Mainebiz

V O L . X X X I N O. V I I A P R I L 7 , 2 0 2 5 24 R E A L E S TAT E / C O N S T R U C T I O N / E N G I N E E R I N G T he real estate industry is seeing a trend of golf businesses driving for show and putting for dough in the simulation and mini space. In Portland, an indoor mini-golf course combined with a restaurant/ bar is under construction. Indoor golf simulators opened over the past year in Waterville, Bangor and Old Orchard Beach, with cool software that analyzes club head speed and spin on the ball. Plans are in the works to open a learning center in Freeport. Golf pros say the market includes families and tourists, along with sum- mertime driving range opportunities for people working on their games, golf lessons and junior golf programs. Here's a short course. Sports partnerships At 270 Marginal Way in Portland's East End neighborhood, construction is underway to build "minibar," an indoor mini-golf course, bar and restaurant. e venture is led by Kevin Moschella, a journalist-turned-finance- professional looking to change his career trajectory. A couple of years ago, he and his wife and son were playing mini-golf. It was a nice Sunday in June and the place was packed. e family found themselves waiting forever at the second hole. He recalls thinking how nice it would be to grab a drink or some ice cream while they were waiting. e idea percolated. He did some research, found there were mini-golf places that also included other attrac- tions and leased 15,288 square feet in half of a former gym space owned and developed by the Cardente Family. (e other half also leased recently to fitness facility Salud.) Now work is underway to convert the space into a 9,000-square-foot mini- golf course, full sports bar with 30 TVs and a kitchen and restaurant with seat- ing for 120-plus customers. e gut renovation started with knocking down walls and installing new plumbing and siding. COST, a theme and specialty con- struction firm in Wisconsin, is providing the mini-golf course design and build team. e course layout includes sports themes such as a hockey hole where golf- ers have to putt past hockey-stick barriers, a skiing hole that has slalom-gate barriers, baseball, soccer, basketball, snowboarding, F O C U S P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Kevin Moschella of minibar says combining indoor mini-golf with a restaurant and bar caters to family-and-friends activities, mini- golf leagues, tournaments, private events and cross-promotional partnerships. We're running into a lot of people who are excited and interested. — Kevin Moschella minibar Businesses tee up for golf New technology and business models redefine a classic sport B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r

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