Lakewood Ranch's Entertainment District: Urban Air, SkyTrack & Backyard Social

A dedicated entertainment district is taking shape on the Sarasota County side of Lakewood Ranch, along Professional Parkway near I-75. When fully built out (expected by early summer 2027), this corridor will offer a lineup of family and adult entertainment that the Ranch has never had. Here is what is open, what is under construction, and when it all arrives.

Urban Air Adventure Park — open now

Urban Air opened its doors on September 27, 2025 (grand opening October 18) at 6450 Professional Parkway. At 60,000 square feet and $18.5 million to build, it is the largest Urban Air location in the country. Franchise owner Michael Tucci purchased 7.5 acres from Schroeder-Manatee Ranch for about $3 million.

The attraction lineup includes trampolines, climbing walls, slides, mini-carts, battle beams, laser tag, a ninja course suspended over a ball pit, and 12 party rooms. For families with kids, this filled a gap that had people driving to Tampa or Sarasota for indoor entertainment.

SkyTrack Family Entertainment Center — opening May 2027

SkyTrack broke ground on March 10, 2026 directly north of Urban Air on Professional Parkway. The 70,000-square-foot building will feature a go-kart track that twists across three stories and measures more than half a mile long — electric karts reaching up to 27 mph, with the track shipped from Europe.

Beyond the karts, SkyTrack will include 85+ arcade and VR games, a 16-lane bowling alley, high-end indoor mini-golf, a full-service restaurant, two bars, and an outdoor stage for live entertainment. The projected opening is May 1, 2027 (approximately 14 months of construction).

Backyard Social — opening November 2026

Backyard Social is under construction directly south of Urban Air. Owners Mat Baum and John Mann are targeting a mid-November 2026 opening. This is not a traditional restaurant — food trucks will be permanently parked outside instead of a kitchen. The concept includes a full bar, tiki bar, a 6,000-square-foot stage for live music, and lawn games. This is the second Backyard Social location (the first is in Fort Myers).

For Lakewood Ranch, this fills a specific gap: a casual, outdoor-oriented live music and social venue. The Ranch has restaurants and sports facilities, but has lacked a low-key gathering spot with live entertainment.

The full picture by summer 2027

By the time SkyTrack opens, this Professional Parkway corridor will have a 60,000 sq ft adventure park, a 70,000 sq ft entertainment center with go-karts and bowling, and a live-music food-truck venue — all within walking distance of each other. Add the 86,000 sq ft Life Time athletic club opening October 2026 on Lakewood Ranch Boulevard, and the Ranch's lifestyle infrastructure will look dramatically different than it did even a year ago.

For families considering Lakewood Ranch, the entertainment district answers the "what do you do on weekends?" question more convincingly than the community could before. For existing residents, it means fewer drives to Tampa or UTC for a night out. If you are evaluating which Ranch villages put you closest to these amenities, I can map it out for you.