The Village of Estero’s planned sports, food and entertainment complex is expected to open in December 2024 and has an “aggressive” timeline to get there.
Consultant Michael Comparato and project manager Chris Wright — both with Bonita Springs-based Vieste LLC — presented the Planning Zoning and Design Board Nov. 14 with the latest updates and plans for the village’s 20-acre site off Williams Road near Estero High School.
Third place of entertainment?
Two entertainment partners have been chosen and were announced in July. Comparato said the consulting group is looking for a third. Chicken N Pickle and High 5 will develop two pads and work together on opening timing and planning, he said. The companies will then own the land, while the Village retains ownership of all common areas and parking.
“We have worked very, very carefully with them to ensure that what they planned to do worked well and met their operational objectives for each of the two pads that will be transferred to them as part of the process,” said Compare.
Legal agreements between the private developers and the village are now being negotiated for ownership and operation, Comparato said.
“There will be a public improvement agreement between the village and each of the two developers,” he said, “then an additional joint maintenance agreement for all of the areas that will be shared by them and reimbursed to the village.”
Chicken N Pickle, based in Kansas City, Mo. is an entertainment venue focused on pickleball with some associated entertainment uses such as yard games. The Estero location will have about 20 pickleball courts, Wright said.
“It also offers very high-end food and beverage, scratch-kitchen food and beverage concepts as part of the entertainment concept,” Comparato said.
High 5, based in Austin, Texas, is predominantly indoor bowling “with a very high-end miniature golf, outdoor miniature golf element,” he said. “Again, having a bottom kitchen with food and drinks and very compatible uses between the two partners.”
How do visitors get to the complex?
Board member Jim Wallace questioned whether bowling and an arcade were appropriate uses for the area — a question that came up in July and consultants said they would know more in the future.
“I can tell you that High 5 entertainment, (making a capital investment of $15 million to $18 million), are very confident in both markets for all entertainment,” Comparato said.
Visitors will enter the complex via Williams Road or via Coconut Point, Wright said. High 5 and Chicken N Pickle will be located on the property near Coconut Point. The third parcel is off Williams Road.
There will be access from both roads, Wright said. “And there may even be some consideration for a roundabout type of application on Williams Road if everything works out.”
Construction timeline
Construction should take about eight months after developers are handed the pad-ready sites, Comparato said.
The consultants are working to have final agreements with the private developers in place by Nov. 31 and begin clearing the land in January, Wright said. They are hoping for water permits in February or March. Development order approval and site development is expected to start in March or April.
“These are definitely on the aggressive side,” Wright said. “So you can see there’s a pretty aggressive target opening date of December 2024.”
“Our goal is to have them both open around the same time,” Comparato said. “These two partners know each other very well. They collaborate in other areas in other states. They really like to work outside of each other.”
More:The Village Council selects two potential partners for the Estero Entertainment District