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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Rolling a strike

High 5 Exchange bowling and entertainment mega-center rolls into Allen

Facebook/High 5 Exchange Austin

The High 5 Exchange in Austin has bowling galore.

A new family entertainment destination is rolling into Allen, bringing bowling, laser tag, miniature golf, virtual reality, and more. Called High 5 Exchange, the venue has broken ground at 2361 Quail Covey Rd. in The Farm in Allen.

It is expected to open in 2027, according to a release.

High 5 Exchange comes from a family entertainment company founded by husband-and-wife team Scott and Jenny Emley. They opened the first location in the Lakeway area of Austin more than a decade ago; a second Austin location followed a few years later.

Their roots are in Austin - Scott Emley played football for UT Austin - but the couple recently relocated to McKinney. There's also a location under construction in Mansfield.

The entertainment mega-center in Allen will combine indoor and outdoor attractions, dining, and rooms for parties and other group events.

Tasty-looking tacos at High 5 in Austin.Facebook/High 5 Exchange Austin

Bowling will be the major draw, with 24 lanes supplied by QubicaAMF. The lineup will include 16 traditional tenpin lanes equipped with EDGE String pinspotters, HyperBowling, and Neoverse, along with eight Fly'n Ducks duckpin lanes, the release says. The combination will give guests the choice between traditional full-length bowling and duckpin bowling, which uses a smaller ball.

"Bowling has a unique ability to bring different generations, interests and skill levels together," said Jody Pastula, director of new business development, U.S., for QubicaAMF, in a statement. "By offering both tenpin and Fly'n Ducks duckpin bowling, High 5 Allen is creating more ways for guests to participate and share the experience. We are pleased to be part of a project designed around connection, variety and repeat visits."

Beyond bowling, High 5 Allen will feature laser tag, a virtual reality arena, an arcade gaming floor, escape rooms, an immersive experience from Creative Works called "Limitless," and outdoor miniature golf. The venue will also have dedicated spaces for birthday parties, corporate gatherings, and private events, along with food and beverage service.

While details on the food and beverage program have not yet been announced, the Austin locations feature a full-service bar and a menu of "American classics with a gourmet twist."

High 5 Exchange Allen Rendering of High 5 Exchange at The Farm in Allen.Rendering courtesy of High 5 Exchange

High 5 Exchange will be part of The Farm in Allen, a 135-acre mixed-use development at the southeast corner of the Sam Rayburn Tollway and Alma Drive. Developed by Allen-based JaRyCo Development in partnership with the Johnson family, The Farm combines residential, office, dining, retail, and entertainment components.

"Allen and the surrounding communities have been part of our vision for this project from the beginning," said Scott Emley, co-founder and CEO of High 5 Exchange, in a statement. "The Farm brings together homes, workplaces, parks, dining and entertainment in a way that fits how people want to connect.

"We are excited to create a place where a family can spend an afternoon, coworkers can gather after work, and friends can celebrate the moments that matter."

entertainment and dining bowling allen