Entertainment for digital natives

Entertainment for digital natives

20 March 2020 Off By Facto Edizioni

/ The largest indoor entertainment centers in the United States /

When it opened on October 11th, 2019, it was hailed as “the largest entertainment center in the US” and indeed, with its 20,400sqm, the Scene75 Columbus, in Ohio, is a behemoth. With 20 attractions, 200 arcade games, three bars and a full-service restaurant, this huge family entertainment center has really something for everyone. 

The Scene75 Columbus was created in the space previously occupied by a Macy’s department store inside a shopping center called the Tuttle Mall. “We’ve transformed the space (but kept the dazzling marble-flooring),” say the venue’s management, whose goal is to offer “the best place for fun for groups and families in Columbus.” To do that, they offer a veritable mix: from the Nuclear Rush Coaster (a customized SBF-Visa spinning coaster) to a glow in the dark mini golf painted with 3D effects, with two 9-hole courses that can be played individually or combined for a full 18-hole round; from a 10m-tall Drop Tower to the two-story arcade with its ample choice of games; from go-karts to not one, but two themed lazer mazes (a bank vault and a gold mine, respectively) and a laser tag arena; from escape room experiences organized on weekends to the X-Rider Motion Theater, an 8-seater, 4D motion simulator with a 4.5m screen. The center also specializes in birthday parties and corporate events.

The Scene75 Columbus is a huge project, but it’s not alone: it’s only the fifth installment of the entertainment chain of the same name, which prides itself on offering “the largest indoor entertainment centers in the United States.” The family-run company, founded by Les Sandler and his son Jonah, found a niche in entertainment: since launching in 2009, they renovate big retail estate properties (former department stores, warehouses and malls) and transform them into massive entertainment centers, family-friendly venues filled with attractions and games. Scene75 expanded to a second location in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2015, a third in Cleveland, Ohio in 2017, and a fourth in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2018, before the Columbus project, and the company is still looking to expand, weighing several new sites across the Midwest. Their secret? Scene75 seems to have found a way to tap exactly into the current entertainment needs…

Continue reading – p. 38 Games & Parks Industry March 2020