Topgolf swings into opening, will hire hundreds of employees

The towering 150-foot nets have been hoisted and installed for St. Pete’s first Topgolf entertainment complex.

The long-awaited venue at 220 Carillon Parkway has a tentative June 30 opening date as construction nears completion. To gear up for the opening, Topgolf has kicked off its recruiting process to fill over 500 positions for its 67,000-square-foot driving range facility in the Carillon Business Park. 

The Topgolf complex that under construction in Carillon. All Photos are by Veronica Brezina.

The Topgolf career portal shows available positions for servers, bartenders, cooks, an assistant facilities manager, maintenance and office administration. 

Once opened, it will have 102 climate-controlled hitting bays, where players can select certain challenges and games. Each bay can be reserved on an hourly basis and can hold parties of up to six people. Topgolf is also known for its full-service restaurant that serves food and beverages directly to players in the bays. 

The three stories of Topgolf bays. 

Topgolf received approval from the city in November 2019 to build the sports project, which was initially expected to open in 2020.

The construction delay at the 12-acre site was largely due to the opposition Topgolf faced in Carillon, as the property is across the street from residential neighborhoods.

The concerned Residents of Carillon, a group opposed to the construction of a Topgolf facility, legally challenged the city’s approval of the project, claiming the city didn’t undertake its due diligence and how they’ve been kept in the dark about the plans. However, Topgolf received an extension to commence construction as it intended to move forward on the project.

The net barrier around the Topgolf complex. 

The Topgolf project is estimated to cost over $13.5 million. It is the second Topgolf complex in the St. Petersburg-Tampa metro area. 

A Topgolf opened in Brandon in 2014. Officials previously said the St. Petersburg site will be different than the one in Brandon, with a focus on family-friendly activities and significant improvements to lighting and sound systems to minimize the impact on the surrounding neighborhoods. 

Early projections show the facility will serve approximately 450,000 guests annually. 

Topgolf will be open Friday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m., and Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m.