Pickleball, Pool, Putt-Putt And A Place Called Parky's: 5 Entertainment Venues Set For Philly
From a first-in-the-nation amusement hub run by the world's most popular streaming service to an entertainment complex coming to the Philadelphia Sports Complex, the next year will be a busy one for construction of new places to have fun, unwind or work up a sweat.
A bevy of mini-sport and entertainment options is on the way, and analysts say that's good news for both commercial real estate and city coffers, offering a prime opportunity to capture more office workers, local residents and tourists in one place, boosting the fortunes of the areas surrounding them.
Some of the new development was timed to coincide with Philadelphia's moment in the sporting sun in 2026, when the city will host FIFA World Cup matches and the MLB All-Star Game.
But news of new venues is welcome for the overall market, and they could even serve as de facto office amenities in a city struggling with high vacancy.
Brendan Kelley, a principal and Philadelphia market specialist at Avison Young, said one of the new offerings, the pickleball headquarters for Ballers, could be a premier destination for employees in the area.
“At Ballers, there's going to be pickleball, squash, padel, golf simulators, and it's going to be [food and beverage] with it. These are types of amenities and uses that are actually helping lease office space,” Kelley said. “Employers are looking for a more robust amenities package to be anchored, either on-site or in close proximity to it, in order to help drive employees back into the office.”
The retail boost can't be ignored when a new entertainment venue opens, said Joe Aristone, head of revenue and leasing for PREIT, which owns the Cherry Hill Mall and the Moorestown Mall. The Moorestown Mall could be home to the upcoming bar, arcade and entertainment center Parky's, according to NJ.com.
“To have the best-in-class entertainment and bringing it all under one property, bringing it all under one roof, has kind of been something that's been going on for well over a decade now, but really, people are laser-focused on it now,” Aristone said.
The current proportion of the PREIT Philadelphia-region portfolio dedicated to entertainment is 16% and set to increase shortly with the openings of the restaurant Kooma, coworking space Signature Workspace and the entertainment complex at Moorestown Mall, according to Aristone.
Here are five new Philadelphia-area entertainment attractions:
Ballers
Where: The Battery at 1325 Beach St./Penn Treaty Park
What: Ballers’ inaugural pickleball emporium will offer an almost 5K SF turf field available for rent to soccer players and others, along with a bar and restaurant overlooking the field serving coffee as well as juice during the day and alcohol at night.
Inside, the venue will offer six pickleball courts, two squash courts and three dedicated to the growing sport of padel. The revamped power plant turbine will also offer four golf simulators and a dedicated area for putting, chipping and pitching practice that includes two sand bunkers.
Lubert-Adler owns the property and tapped design firm Good City Studio to create the venue.
“We love the fact that customers can walk to our venue,” Good City Studio co-founder Amanda Potter said in May. “But it’s also very easy for those of us who don’t live within walking distance to hop on the 676 and get there.”
Opens: Spring 2025
Netflix House
Where: 180 N. Gulph Road, King of Prussia Mall
What: Netflix House is expected to open after an overhaul of the interior of the 120K-plus SF former Lord & Taylor department store, making way for themed amusement rooms, a 250-seat theater, a dining destination and a marketplace.
The first of two such venues set to debut nationally next year, Netflix House will offer what it calls “a fan fever dream,” with immersive experiences based on hit shows like Bridgerton, Squid Game and Stranger Things.
“The venues will bring our beloved stories to life in new, ever-changing, and unexpected ways,” Netflix Chief Marketing Officer Marian Lee said in a release.
Opens: Late 2025
Parky’s
Where: Moorestown Mall in Moorestown, New Jersey
What: Moorestown voted in May to approve plans by PREIT to open a two-story entertainment facility that would include ax-throwing, a speakeasy-style bar, arcade games, putt-putt, a multilevel go-kart track and a rooftop music venue.
Parky's would also be taking over a former Lord & Taylor space, and its project comes months after local voters overturned a ban on games of chance, according to NJ.com.
“I think it’s going to be a great addition that’s going to draw a lot of people there,” Moorestown Mayor Nicole Gillespie told the outlet.
Opens: TBD
The West Philadelphia Waterfront
Where: University City
What: The $60M project would see a new public pool, beach and entertainment hub come to the banks of the Schuylkill River in West Philly. Expected to transform what is now a lackluster stretch of Schuylkill Avenue into a destination, the project would span two decks, the lower deck including a nearly Olympic-size public pool, a beach, a café, a kayak grotto and an entertainment venue. The upper deck will feature a promenade and space for food trucks.
The proposed size for the Waterfront is 47K SF, which includes a 15K SF promenade deck and a 32K SF amenity deck where the pool would be, according to a spokesperson for UCD. The total length is roughly 400 feet.
“Now is the time to think with great aspiration about a new iconic space to connect the waterfront to the dynamic growth of University City, and to make it accessible for all Philadelphians,” University City District President Matt Bergheiser said in a statement cited by Axios.
The plan still requires city, state and federal approval.
Opens: 2029
Xfinity Live Renovation
Where: Philadelphia Sports District at 3300 S. Seventh St.
What: Comcast Spectacor is embarking on a revamp of the Philadelphia Sports District this fall, starting with a $12M renovation that will add new terraces, gathering areas and other upgrades to the complex.
The group has also tentatively planned a major revival of the district, which could include some 500K SF of office space, 460K SF of retail, a 5,500-seat concert venue, 2,000 multifamily units and 500 rooms across multiple hotels.
“Xfinity Live! has become the living room for the community over the past 12 years and these enhancements will allow us to continue providing first-class hospitality to our millions of guests,” Xfinity Live Director of Operations Erin Seifert said in a statement.
Opens: 2025
