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Miniature Golf <br />Miniature golf is becoming very popular across the nation <br />with some 50 courses presently under construction in the U.S. <br />according to the National Golf Foundation's June, 1993 report. <br />Miniature golf should be defined as golf that is primarily <br />putting only. Par-3 courses and Executive courses are those in <br />which the golf ball is actually lofted from tee to green. <br />Miniature golf has generally been located in amusement parks <br />or resort areas. Another location is near shopping centers. The <br />perceived reason for this is that this golfing activity is not for <br />the serious golfer, but more of an amusement activity. As a <br />general rule, facilities have been privately owned. Recently, <br />municipalities have begun to explore and build these facilities <br />as a new source of revenue. <br />The most prominent example in the Minneapolis /St. Paul <br />metropolitan area is in Richfield. This facility was built this <br />spring and is expected to open June, 1993. The cost was <br />$300,000 on presently owned park land and does not include <br />the already existing building for ticket sales, concession and <br />restroom facilities. Richfield projects 1993 revenues to be <br />$95,000. The anticipated payback on this addition to their <br />park system is between three and five years. <br />Miniature golf has a wide range of cost for varying themes <br />and amounts of refinement to each facility. A simple putt -putt <br />course can be built for less than $75,000 with little or no <br />imagination included in each hole. However, the trend is to <br />create larger sites with waterfalls and creative holes. These <br />facilities cost anywhere from $250,000 to $750,000. <br />The cost to play varies accordingly. Most simple courses <br />charge $1.50 to $3.00. The range for more sophisticated <br />courses is from $3.50 to as much as $8.00 per round for <br />adults, less for children. <br />Many of the resort or amusement courses have night lighting <br />and are busiest from 6-10pm. Another appeal is for birthday <br />party or group outings with an adjoining activity room. <br />The general consensus from a financial viewpoint is that these <br />facilities are fairly lucrative. Private owners are not usually <br />willing to share their financial reports. The Roseville facility is <br />some 15,000 square feet and takes approximately one hour to <br />play. The hours of operation are from 10:00am to 10:00pm. <br />1 <br />24 <br />