The Rim is gaining a new baseball entertainment complex
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A rendering of the biergarten. Image: Courtesy of HFA Architecture + Engineering
A new baseball entertainment complex is coming to The Rim in San Antonio.
Why it matters: Home Run Dugout says it has reinvented the typical batting cage to be an immersive gaming experience for all ages and skill levels.
The big picture: The company opened its first full-scale location in Katy, outside Houston, in 2023. There is another location in Round Rock.
- The expansion also includes a new location in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Zoom in: Known as the Topgolf of baseball, Home Run Dugout will cover more than 65,000 square feet at The Rim and come with a full-service restaurant and three new bars. There will be more than 30 Batting Bays.
- It will include a Biergarten Baseball mini-field, which can be reserved for private events. The field in Katy is designed for games like Wiffle ball and kickball.
How it works: The company's Batting Bay is similar to a batting cage — but without the cage or the actual baseball.
- Customers instead hit a soft ball that shoots up from the ground using a soft-toss pitching machine.
- The technology offers no risk of foul balls. It digitally tracks the ball's exit velocity, distance and location.
- Augmented reality lets customers virtually play in their favorite MLB ballparks.
State of play: Home Run Dugout claims to offer the safest, most approachable batting experience available, with a seven-mile-per-hour fastball.
- Each Batting Bay features a 20-by-12-foot screen and five TVs where customers can track their hitting stats or watch sporting events or other programming.
What they're saying: "We're confident that a little friendly competition is the best way to bring people together over drinks, laughter and home runs," co-founder and CEO Tyler Bambrick said in a statement.
- "We look forward to offering San Antonians a new happy hour hangout, game day watch party headquarters, date night spot and corporate event venue."
What's next: Construction is slated to begin in 2025. An opening date has not been announced.