Bowling News

Mega entertainment complex from Austin to open at The Farm in Allen

There'll be bowling, axes, escape rooms, and more.

Courtesy rendering

There's a little bit of Austin fun coming to Allen: High 5 Entertainment, an experiential entertainment company, will open a massive gaming venue in the splashy new development The Farm in Allen, where it promises to unleash a copious dose of games and amusements.

According to a release, it will open a venue in Allen in fall 2023, occupying three-plus acres of frontage on the south side of SH-121/Sam Rayburn Tollway and Alma Road.

High 5 is from Austin, where it made its debut in the Lakeway area in 2016. That was followed by a second location, a smaller boutique entertainment venue in central Austin, that co-founders Jennifer and Scott Emley opened in 2018 with managing partners Keri and Brad Little.

The Allen location will feature traditional High 5 attractions, including:

24 lanes of bowling
2-story laser tag arena
axe throwing
their signature “Up Top” boutique bowling lounge
escape rooms
resort-style miniature golf course

What, no pickleball? The complex will also feature bars, event spaces, and will serve food and beverages.

High 5 will be neighbors with the much-buzzed-about The Hub, an open-air entertainment venue from Seaside, Florida. The developers behind it all feel confident that the synergy of The Hub and High 5 will inaugurate The Farm in Allen as the entertainment mecca for Collin County.

"Our goal at the Farm in Allen is to bring in a diverse tenant mix that will provide Allen and surrounding communities new and innovative options, and we have found that with High 5,” says Bruce Heller, President of JaRyCo, in a statement. "With a heavily landscaped miniature golf course plus options like axe throwing, virtual reality attractions and a full bar and scratch kitchen, High 5 will offer something for everyone, and we so glad to have them join The Farm."

JaRyCo Development, along with original landowners the Johnson family, are choosing venues for The Farm in Allen that will reflect its original history of gathering, community, and making memories.

The Farm in Allen will eventually have office space, retail, a hotel, restaurants, townhomes, and 2,400 urban residential units, a 1.5-acre lake, boardwalk restaurants, hike and bike trails, and a 16-acre greenbelt along Watters Creek.

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Fun in the Trees

Go Ape Adventure Park to bring ziplining and treetop thrills to Cedar Hill

Rendering of Go Ape Adventure Park in Cedar Hill

Image courtesy of City of Cedar Hill

The new Go Ape Adventure Park in Cedar Hill brings ziplining and more to the treetops of the Dallas suburb.

A new Go Ape Adventure Park is swinging into the Midtown district of Dallas suburb Cedar Hill. The Cedar Hill City Council approved the new park during its meeting Tuesday, August 25 meeting, according to a release.

The adventure experience, known for its ziplines, rope bridges, tree houses, and canopy walks, currently has one other DFW park, in Arlington (a Plano location is closed for repairs this season). There's also one location in the Houston area and locations in eight other states.

Designed to offer a range of experiences for people of all ages, the Cedar Hill location will pair Go Ape’s most popular attractions with new, site-specific adventures inspired by the city’s unique terrain and natural landscape, the release says.

While many details of the Cedar Hill location are still TBA, if it's anything like the Arlington park, guests can expect a Treetop Adventure, a three-hour, high-ropes course with eagle-eye views of the terrain below; and a one-hour version called Treetop Journey. The Arlington park also has a range for outdoor axe-throwing.

People at Go Ape Walk among the treetops at Go Ape!. Photo courtesy of Go Ape!

Construction is expected to begin before the end of 2026, with the goal of opening in spring 2027.

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Cedar Hill to bring these new aerial amenities to life," said Tony Holt, CEO of Go Ape, in a statement. "From design and installation through ongoing operations, our goal is to create exceptional experiences that residents and visitors can enjoy for years to come, while adding a new dimension to the city’s recreation and visitor experience."

Midtown is an emerging district in Cedar Hill, designed to be a connected, walkable destination for retail, dining, entertainment, office, hospitality, and mixed-use development.

Go Ape will join the already-existing Library in a Park, Government Center, and Cinemark movie theater in the Midtown district.

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