Freddy’s Family Fun Center, the agritainment project started to help save the Freddy Hill Farms in Lansdale, is celebrating 25 years of entertaining visitors, writes Dan Geringer for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Fun Center was started after Fred Seipt wanted to preserve his three-generation farm from developers who were offering millions. He instead invested in two lavish miniature golf courses, a driving range, pro shop, and batting cages.

A quarter-century later, Freddy’s Family Fun Center helps support 200 acres of feed corn and pumpkins, as well as an ice cream-making operation.

According to Seipt, he has never regretted turning down the big money and starting the fun center, an idea from his son Matt, which helped save the farm.

“My idea of miniature golf was something made of plywood you could get off the back of a truck and set up in a couple of days,” said Seipt. “But Matt was talking about waterfalls, scenery, a landscape architect. I thought, ‘Hey, wow! How in the heck are we going to borrow the money for this?'”

Getting a loan turned out not to be a problem, and Freddy’s Family Fun Center opened its doors to visitors from across the country on July 6, 1991. Today, the big parking lot is still full on most nights, ensuring Freddy Hill Farms many more years of success.

Read more about Freddy’s Family Fun Center in the Philadelphia Inquirer by clicking here.