The inventive minds behind the “mechatronic robot art miniature golf-themed pop-up nightclub” known as Smash Putt are devising a Seattle return. This time around, you won’t have far to walk to tee off.

After vacating an industrial SODO space two years ago, CHS has learned that plans are in the works for the pop-up gaming space to open at the sprawling MidTown Center property, which includes the large empty space left behind by the U.S. Post Office at 23rd and Union.

Smash Putt co-creator Mike McCracken told CHS that Smash Putt’s ninth incarnation could be open by early April and would likely stay open for about three months. That is, if the group can once again maneuver around city and state regulations that don’t easily conform to temporary nightclubs.

“Everything is all tentative on (permits) coming through,” he said. “We’re hopeful, but not 100% confident it’s going to pan out.”

Smash Putt is the brainchild of a group of Seattle-based engineers and artists who have opened the project four times in Seattle, three times in Portland, and once in Denver.

The mini golf course is as much art and mad science project as it is putt-putt, with holes that include lasers and golf ball cannons. “The idea is to create a space of festive playfulness for people to interact with each other, with our work, and our art,” McCracken said.

Smash Putt will join Uncle Ike’s pot shop at 23rd and Union, but McCracken said that was just a happy coincidence.

“We have to be opportunistic about space,” he said. “We noticed (the Post Office space) because they were doing cool community things, like the Punk Rock Flea Market.”

In 2009, Smash Putt popped-up on 12th Ave where Rhein Haus stands today.

Longtime MidTown property owner Tom Bangasser has been planning to sell the 23rd and Union property to make way for a mixed-used project on the site. Late last month, the City Council’s planning and land use committee declined to approve rezoning of the 106,000 square-foot property to allow for a 6-story development.

To get the latest notifications on Smash Putt, you can sign up for their mailing list at the bottom of this page.