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Topgolf, the golfing and entertainment venue that reports hosting some 20 million guests a year at locations across the country, will open its first facility in Baltimore on Friday, the company said this week.
A high-tech take on a traditional driving range, Topgolf has interactive targets for players to take aim at in multiple types of games. The venue also includes a bar and restaurant.
The facility is the first anchor to open in the new South Baltimore entertainment corridor connecting M&T Bank Stadium with Horseshoe Baltimore Casino, which aims to overhaul a mostly industrial stretch of land into a bustling and walkable complex for visitors. A concert hall called The Paramount also is under construction, and the developer leading the effort there said earlier this month that at least two more development parcels are expected to follow.
The project is a private-public partnership among city and state officials, the casino and developers from Caves Valley Partners, a Baltimore firm with a portfolio that includes Cross Keys and Cross Street Market. The four-block district is soon to be renamed and rebranded, Caves Valley partner Arthur Adler told a crowd at the city tourism bureau’s annual meeting.
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“There’s great areas in the city where you can go out for great meals, and have fun and all that, but we wanted to bring unique features to the entertainment district … because, while we’d love for the Baltimore City customer to come in, we really want to draw from the surrounding counties and frankly, further out,” Adler said during a panel discussion with other developers.
The development team also is aiming to pump life back into Horseshoe Casino Baltimore and buoy tourism spending in the city, both of which took a hit during the coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, city officials and developers unveiled a new name Monday for the former Royal Farms Arena. The new CFG Bank Arena, expected to begin ushering in crowds as early as February, is slated to host as many as 120 events a year and has a capacity of about 14,000 guests at a time. Officials said the arena is part of a larger plan to reinvigorate city tourism and hotel tax dollars.
Earlier Tuesday, executives from Horseshoe, Topgolf, The Paramount and the Baltimore Ravens unveiled the name of what will become the thoroughfare linking the casino and stadium. “The Walk @ Warner Street” will be infused with $100 million in private investment, the organizations said, pledging to “redefine fun” downtown.
hallie.miller@thebaltimorebanner.com
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Hallie Miller covers housing for The Baltimore Banner. She's previously covered city and regional services, business and health at both The Banner and The Baltimore Sun.
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