The city of Kent’s Riverbend Golf Complex Driving Range has closed until May for major renovations.
Construction started this month on the addition of 14 new driving range stalls, new restrooms and a full interior redesign of the building. The facility is expected to reopen sometime in May, with a potential grand reopening in late May.
The Kent City Council awarded a $1.5 million contract to Tumwater-based Christensen Inc. General Contractor in January to do the work. The driving range closed Feb. 1.
This marks the third and final phase of the project. Proceeds from the city’s $10.5 million sale of the Riverbend par 3 golf course in 2017 to the developer of the Ethos Apartments along West Meeker Street, and across from the Riverbend 18-hole course, will help pay for the work.
The first two phases of construction included replacing the artificial turf with natural grass, reshaping and leveling the range field while expanding it out to Russell Road, installing new poles and nets, updating the parking lot and installing a raised crosswalk across West Meeker Street.
City staff expects that once the driving range renovations are complete, the additional stalls will help bring in more revenue to the complex. A city-hired consultant estimated each new stall could bring in about $10,000 a year when the city prepared its plans in 2017 to renovate the driving range and building.
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A rendering of the entrance of the renovated Riverbend Driving Range. COURTESY GRAPHIC, City of Kent
A rendering of the new lobby area at the Riverbend Golf Complex driving range. COURTESY GRAPHIC, City of Kent
A rendering of the outside of the renovated Riverbend Driving Range. COURTESY GRAPHIC, City of Kent
