Fore! Peoria Park District receives grant for new golf entertainment center

PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — People will soon have a new way to eat, drink and swing golf clubs.

After more than a year of planning, the Peoria Park District has received nearly $5 million in state money to renovate the district’s Golf Learning Center located at 7815 N. Radnor Road, in North Peoria.

And Wednesday night, it’s possible the district’s Board of Trustees could vote to okay a contract with a builder, so work could begin within the next month.

Emily Cahill, the district’s executive director, said the golf center is something anyone can enjoy.

“We just continue to see more and more people of all ages playing the sport and it is really fun,” she said. “It’s something that my family does now that we didn’t do prior to COVID and we have a great time. It’s a really lifelong wellness opportunity for people too. So we love to foster that.

“If you can get people in with that experience where we provide the clubs, we provide you with some food, a drink maybe, and we say, you know what, come to this for an hour and see what you think,” Cahill added.

The renovations will be reminiscent of a “Top Golf” facility, with a full-service restaurant and bar, a golf simulation room and a 21-bay hitting structures. The bays will be located on the south end of the existing building.

The announcement for the renovations came in 2022 with much fanfare with state Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, holding a joint press conference with Cahill. The money came from the state’s capital improvement budget.

Cahill said construction could take between 10 months to one year, meaning the facility could open in mid-2025.

She also spoke about how this new facility will be a great place for families.

“You can come out with your family, have a great dinner, you can have some golf balls, you can just sit and watch other people hitting golf balls, which sometimes is a total adventure,” she said. “You’ll be able to participate on our nine-hole pitch and putt, and our traditional driving range will also be there. So it is generally golf-centric, but it will be a full experience that people can come out and just enjoy whether they are serious golfers or just looking for a fun night out.”

If the board approves the contracts, the groundbreaking for the renovations will begin in about a month.