A building permit has been issued for one of the Des Moines area’s most anticipated – and sought after – indoor entertainment venues: Topgolf.

The valuation of the building is $13 million, according to the permit.

Issuance of the permit comes 17 months after the Dallas, Texas-based company announced it planned on building a venue on about 23 acres at 7655 Mills Civic Parkway in West Des Moines. The site is on the northwest corner of South Jordan Creek and Mills Civic parkways, one the metro area’s busiest intersections.

The permit for Topgolf was among 37 issued in October and November for new commercial projects in the Greater Des Moines area. Valuation of the projects totaled over $181.8 million.

Work on the Topgolf development is moving forward quickly, thanks mostly to mild weather in November and December, said Richard Hurd, president and founder of Hurd Real Estate. Hurd owns the land on which Topgolf will be located and is the project’s developer.

The Topgolf venue will include 35,534 square feet of space spread over two levels, according to a site plan approved administratively in October by city staff. The arc-shaped building will include 72 climate-controlled hitting bays, eight of which will be in luxury suites, the site plan shows. The building will also include a bar and dining area, a covered patio and outdoor seating.

Depending on the pace of construction, the Topgolf venue will likely be open by this time in 2024, Hurd said. “It could be earlier. It just depends on the weather.”

Topgolf has long been a national retailer Iowans have wanted to see open a venue in the state. In its first years of operation, Topgolf opened venues in areas with population of 1 million or more. In 2019, Topgolf began opening venues in mid-sized markets, including Omaha, where it opened a facility in mid-2020.

The popularity of Topgolf has spawned the development of venues with similar setups. Allen Stoye is developing Bombers, a Johnston-based entertainment venue that will include 36 climate-controlled hitting bays, bowling lanes, pickleball, arcade games, restaurants, bars, and conference and event center space.

A building permit was issued Nov. 15 for the project, which will be located at 5055 Merle Hay Road. The building’s valuation is $25.4 million, the permit shows.

The project was delayed when a habitat of Indiana bats, an endangered species, was discovered on the property, according to information provided the Johnston City Council this fall. The bats are typically present in between April and October, according to the Iowa chapter of the Sierra Club.

Grading is underway on the site. It’s not known when construction of the venue will be completed.

Elsewhere in the metro area:

• A permit was issued for Building B in the I-80 Business Park in Altoona. The building is valued at $43.1 million. The 455,321-square-foot industrial warehouse is part of a park under development at 2301 21st St. N.W.
• A permit was issued Nov. 21 for the remodeling of the former Dotdash Meredith office building at 1615 Locust St. in downtown Des Moines. The project is valued at $17 million. MidAmerican Energy Co. bought the property a year ago. When the remodeling is complete, the utility company will vacate space it has leased in the Ruan Center since 1975.
• A permit was issued Nov. 1 for the remodeling of space at Merle Hay Mall, 3800 Merle Hay Road, that previously had been occupied by Kohl’s. Dinks Pickleball is opening an indoor pickleball venue in space that will include 13 courts. The project is valued at $728,145.

October, November commercial building permits
Commercial building permits were issued for 37 projects in the Greater Des Moines area in October and November, a Business Record review of permits shows. The valuation of the projects totaled over $181.8 million.

To view the interactive map, click here.

To view the spreadsheet, click here.