Added Fun and a New Name, January 15, 2008 DREW GODLESKI/Standard-Examiner Toad's Fun Zone in Slaterville has opened and offers a full array of things to do for the family. It was formerly Mulligan's. Mulligans receives a Toad's makeover Revamped golf and games center plans spring grand opening By BRADY BINGHAM Standard-Examiner staff bbingham@standard.net SLATERVILLE With a new name and a high-tech new look, it's hard to recognize the playground formerly known as Mulligan's Golf and Games. Still located immediately off the I-15 exit at 250 North, Toad's Fun Zone has invested $8 million to become a family-fun center. Owner Jimmy Blair is planning a grand opening for Toad's which is his daughter Becky's nickname in the spring. "I wanted to create a place where people can come out and for as little as $5 can have a great time," said Blair, one of the top golf professionals in the state. "It's a place for year-round family recreation." At the entrance to Toad's, Blair, 53, has reconstructed the old pro shop. The front desk has been relocated to the northwest to make room for what Blair calls a "breakfast restaurant." In the new pro shop, patrons can purchase swipe cards to use the facility's numerous games, such as arcade favorites, laser tag, miniature golf and the "sure to be a big hit" go-carts. Blair built a new 30,000-square-foot building to house part of the fun. Just inside the rotating doors is a pizza bar, also serving hot dogs, salads and sodas. And to the right are 75 new arcade games, including such units as "Deal or no Deal," "NASCAR," and everything from basketball to coin pushers. Upstairs is a viewing area with chairs, sofas and big-screen televisions, enabling parents to take a breather and still keep a close eye on their kids' actions below. Behind the arcade is a state-of-the-art laser tag room, with programming for multiple contests and people. There is also a staging area where players view a short instruction video. The 4,500-square-foot fog-filled room is two stories tall, with ramps on either side for players to scamper and hide anywhere. After exiting the game, players watch another big-screen television that reveals their results. In the back of the building will be the indoor, 18-hole miniature golf course designed in a Mayan cave theme. With jungle moss and waterfalls, the course is scheduled to open in the spring, giving Toad's 54 holes of miniature golf. The existing 18 holes from Mulligan's were redesigned to create 36 outdoor holes with six holes carving into the outdoor cave. The building will also barn 28 new electric go-carts. The 1,000-foot, curved track and scoring tower are outdoors, but Blair said he expects to run the carts in the winter. Also new to the facility are softball and fast-pitch batting cages and a climbing wall. Despite all the new games he's put into the project, Blair's passion for golf remains evident. The facility still features a driving range, with heated stalls on the bottom of a two-story building, as well as grass stalls from which to practice. Blair also installed a heating system in the practice putting green, so die-hard golfers can practice throughout the year. Blair is also building an extension to the driving range, specifically designed as a training and club-fitting facility; and he has completely redesigned a 9-hole course (par 34) that he expects to be ready for play in 2009. 29