Re “After years of silence, plan for polarizing Topgolf venue on San Diego Bay on path to approval” (July 19): The Topgolf proposal on East Harbor Island poses a serious financial risk that the Port must evaluate before taking action to approve the project.
Topgolf’s financial reports, independent financial reviews and competition from other golf facilities confirm the Port’s financial risk. After the Port agreed to study the proposed project, Callaway reduced Topgolf’s corporate value by nearly $1 billion to sell it to a private equity firm in January 2026.
National golf broker Steve Ekovich states Topgolf is “a restaurant-and-bar concept carrying $30 million to $40 million in construction costs per location.” In a March 2026 article, Ben Swanger wrote “The average Topgolf customer visits just 1.2 times per year.” There aren’t enough loyal customers to pay the construction debt. The novelty wears off and revenues drop. This pattern keeps repeating.
The draft environmental impact report doesn’t address this crucial issue. The Port shouldn’t approve a gimmicky and failed concept.
— Janet Rogers, Downtown