Fore! Atomic golf facility coming to The Strat

Not every groundbreaking needs a shovel.

Atomic Range, a 99,000-square-foot golf entertainment facility, is coming to The Strat by the end of next year. And what better way to celebrate the start of construction than breaking out the golf clubs?

Officials, including Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman and City Councilwoman Olivia Diaz, took a ceremonial swing as part of toasting the new project, which is expected to create 500 jobs.

“Nothing says ‘Atomic’ like a groundbreaking in August in Las Vegas at noon,” said Blake Sartini, the chairman and CEO of Golden Entertainment, which owns The Strat.

Atomic Range bills itself as a family-friendly experience that will be built around golf, with 103 hitting bays and 10 putting bays, but also will include plenty of places to eat and drink and a large “Astrocade” area to watch sports.

The golf is “gamified” and low pressure, designed for people of all ages and skill levels to have fun, said John Vollbrecht, the founder and CEO of Flite Golf &Entertainment, which will operate Atomic Range.

“Golf is a hard sport, right?” he said. “It’s hard to learn, it’s expensive, it takes way too long to play — and I say that as a golfer. This allows people to come in, learn it in a very easy, non-intimidating environment and do it in an hour, hour and a half.”

Flite, which is based in Dallas, has facilities in Indianapolis, Milwaukee, London and Saudi Arabia, with plans for more, but the Las Vegas location, estimated to cost $70 million, will be the company’s flagship, Vollbrecht said.

Golden Entertainment is leasing 7 acres to Flite to build the facility and will share in the revenue. Charles Protell, president and chief financial officer of Golden Entertainment, said he sees a mutually beneficial arrangement, with The Strat bringing some customers to the golf facility while Atomic Range attracts some customers who end up in the casino.

“We think that it brings a great amenity to our guests and to the property, and it’s going to be a great thing for the city,” he said.

Goodman said she was happy to see Golden continue to follow through on its redevelopment of The Strat since purchasing it in 2017.

“The whole south end of the city of Las Vegas has reinvented itself because of Golden Entertainment and because of concepts like this and people who love our town,” she told attendees.

Atomic Range will give tourists and locals another golf option along Las Vegas Boulevard, with Topgolf located behind the MGM Grand on the south end of the Strip.

Atomic is expected to open by fall 2023, and Bobak Mostaghasi, the principal investor for Flite, said he’ll be happy for a change in temperature.

“I promise we’ll have a little bit more shade at that time,” he said.

Contact Jim Barnes at jbarnes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0277. Follow @JimBarnesLV on Twitter.