park Hill Golf Course owners will consider ‘Topgolf-like facility’ if Denver voters reject development plans

DENVER — Westside Funding Companions, the present homeowners of the Park Hill Golf Course, will look into together with a “Topgolf-like facility” if voters reject proposed growth plans, a spokesperson confirmed to Denver7.

Westside has mentioned it needs to develop the 155-acre space in east Denver into housing, industrial area, and a park, which might require Denver voters to carry a conservation easement at the moment in place sustaining it for solely open area and a golf course.

“Denver has a housing disaster, not a golf disaster,” a Westside Funding Companions spokesperson instructed Denver7 in a press release. “Conserving this land restricted to a golf course just isn’t what Westside needs for this neighborhood, and it’s positively not what Denver wants.

“If Denver votes to reject the parks and housing {that a} “sure” vote supplies, Westside must contemplate each use allowable underneath the easement, together with a Topgolf-like facility that helps an 18-hole golf course and driving vary as explicitly referenced within the conservation easement.”

Save Open Area Denver, a key group opposing Westside’s growth plan, has been knocking on doorways and inserting indicators all through Denver urging voters to vote “No on 2O,” referring to the poll query over the easement. Treasurer Harry Doby instructed Denver7 he views the feedback over a possible TopGolf as a “risk” aimed to sway voters.

“If they will instill simply that little seed of concern within the Denver voters that, ‘Oh my god, that is going to be this terrible TopGolf factor that towers 160 ft with noise and music and, you understand, simply individuals, like a nonstop social gathering. I suppose I higher give them what they need.’ And that’s not going to occur. It fools nobody,” Doby mentioned.

Very similar to the broader debate over Park Hill, the 2 sides of the problem disagree whether or not TopGolf could be permissible underneath the conservation easement because it at the moment stands.

Westside Funding Companions argues it will be, pointing to language within the easement that dictates the land “shall be occupied, used, operated, and maintained as a regulation-length 18-hole” course that may additionally embrace “a driving vary.” TopGolf operates as a big driving-range recreation with giant lights and sounds.

Save Open Area Denver argues TopGolf could be a completely totally different ball recreation than the unique Park Hill Golf Course, and subsequently, not allowed underneath the easement. They plan to press on, urging voters to reject the event plan and as an alternative maintain the area open to change into a big park within the years to return.

“Denver voters are sensible sufficient to comprehend that after it’s gone, it’s gone without end,” Doby mentioned. “We don’t want 10,000 individuals dwelling within the park. We’d like them dwelling round it.”