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June 13, 2014 Arapahoe County, Colorado Volume 13, Issue 29
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Topgolf is poised to tee off Centennial City Council OKs tax shareback for facility Staff report
Bagpiper Collin Lewis leads a group of young runners and walkers to the starting line for the June 8 Splash Dash. The 5K event raised funds for Drennen’s Dreams Foundation, an organization promoting swimming pool safety. Photos by Tom Munds
Splash Dash gets wet and wild Event serves as fundraiser for Drennen’s Dreams By Tom Munds
tmunds@colorado communitymedia.com The Arapahoe High School parking lot hummed with activity June 8 as hundreds of runners, walkers and volunteers gathered for the second annual Splash Dash to raise money for the Drennen’s Dreams Foundation. Booths supporting a variety of organizations and offering free gifts formed a midway as runners and walkers checked in and got ready to start out on the 5-kilometer course. When they returned, the band Portobello Road played classic numbers and some of their original tunes. The event was a 5k run with a twist. Runners and walkers were urged to wear funny costumes and organizers urged families living along the route to turn on sprinklers and squirt runners with the hose or set up slip-and-slides. The field moved out of the parking lot as bagpiper Collin Lewis in full Scottish attire led them to the starting line. There were those who regularly ran 5 kilometers for time, there were parents pushing strollers, groups of young athletes who ran together and even a young man on a unicycle. The Gavin family set up a slip-and-slide and a bubble machine in front of their house a couple hundred yards from the finish. Their son Kaven showed how to use the slip-and-slide and Rick Ziesen stopped his run to follow the boy’s example and go flying down the slip-and-slide atop a rubber alligator. A little further along, Rebecca and Jeff Machsko squirted runners with a hose because they said it sounded like a fun thing to do on a Sunday morning. Kendall Sova, 5, joined her father on the course. Her dad said the only stop needed on the 3.1-mile course was to remove the girls’ sweatshirt. “It was fun,” Kendall said. “I liked the hills, it was fun to see a bunny and it was fun to get a little wet.” While it was considered a fun event the Splash Dash supported a foundation promoting pool safety.
Derrick Sova pins a runner’s bib on his daughter Kendall as they prepare to take part in the 5K Splash Dash. The event was held June 8 in the neighborhood streets around Arapahoe High School.
John Brackney, former South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce president, donned a special outfit as he took part in the June 8 Splash Dash. Brackney was among more than 550 walkers and runners who took part. “I think we have more than 550 people taking part in the event today,” Melissa O’Melia, Drennen’s mother, said as the runners crossed the finish line. “I’m not surprised by the turnout today because the community support has been unbeliev-
able since we established the foundation.” She said the foundation was established to promote drowning prevention and pool safety in memory of her 12-year-old son who drowned in a public pool in 2010.
Centennial City Council approved a tax shareback deal as part of its final OK of the Topgolf project. According to the agreement, Topgolf can keep 25 percent of its retail sales-tax income in its first year, 34 percent the second year, and 50 percent in years three through five. “They have a real vision and are working hard to develop the site into something amazing,” said Centennial Mayor Cathy Noon. “Their unique brand of golfing and entertainment is sure to become a destination venue, creating even more character along the Arapahoe Road corridor in Centennial.” The deal was struck to incentivize the company to build on what’s been called a challenging site in the city, which is currently a vacant lot, on the northeast corner of Havana and Easter. “About a third of the site is basically undevelopable because of an existing drainage way,” Corri Spiegel, Centennial’s economic development manager, said in April … This will change the character of the area.” Topgolf executives plan a three-story building, which is expected to encompass around 60,000 to 65,000 square feet. “Topgolf will be developing a triangular segment of the lot,” Spiegel said. “Their plan has some pretty impressive design features. They try to fit into the character and existing architecture of the area.” The remaining portion of the development site, Spiegel added, is likely to be sold to smaller commercial users, with Topgolf serving as an “anchor” for the entire area. At existing locations in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Illinois and Texas, the company employs as many as 400 people locally, and its officials boast that a Topgolf outlet creates an estimated $245 million in economic output for its host city over a 10-year period. Topgolf stands for Target Oriented Practice Golf and is billed as a “new kind of golf experience that combines competition with entertainment.” While the company’s corporate headquarters are in Texas, where they have seven locations, Topgolf was actually invented by World Golf Systems, a British company based north of London. According to its promoters, World Golf Systems spent more than $20 million and seven years developing, testing and perfecting the technology, systems and facilities behind Topgolf. Topgolf serves more than 2.2 million guests annually, according to its website. At their sprawling facilities, players, who are required to buy memberships, hit microchipped golf balls at targets on an outfield. The high-tech balls instantly score a shot’s accuracy and distance. Golf pros are available to offer tips. Each facility offers upscale, climatecontrolled hitting bays and an impressive food and beverage menu crafted by an executive chef.
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