Sultan’s Run making plans to add cottages, new family entertainment facility

Depending on construction schedules and supply chain issues, Sultan’s Run should be adding ten new cottages and a family-oriented virtual sports entertainment venue by 2023.

Chris Tretter, co-owner of Sultan’s Run, presented a renewed plan of updates for the Jasper Planning Commission Wednesday evening.

“When Steve Braun bought Sultan’s around about a dozen years ago, he had a vision to turn it into a mini-resort, something that the local community could enjoy, but also something that attracts tourism to the area,” Tretter told the commission. “And that has continued to happen over the years. About 70 percent of our business right now comes from out of town, which is great for the county.”

Visitors to the course also spend time and money in local restaurants and other businesses in the area when they come to Dubois County.

To grow the tourism side, Tretter and Braun are investing an estimated $7 to $7.5 million to build the new additions. Once complete, Tretter indicated they would consider more improvements at the course in regards to lodging option and recreational opportunities depending on what the market demands.

The ten cottages will feature two double-queen boutique suites for visitors — enough for 20 families. Each cottage has a shared deck that overlooks holes 13, 15 and 16 on the course.

“The views that will be presented by those cottages are unmatched, and it provides an upper scale lodging product to our community,” Tretter said.

Along with the cottages, Tretter and Braun will add a multi-sport entertainment facility featuring eight simulators allowing patrons to play virtual rounds of golf, throw and hit baseballs, toss footballs, kick soccer balls, play carnival games and even throw dodgeballs at zombies. The family-friendly 9,000 square foot addition will be open to the public and have food and beverages served on site.

“You can throw baseballs to try to strike out batters, you can throw footballs to try to complete touchdowns, you can kick soccer balls, so it, it’s entertainment for all ages,” Tretter said. “We’re going with that multi-sport so that we can serve multiple ages, not just the ardent golfer.”

The project plans and plat were approved by the Jasper Planning Commission after a lengthy discussion on who would be responsible for widening Meridian Road if another ingress/egress drive was added to serve the cottages. According to the plan presented Wednesday, Sultan’s Run would be responsible for widening a quarter-mile of Meridian Road if a drive is added.

This story has been edited to clarify that Chris Tretter and his business partner are majority owners of Sultan’s Run, with Steve Braun’s role and stake in the business greatly reduced since Dec. 31, 2021.