Largest mini golf course in E. Washington coming to this Tri-Cities plaza
Tee Time, which bills itself as the largest indoor mini golf course in Eastern Washington, opens this spring in a former dirt kart venue in Kennewick.
The 18,000-square-foot, 18-hole golf course is the brainchild of Reyes Gonzalez, a former Gesa Credit Union loan officer.
Gonzalez is partnering with his sister, Aide Gonsalez Garcia, and a friend to create an all-ages destination offering mini golf, pool tables, shuffle board, arcade games, a bar, party room and tournament style events.
Gonzalez expects Tee Time to open at the Midtown Plaza, 2203 W. Fourth St., by mid to late April following a $375,000 conversion of the space into a golf-themed venue.
The owners, who all grew up in Pasco, self-funded the effort with home equity loans. Gonzalez said the work included pouring a new concrete floor but was otherwise mostly cosmetic.
He said the vision is to create a “Topgolf” style mini golf destination that caters not only to kids, but to adults looking for fun outings. Topgolf marries golf “stuff” such as clubs, balls, tees and turf with, as it says, stuff that’s not golf, such as TVs and music.
Tee Time will have 15 or more televisions placed to ensure golfers can stay tuned in while they play the mini course.
Betting on Midtown
Once Gonzalez and his team decided to open a mini golf business, they scouted locations with a commercial real estate broker.
They toured and even made offers on spots at Pasco’s Broadmoor area and the former Toys ‘R’ Us space at Columbia Center in Kennewick. Nothing worked out and they reluctantly agreed to tour Midtown Plaza, an aging shopping center with a revolving cast of businesses.
The center opened to great fanfare in 1960 as a grocery-anchored shopping complex at West Fourth and Vancouver.
In time, the grocery changed hands and closed, giving way to various other tenants, including batting cages and most recently, the dirt kart business.
A popular spaghetti restaurant operated next door for decades before closing in 2010.
Gonzalez was skeptical about the location. Midtown Plaza debuted in 1960 and looks its age.
But the rent was affordable and Midtown’s history makes it a beloved destination for many — assets he thought he could work with. The landlord agreed to give Tee Time a shot via a five-year lease. The landlord scooped out the dirt and damaged flooring before turning over to Tee Time.
Learn as you go
Gonzalez hasn’t started a business before, but he owns rental properties, starting with his first home at age 21.
He jokes he has learned a lot along the way. Jumping in feet first and figuring things out as you go has served him well and animates his approach to Tee Time as well, he said.
“We didn’t know what we were doing, but along the way, found several people willing to help. You learn as a you go,” he said.
Partners include Jesse’s Lawn Maintenance, which designed and is installing the golf greens, and a neighboring restaurant, Excalibur Pizza, which will offer food service to Tee Time Customers since the mini golf business doesn’t have its own kitchen.
Tee Time will welcome food deliveries and hopes to attract food trucks for special events, Gonzalez said.
The business has a business license from the city of Kennewick and its applications to provide snacks, beer and bar service, as well as takeout and delivery are pending, according to Washington Department of Revenue Records.
Follow Tee Time’s progress on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok via TC Tee Time.
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