The indoor virtual golfing brand Golf Lounge 18 is due to open a new location early next year at RXR’s One Clinton Park residential tower at 55 Clinton Place in New Rochelle. RXR says that Golf Lounge 18 has signed a lease for 7,700 square feet of space. RXR also says that Golf Lounge 18 expects to open at RXR’s Atlantic Station building in Stamford this fall.
Golf Lounge 18 has reported having 10 locations in operation including in South Windsor, Orange, Fairfield and Danbury in Connecticut and at The Westchester in White Plains.
The bays at Golf Lounge 18 use video projectors to present images of whatever golf course and hole the player has selected. Computers running software create the images the golfer sees based on data and images that have been preloaded. The system uses radar and optics to detect the movement of the golf club, its impact with the ball and the flight of the ball. After its impact with the screen at the front of the bay, the software calculates where the ball would have landed on the real course.
Players are shown a moving image of what the ball looks like in-flight as it traveled to its landing spot. Included among the household-name courses replicated by the software are: the PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida; the Royal Portrush Golf Club in County Antrim, Northern Ireland; and, St. Andrews Links in St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, the birthplace of golf.
One Clinton Park opened in 2022 and has 352 apartments. Adjacent is Two Clinton Park, which has 390 residential units. The buildings have 50,000 square feet of amenity and outdoor space across the shared complex.
According to Whitney Arcaro, chief revenue officer, residential at RXR, “With both One and Two Clinton in high demand and our Clinton Park Plaza hosting various community activations and events, bringing a concept like Golf Lounge 18 was a natural complement to the city’s ongoing transformation. Their customer-first approach aligns with our commitment to resident experience and community-building, making them an ideal partner in creating a dynamic, inclusive destination.”
Ajit Padda, CEO of Golf Lounge 18 said, “With its central location in downtown, our new venue at One Clinton Park is a perfect match for our mission: to grow the game of golf in a fun, engaging, and accessible environment. We look forward to welcoming the New Rochelle and surrounding Westchester community to connect, socialize and enjoy a unique, high-tech golf experience.”
In addition to offering a number of bays for indoor golfing, Golf Lounge 18 offers food and beverage service and promotes its facilities for holding birthday parties and other events.
New Rochelle’s Development Commissioner Adam Salgado positioned the future opening of Golf Lounge 18 as being another major step forward in the revitalization of downtown New Rochelle.
“This move speaks directly to the city’s growing appeal to innovative and experiential retailers,” Salgado said. “This dynamic new entertainment venue will add even more energy and momentum to our evolving retail landscape, reaffirming New Rochelle’s emergence as a destination for culture, lifestyle, and vibrancy, while serving as a beacon for other visionary concepts.”
New Rochelle projects the demand for retail space in its downtown will have grown by 36% over the 10-year period from 2022 to 2032, from 394,5000 square feet in 2022 to 536,960 square feet in 2032. It attributes part of that to the Vanguard Initiative, Tenant Improvement Fund, and other efforts to attract retailing and hospitality businesses to the downtown.
