JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Topgolf Jacksonville has not even opened, yet people living nearby said they're concerned about the possible safety hazards that the facility's lights may cause to people driving on interstate.
The new 65,000-square-foot venue on Brightman Boulevard, just east of the St. Johns Town Center and west of Interstate 295, is not set to open until next week, but it's already catching the eyes of Southside residents -- for a very different reason.
But Terry Shrewsberry, who lives nearby, said the entertainment venue's lights need to be dimmed to prevent accidents on the interstate.
"When you drive by I-295 South, the lights that are on the outside of the building are so bright that it's blinding," Shrewsberry said.
She said she started noticing the bright lights a few weeks ago and the lights have already started affecting traffic.
"It's even worse when it's inclement weather, when it's raining. And I've actually seen vehicles slow down when they get to that intersection and almost cause accidents," Shrewsberry said.
A spokesperson for Topgolf told News4Jax that the facility began testing its lights on Thursday, but was a week behind because of Hurricane Matthew. The facility dimmed the lights from 100 percent to 80 percent and will continue to test the lighting all next week because the happiness and safety for concerned neighbors is their priority, the spokesperson said.
"Our safety is a concern on the highway. You already have people who are speeding and, at night, especially when the weather is bad, if they can't see, is Topgolf going to be responsible for a death or a severe accident or injuries that could last a lifetime?" Shrewsberry said.
News4Jax was told that the type of testing that Topgolf is conducting is typical for new venues.
Topgolf Jacksonville will open Friday, Oct. 28.