Spacebar, an arcade bar in Boise, Idaho, moved to a new and larger location recently but patrons don’t have to go any further out of their way. According to BoiseDev, they moved into the basement level of the 1940s-era building next door. “We hit a critical mass with the space we were in,” said co-owner Will Hay. “We felt like there was nowhere to go because our friends at Boise Fry Co. have leased pretty much the rest of the building – so we couldn’t really expand in the space we were in even though we really like it and…
Author: Matt Harding
Creators of the cartoon juggernaut South Park recently made a deal to save Casa Bonita, a Mexican restaurant and FEC outside of Denver that was featured in their TV show and filed bankruptcy in April. Casa Bonita cited impacts from the Covid-19 pandemic as the main reason for bankruptcy. According to The Wall Street Journal, the purchase by Trey Parker and Matt Stone is pending bankruptcy-court approval. The duo also recently struck a 6-year, $900 million deal for six new seasons of the TV show on Comedy Central (which will take the show through at least Season 30), plus 14…
Pickwick Bowl and Gardens in Burbank, California is being sold with plans to redevelop it into townhouses, according to The Real Deal Los Angeles. MW Investments recently filed plans to build a 98-unit townhome complex at the bowling alley site. However, the Pickwick Ice Center will remain there as it entered into a partnership with the L.A. Kings and American Sports Entertainment Company in 2018. For now, Pickwick Bowl remains open. Up-to-date news will be available at www.pickwickbowl.com.
Embed recently appointed Kash Ahmad as its chief management consultant in North and South America. Ahmad has 25 years of experience in the family entertainment technology and operations space. He was most recently the executive director of Cineplex Entertainment. “I’ve followed Embed and was a client for over 15 years,” Ahmad said. “I’ve experienced their exceptional product and viewed them as a leader in the amusement industry. I’m incredibly excited to now work with them as they have continued to focus on innovation in an industry that requires constant advancement.” You can meet cash at IAAPA Expo in Orlando. Schedule…
Starting Aug. 23, Main Event will launch an accredited educational program in partnership with STEM.org and Big Thought Institute that uses STEAM curriculum (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) aligned with national learning standards. Essentially, they’re offering fun, educational field trips. Students in grades 1-12 will be able to enjoy four educational learning labs that complement some of Main Event’s attractions, including bowling, laser tag, pizza and games, according to PRNewswire. The students will learn about variables through bowling and will experiment with probability and kinetic energy through Skee-Ball and air hockey, for example. “Partnering with educational leaders like STEM.org…
The arcade Namco Funscape County Hall in London closed for good on Aug. 12, according to Euro Gamer. A previous report by Arcade Heroes noted that the business was forced to vacate after 25 years due to the redevelopment of part of the London County Hall site that it occupied. The venue had a 12-lane bowling alley, bumper cars, a 150-game arcade, bumper cars, VR and multiple bars. Namco Funscape is owned by Namco UK, which operates six locations around the country. “After 25 years, London’s leading family and corporate entertainment venue, within the iconic County Hall building, has closed,”…
The latest replica machine from Arcade1Up is The Simpsons, which is available for pre-order on the company’s website and is expected to ship at the end of November. According to Hardcore Gamer, the cabinet will feature The Simpsons and another game to be announced later. The cabinet itself features artwork that is true to the original machine and a matching riser. “Arcade1Up is excited to expand its family home game room offering with a modern lens on retro gaming and classic pop-culture game collection editions like The Simpsons,” said Scott Bachrach, CEO of Arcade1Up. “With over 2 million home arcade and pinball machines sold by Arcade1Up, fans of The…
CinemaCon will be held Aug. 23-26 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and Sacoa will be among the companies on hand showcasing its latest products. Visitors can stop by Booth #827J to see their offerings. Sacoa recently added more functions to its mobile app, something they’ll be touting at the show. The new software module allows for clients to view special offers, purchase credits and use them at any attraction or activity. It also allows them to receive custom and preplanned notifications and keep track of their redemption tickets. “Those are some of the reasons for the huge success of…
A medieval-themed amusement park in Swansea, Massachusetts is set to open next summer. According to WLNE, Silver Stone Castle and Family Entertainment began construction on the site last week. The indoor venue will feature a number of attractions, including an arcade, a ropes course, a jungle gym, a rock-climbing wall, a zipline, a swimming pool with a surf machine and laser tag. The facility will also have a tavern for guests to enjoy burgers, steaks and more. Additional information is available at www.silverstonecastleandfamilyentertainment.com.
Calling all Big Buck Hunters! The Raw Thrills team recently sent out an email reminding folks that less than one month remains to qualify for the 2021 Big Buck World Championship. The deadline is Sept. 8 for all players to be within the top 64 on either the skill or the wildcard leaderboards to qualify for the tournament. Leaderboard positions are available at www.bigbuckhunter.com. On top of the global skill leaderboard as of Aug. 17 are Chris Exberger of California, Drew Baldock of Saskatchewan, Federico Read of Massachusetts, Ashley Kent Burgess of Texas and Patrick Heelan of Maine. The 14th…