The Oswego Planning and Zoning Commission recently forwarded a favorable recommendation to the Village Board for concept plans to develop 100 acres into an indoor public golf course and clubhouse.
The Oswego Village Board still needs to vote on the plans.
The site west of Route 30 and north of Rance Road is currently in unincorporated Will County and would have to be annexed into Oswego and rezoned from agriculture to a regional business district, according to the proposal.
Canada-based Megalodome Golf is proposing to build four 270,000-square-foot golf domes at the site. Three domes would contain a nine-hole golf course, while the fourth dome would be a practice facility, according to the plan.
“This would be the first of its kind,” Carrie Hansen, director of Planning and Government Services for Schoppe Design Associates of Oswego, said in a presentation to the commission.
Hansen recognized the proposal is a deviation from the village’s comprehensive plan for the site.
“The plan does show this as residential but we feel this is a superior use in this location and certainly would help balance the tax base,” she said.
The domes would be 110 feet high at the apex to allow for “full swing capacity,” Hansen said.
.As for the integrity of the structures, “Megalodome Golf is committed to the latest groundbreaking technology and innovation,” Hansen said.
The design of the domes would feature “climate control to maintain perfect playing conditions year-round regardless of the weather outside,” she said.
The domes would be designed with measures “to enhance the realism and overall golf experience by offering real time feedback as you would experience on an outdoor golf course,” she said.
“The domes are designed to withstand winds of up to 120 mph,” based on the manufacturer’s analysis of winds in the Chicago area, according to Hansen.
The developer is also proposing a two-story, 8,000-square-foot clubhouse on the property.
“It’s a contemporary structure designed to enhance the visual experience” both inside and outside, she said of the proposed clubhouse.
The proposed hours of operation at the golf facility would be from 6 a.m. to midnight seven days a week.
“We anticipate roughly 290,000 customers per year,” she said.
The developer is proposing “significant event and collaboration opportunities for the community including partnership with schools,” Hansen said, adding local high school and college level golfers are at a disadvantage compared to others in the country due to the area’s weather.
The indoor golf course and practice facility would be cutting-edge, she said.
“Megalodome Golf is going to be the first real interior golf experience,” Hansen said. “To the best of our knowledge, there are no other facilities like this not only in the country but in the world. This is trailblazing and we are excited to be a part of it.”
The golf facilities would be designed to attract “avid golfers, enthusiasts and newcomers at all ages and skill levels,” she said.
The founder of the Canada-based Megalodome Golf also addressed the commission.
“The next revolution in golf won’t be a new player like Tiger Woods or a new club or ball. We are convinced the next revolution in golf will indoor golf courses,” Megalodome Golf founder Bertrand Quentin said.
The developer is under contract for the property, Hansen said in response to questions from commissioners. The proposal is to reserve other parcels at the site for future development.
“There is nothing specific planned for those areas,” Hansen said of the areas at the site not currently planned for development. “They want the ability to be able to expand if this is wildly successful.”
The future use of the other parcels could potentially include a hotel or commercial development, but not residential, she said.
“These would be closely aligned with our use of the property,” she said.
Plan Commission Chair Charlie Pajor wondered about the domes being able to withstand snow and ice in the winter.
“These are bigger, taller and will cover more area,” Pajor said. “We have seen in the past domes not designed like this but other domes in the area that snow can take them down. That’s a concern.”
The developer is proposing 680 parking spaces for the entire site. However, village staff members have suggested working with the developer to determine a parking plan including reducing the number or possibly phasing in the parking based on need.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
