HILLSBORO, Ore. -- The Portland metro area's newest attraction, called Topgolf, is getting ready to open.
The mega-driving range features over 200 televisions, five cocktail bars, 102 hitting bays, a from-scratch food menu, heaters and fans, free XBox for kids, billiards, shuffleboard, and it's all protected from the elements.
For some, golf has a reputation for being expensive and frustrating, not to mention it can take hours to play one round. But not anymore, at least in Hillsboro. The new sports-entertainment complex is opening August 5.
Even traditional golf courses are excited for it. They're hopeful Topgolf will make the game more accessible and fun again to the masses, like what Tiger Woods did for the sport in his heyday.
Hillsboro is the chain's 28th location. Off Brookwood Parkway, it's a 3-level driving range on steroids. Reserve one of the 102 hitting bays for your group, and watch TV, eat, drink and goof off with golf, using your clubs or theirs.
"Each of the balls have microchips in them, so when you're aiming into the outfield at these massive targets that we have, depending on where it lands, it registers your score, so you're playing against the other people in your group," explained Topgolf marketing manager Ariel Kessler.
To put on this kind of show that goes until 2 a.m. on weekends and midnight on weekdays, Topgolf is hiring nearly 500 employees. Most are learning the ropes now. The aim? Make the sport more accessible and fun.
"We encourage socializing between groups here," Kessler said. "So we have even numbered clubs on this side (of a seating area), and odd numbered clubs on that side to kind of force that engagement so you're making friends while you're at Topgolf."
Other companies are getting on par with Hillsboro too. The concrete building at the end of the range? It's Amazon's new distribution center. Next to that, a soon-to-be 300,000-square-foot industrial park. Plus a company called ViaWest has built a huge data center nearby and Intel expanded it's campus in recent years.
"As an income tax-based state, jobs are great and they're being created right here," said Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce President Deanna Palm.
Housing in Washington County is also selling at record rates. Neighborhoods placing several times in the Top 25 Hottest Sellers, according to Portland Business Journal's 2016 list. The city government is happily trying to keep pace.
"People are moving to the area. Look at future growth rate and we're going to need more housing for folks, better transportation and infrastructure," said Palm.
Come next week, they'll all have something new and fun to do with the whole family. This summer and at events, Topgolf will host live DJs, with the lights on the driving range pulsing to the music.
Hitting bays cost between $25-$45 an hour per group of up to six people, depending on the time of day playing. For example, if you have six people, it's around $7 each to play.