High 5 Entertainment ramps up marketing, hiring efforts

The developers behind High 5, a multifaceted entertainment venue in Estero, have entered the launch phase of the project as vertical construction gets underway, President and CEO Scott Emley said. 

Construction is expected to be completed within six to eight months, with a series of soft openings planned for February 2027 and a grand opening scheduled for late February or early March. 

In the meantime, High 5 is expanding its marketing efforts through Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, along with direct-mail advertisements targeting area residents. 

The company also is preparing a hiring push to staff High 5’s attractions, including the Estero Pickleball Club, a bowling alley, two 18-hole miniature golf courses, an indoor-outdoor bar and a full-service kitchen that will provide on-site dining and catering services. 

Emley shared the update with the village of Estero Council during its June 17 meeting. The facility is being built in Estero’s Village Hub SportsPark on the north side of Williams Road, east of Via Coconut Point. 

A job fair is planned for early 2027 to recruit servers, bartenders and what Emley described as “party professionals.” He also announced the hiring of Pete Dellaluna, a Southwest Florida pickleball coach and professional player, as High 5’s pickleball director. 

Emley highlighted the planned pickleball complex, which will feature 15 outdoor courts and six indoor courts for year-round play. High 5 also plans to offer “cosmic” neon lighting on the courts for events, such as birthday parties and celebrations. A pickleball pro shop will add a retail component to the facility. 

“We’re very familiar with how pickleball and the community sees itself, how it has manifested itself here in the region and, quite frankly, how we respectfully honor that,” Emley said. 

High 5’s indoor-outdoor bar, 16-lane bowling alley, arcade, conference and party rooms, and miniature golf courses are expected to accommodate both private events and larger corporate gatherings. 

“We have the capability within High 5 to accommodate those needs,” Emley said. 

Oversized LED walls in the bar area and bowling alley will feature augmented reality experiences, sports broadcasts and advertising. 

High 5 also will include an expanded Scratch Ranch-branded kitchen serving on-site guests, supporting catering operations and producing prepackaged meals for sale through participating local businesses. 

While the facility will be open to the public, Emley said High 5 plans to offer a variety of membership programs, including general memberships, as well as options focused on pickleball and bowling. A separate benefits program is planned for Estero residents. 

Estero Vice Mayor George Zalucki asked Emley whether the facility would include axe throwing, an attraction offered at some of the Texas-based company’s other locations. 

There are currently no plans to add axe throwing in Estero, Emley said. 

“We’re always on the bleeding edge, and we keep a sharp eye on how amenities are coming and they’re going. We for one are starting to see the waning of axe throwing,” Emley said. “It’s not to say that we won’t do it. We always look at what is next and best and greatest.”