In our view, the TopGolf development within the proposed River District (and adjacent to the Lower Garden District) is controversial because it was enacted with virtually no input from the public. This project was “sprung” on the neighborhood and allowed through the use of a Text Amendment to the New Orleans Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance.

Furthermore, it is our view that the project is a betrayal of the public trust as the neighborhood and city were presented a drastically different plan for this development and parcel in particular that made no mention of TopGolf.

Instead, the developer’s original plan presented to the neighborhood, prior to the text amendment, touted much-needed and much-desired affordable housing, a grocery store, small businesses and other community benefits.

We feel that the developers basically used bait-and-switch tactics by showing residents a great plan for affordable and workforce housing, a grocery store, greenspace, etc, but then changed the plans to a previously-denied TopGolf once they slid through a text amendment.

Yes, some communities have enacted local laws explicitly preventing TopGolf facilities due to environmental and development concerns.

Source:

https://www.denverpost.com/2023/06/28/topgolf-timnath-special-election-fence-ban/

We want the affordable housing component coupled with the grocery store and other retail that was presented to the neighborhood in order to win our early support. It fits better with the residential feel of our neighborhood, benefits more residents of this city and reserves quality of life for all.

See below for the original Parcel 1A renderings presented to LGD neighbors in March 2022 clearly showing affordable housing and grocery store or watch the presentation itself.

Also for more information on what residents of the Lower Garden District were originally presented and prefer, see the results of our January 2024 LGD Survey or explore the Timeline.

This is an important and valuable piece of publicly-owned land that is being used for the benefit of private developers, and developed in a way that will not make the best use of its land area. There are many better uses for this land that would not impact the neighborhood so negatively; uses that could add vital housing, infrastructure and community services that would improve residents’ quality of life. These uses could provide more jobs and more tax revenue to the city instead of one business occupying 12.5 acres, which btw will largely still be empty and inaccessible acreage.

Residents and neighbors were originally told that affordable housing, a grocery store, other retail stores and greenspace would be built on this parcel.

See below for the original Parcel 1A renderings presented to LGD neighbors in March 2022 clearly showing affordable housing and grocery store or watch an excerpt from the presentation itself.

Also for more information on what residents of the Lower Garden District were originally presented and prefer, see the results of our January 2024 LGD Survey or explore the Timeline.

TopGolf originally considered a location in the old Times Picayune building on Howard Avenue. That deal fell through. At a January 2024 town hall meeting, a TopGolf representative stated that the company had been trying to secure this exact location in the Lower Garden District since 2017, but was denied multiple times. This effort changed mysteriously in TopGolf’s favor with the passage of the text amendment in 2023.

For more insight into the early phases of this project, visit the Timeline page.

Sources:

https://canalstreetbeat.com/25-million-top-golf-entertainment-complex-slated-for-times-picayune-building/ https://www.nola.com/news/business/new-orleans-topgolf-project-revived-by-convention-center/article_4a061b40-ad6c-11ed-b64b-f32af7a871c5.html

While “shady deal” may be an opinion, it is clear that a number of steps took place with less-than-ideal public input for development of public land. TopGolf had been unsuccessfully working to build a facility adjacent to the convention center for years, facing opposition from many parties including the former Louisiana Governor.

A January 2023 “text amendment” to the “Convention Center Neighborhood (CCN)” overlay district included a subtle provision to allow 175 ft screening and poles for outdoor amusement or sports facilities for public safety purposes. Although TopGolf was not publicly named and was not included in the River District proposal for the Convention Center land development, this text amendment, which received limited public awareness and vetting, appeared to be the missing piece to allow a TopGolf facility “by-right” on the subject parcel. The Convention Center Neighborhood overlay district was originally created in 2017 as a prelude to helping secure a developer.

Despite owning the land, the Convention Center appears to have removed themselves from the process and assigned decisions of “highest and best use” of the public property directly to the private company RDNI, LLC.

From the Times-Picayune article TopGolf back on for Convention Center’s River District, setting up new clash over rival project:

“Michael Sawaya, the president and general manager of the Convention Center, who four years ago had negotiated a tentative deal with TopGolf only to see it scuttled, said the current deal is no longer his concern.

‘We have leased the site to River District and they have leased it to TopGolf,’ said Sawaya. ‘It is a pure deal with no tax breaks and no incentives and it's none of my business.’”

The River District development as a whole has received considerable public scrutiny over their lack of transparency, rushed processes, and exclusion of City Council from the district’s Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA).

From the Times-Picayune article City Council slams River District developers for lack of transparency over tax subsidies:

“‘Regardless of the merits of this project, the speed and the afterthought and the catching up of this entire process has really soured a lot of people,’ [At-Large Councilmember JP] Morrell said. ‘It’s unfortunate because it means that every other thing done with this project is going to be under intense scrutiny going forward.’”

For. more information on this process, visit our Timeline page.

No. We are opposed to building an intrusive, hulking, manufactured entertainment facility that directly abuts our neighborhood on land that was originally presented with great fanfare by developers and welcomed eagerly by the residents of the LGD as affordable and workforce housing, relevant community businesses and services, infrastructure improvements and public greenspace. We want the public land of this neighborhood and city developed responsibly and used appropriately with the most positive impact to residents’ quality of life and success of businesses. We want to preserve, enhance and expand the positive qualities that make the LGD and New Orleans a great place to live, visit, work and play.

The residents of the Lower Garden District overwhelmingly supported RDNI's original plan of affordable housing and a grocery store and any attempt to insinuate that opposition to the TopGolf as being anti-progress or anti-development is disingenuous at best.

For more information on the affordable housing and grocery store that was originally presented to LGD residents, see the slides below or watch an excerpt from RDNI's original presentation.

For more on the residents of the LGD's support of affordable and workforce housing and grocery store in lieu of a TopGolf, as well as their perspective on the lack of feedback opportunities, see the results of our January 2024 LGD Neighborhood Survey and explore the Timeline.

Yes. According to numerous news reports and social media comments, TopGolfs across the country have received complaints about working conditions, sexual harassment, noise pollution, light pollution, litter, driving hazards at night from the bright lights, environmental issues and others.

Sources:

https://www.koin.com/local/multnomah-county/hillsboro-topgolf-sued-for-15m-childs-skull-allegedly-fractured-by-golf-club/

https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/report-54-of-topgolf-employees-report-being-sexually-harassed/611136/

https://journalstar.com/topgolf-settles-nationwide-class-action-suit-alleging-practice-of-paying-below-minimum-wage/article_e9dfdd59-6f73-579c-bd60-a5251124b084.html

https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/atlanta/top-golf-caught-violating-federal-labor-law/IG4PRZ3SJBHZDGZZ5M6B7T3NFE/

https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2023/05/topgolf-hillsboro-fined-21330-for-child-labor-violation.html

Absolutely not. Residents were given an opportunity to voice concerns about the text amendment, which allowed TopGolf by right, but the public did not know about TopGolf prior to passage of the text amendment in Jan 2023.

RDNI announced in the media in Feb 2023 that TopGolf would be built on this plot of land. Residents were only aware of the previously proposed affordable housing and commercial use at the now-proposed TopGolf location. Also for more information on what residents of the Lower Garden District were originally presented as well as their perspective on the lack of feedback opportunities, see the results of our January 2024 LGD Survey or explore the Timeline.

No. The LGD encompasses an amazing diversity of ages, ethnic backgrounds, economic means, gender identities, families, single folks, and small- and medium-sized businesses. Not to mention the diverse historic architecture and public spaces.

According to a recent census, the LGD is roughly 4000-4500 households with roughly 98% being employed with a median household income of $65,778/yr. and about 33% making $3,333 or less per month according to data compiled by The Data Center and Point2Homes from U.S. Census Bureau surveys.

The residents of the Lower Garden District overwhelmingly supported RDNI's original plan of affordable housing and a grocery store and any attempt to insinuate that opposition to the TopGolf as being anti-progress or anti-development is disingenuous at best.

For more about the LGD resident's support of the original development plan, see the results of our January 2024 LGD Neighborhood Survey.

For more on the original Parcel 1A renderings presented to LGD neighbors in March 2022 which included affordable housing and grocery store, watch an excerpt from the presentation itself.

No. When asked for examples of comparable locations, TopGolf provided the examples of their location in Baltimore, MD as well as their location in Atlanta, GA.

Neither location is in a residential neighborhood but are instead in industrial areas (non-walkable neighborhoods featuring strip malls, industrial centers, professional sports stadiums, etc.)

Additionally, neither is located in close proximity to the city's downtown centers, with the TopGolf in Baltimore located 2 miles from downtown and the TopGolf in Atlanta located over 4 miles from downtown, Buckhead, and Midtown.