From yum cha to ping-pong: Opening date set for $5 million venue

The $5 million transformation of Brisbane’s most famous yum cha restaurant into an adult’s playground is almost complete, as operators plan a homage to Fortitude Valley’s most famous arrest.

King of Kings Seafood Restaurant operated at the Wickham Street site, which also had frontage on the Chinatown Mall, between the 1980s and its closure in 2020.

Come February, it will be home to Ballers Clubhouse, a “competitive socialising” venue full of interactive games such as darts, ping-pong, shuffleboard and ball pit karaoke (exactly what it sounds like) and a sports bar featuring large LED screen walls.

Just across the mall, the late Jack Karlson was arrested in 1991, eventually sparking global memes about succulent Chinese meals.

“We’re planning on using that moment in a sort of homage, and we might be naming something on the menu after that moment and that guy,” Ballers chief executive Joshua Lefers said.

The 600-capacity, 1083-square-metre venue was approved in late 2023, and the opening date has now been set at February 1, 2027 – almost two years later than originally planned .

The long timeframe between approval and completion was down to several factors, including what Ballers co-founder and chief commercial officer Stephen Wools described as the “skeletons” they found during the refurbishment.

“Not literal skeletons,” Wools was quick to point out. “There was so much more complexity to look at with this site than we’re probably used to.

“Three years is a long time. The positives that came out of that was we were able to optimise the design. We feel this is probably our best design to date.”

Lefers said he hoped Ballers would be the start of a renaissance for the Chinatown area of the Valley, which had fallen into business decline over the past couple of decades.

“We’re very excited, understanding the Olympics is coming up, and it’s a surprise to have vacant shop fronts and everything not absolutely full yet – but I think it will be,” he said.

“Even having contact with a lot of other businesses and landlords – and our own landlords – you can see it’s really starting to pick up.”

“You’ve got AVC [Australian Venue Co] who have just bought up four or five venues. Everyone’s gearing up for the Olympics, some six years out, so I think the Valley is actually going to have a bit of a comeback as we go,” he said.

Wools said the real advantage of the heritage-listed site was its familiarity.