(La Porte, IN) - The door has swung further open in LaPorte for a large family fun center with features ranging from miniature golf, arcade and virtual sports games to a restaurant and bar.
The La Porte Board of Zoning Appeals on Tuesday approved a special exception for the 18 hole outdoor miniature golf course and arcade at the over 33,000 facility planned at New Porte Landing along Pine Lake Ave.
Everything else that would be offered at “Noah’s Arcade” is already permitted under the city’s zoning ordinance, which also allows for a Go Cart track that could be added to the development at some point, said Attorney Bill Nelson.
Nelson represents the developers Ben Konowitz and Ryan Hart, local residents who operate Full Tilt, a much smaller establishment offering pinball, arcade and other games on Fail Road on the city’s east side since October of 2022.
Hart said great response from the community to Full Tilt was a driving force behind the plans for Noah’s Arcade.
So was the desire to provide LaPorte with what he strongly believes will be a regional destination and reason for local residents to stop going to other communities for similar offerings like Zao Island in Valparaiso, he said.
The plans also include 12 lanes of bowling, 100 arcade and pinball games along with a two lane Ninja Warrior course.
The unanimous vote by the board came after Nelson argued a family fun center at the 6.6 acre site behind Kroger conforms with the surrounding recreational land use.
He said there are things like Clear Lake, a baseball field at Fox Park, a bicycle and walking trail along with the Dunes Events Center in close proximity.
Nelson called the Dunes Events Center where regional volleyball tournaments drawing large crowds are often held on weekends “the epitome of recreation.”
He also said Noah’s Arcade would be a natural draw in between matches for families attending the tournaments.
In late July, the LaPorte Redevelopment Commission approved an agreement for the proposed $10 million facility.
The agreement calls for the developers to be given the LPRC owned property as long as the fun center operates for at least four years and they provide what’s promised in offerings, quality construction and building appearance.
Failure to live up to the terms of the agreement will mean Konowitz and Hart having to pay for the ground.
LaPorte Economic Advancement Partnership Executive Director Bert Cook estimated the value of the ground at well over $1 million because of the residential and commercial developments that have gone up at the environmentally remediated former industrial area in recent years.
Cook also sees great potential in a Noah’s Arcade making a positive difference in the amount of money coming in and leaving the city.
“I think it’ll be a great addition. It’s something unique that many other communities don’t have,” he said.
Hart said the hope is to begin construction late this year or early next year.
The fun center is planned at the former Dietrich Steel site demolished about a decade ago as part of the city’s brownfield redevelopment.
In recent years, a 200 unit resort type living facility along with a medical office, Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, Smoothie King and Aldi have also gone up at the 50 acre site.
