Lance Windholz, as he tells it, has always had a passion for sports.
That passion led him to become the owner of the Shawnee Mission Beach Volleyball club.
This year, the club held its first ever pro volleyball tournament, which brought in seven Olympian athletes and more than 2,000 spectators.
During his time as the club’s owner, Windholz said volleyball enthusiasts clearly had their own entertainment-type hub in Johnson County — and avid golfers could practice their swings over beers and eats at Topgolf. But, as Windholz, pointed out, Johnson County didn’t have an equivalent for those interested in baseball.
That’s about to change. Sandlot Social, Windholz’s new sports entertainment concept centered around baseball, will debut in Lenexa in the spring of 2026.
Sandlot Social is coming to 12120 W. 95th St.
- The venue will occupy a space at the Oak Park Commons shopping center in Lenexa, just off 95th Street and Quivira Road.
- Tool store Northern Tool + Equipment previously occupied that space.
- Sandlot Social’s regular hours are still being finalized.
Sandlot Social will offer a “state of the art” baseball experience
Inside the roughly 15,000-square-foot space, those looking to take a swing will find 10 reservable hitting bays.
The bays will simulate a Major League or collegiate ballpark experience, with a screen and a pitching machine to throw the ball. People will also have the option to adjust the speed at which the ball shoots out of the machine, in order to accommodate different ability levels.
“It’s the same technology that professional teams use in their batting cages to measure swing speed and velocity and angles,” Windholz said. “We’re taking that and just saying, hey, let’s have fun with it.”
Beyond the hitting bays, Sandlot Social will also offer a restaurant and bar inside, serving classic “ball park” dishes like burgers, hot dogs and salads. There will also be large TVs for people to watch games on, and a space for darts and other yard games.
Sandlot Social will operate entirely indoors for year-round baseball play. Windholz said he also hopes to host league nights, when teams can play against each other.
“I keep calling it the Topgolf for baseball,” Windholz said. “You’ll have that same opportunity to kind of eat, drink, play, watch sports, and hang out.”
There may be more Sandlot Socials in the future
If all goes according to plan, then Windholz foresees Sandlot Social expanding with more locations after the concept launches in Lenexa.
That could even go beyond Johnson County. He’s already had some interest in franchising, he said, which could take Sandlot Social outside of the Kansas City metro area.
“There’s really actually only a handful of places in the world that have this tech, so it’s pretty exciting,” he said. “Bringing the technology and getting hundreds of people out there swinging the bat, enjoying the game of baseball, the camaraderie, the community — that’s what I love about it.”
Ultimately, he said, he’s aiming for Sandlot Social to be something for everyone — for people who have played baseball before, like himself, and for people who are less experienced at swinging a bat.
“Kansas City has a great tradition and history with the Royals; we’re definitely a baseball town,” he said. “Especially when the Royals are on a hot streak, you can just feel the energy in the air. So (I’m looking forward to) kind of bringing that to Kansas City as best I can.”
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