Pinstripes, the Chicago-based bowling experience, is opening minutes away from Walt Disney World in Orlando, which is also home to Splitsville – located at Disney Springs. This will give those visiting Disney World another nearby bowling option. According to the Orlando Business Journal, Pinstripes signed a lease on April 23 for a 28,000-sq.-ft. space in Vineland Pointe near International Drive and Disney World. Pinstripes also reportedly has plans to open other Florida locations in Tampa, Jacksonville, Coral Gables and Aventura. Learn more information at www.pinstripes.com.
Author: Matt Harding
By the end of 2021, SpeedZone in Los Angeles and Boomers in Irvine – both from new ownership group APX – will have lots of upgrades and new attractions for guests to get excited about. According to Spectrum News 1, SpeedZone will install 10 new attractions, including a roller coaster, a rock wall and a Ferris wheel. Boomers Irvine has already added Boomer’s Backyard, where visitors can eat and drink next to an outdoor fireplace and watch sports on big-screen TVs. APX is an affiliate of the private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management LP, which took over the Irvine-based Apex…
Former NFL quarterback Drew Brees, co-owner of Surge Entertainment, is bringing a new facility to Bossier City, La., according to KSLA. The venue will open at the Pierre Bossier Mall in a space formerly occupied by Virginia College. Surge Entertainment has arcades, golf simulators, trampoline parks and restaurants. The company has 14 already-operating venues, including others in Louisiana (Lafayette, Metairie and West Monroe). They also have locations in Columbia, S.C.; Fayetteville and Winston-Salem, N.C.; Homewood and Opelika, Ala.; Fort Walton and Jacksonville, Fla.; Newport News, Richmond and Virginia Beach, Va.; and Oklahoma City, Okla. Learn more at www.surgefun.com.
Semnox recently announced the latest install of its park solution Tixera at Kingfisher Waterpark in Mandla, Madhya Pradesh, India. The company opted for Semnox’s Tixera suite of products to run the entire operation of their new 4-acre facility. The park has implemented RFID lockers and silicon wristbands and also Semnox’s XCESS readers and desktop readers for seamless check-ins. “We understand the solution of Semnox as we worked together in our previous project,” said Anand Rai, a park investor. “Semnox was our first choice as a solution partner for our new park. Being the leader in this segment, they are the…
The Lanes at Sea Girt, a longtime bowling alley and music venue in Sea Girt, N.J., will close permanently on May 17. Open since 1960, manager Don Corcione said the business had been struggling in recent years and Covid-19 certainly didn’t help. “There’s a lot of sadness,” Corcione said. “A lot of people would have walked out once they saw the writing on the wall but not the people that work with me. They’re like my family. Covid didn’t help. It devastated everybody, not just the bowling industry, but it was very, very tough. We hung on for dear life.”…
The Ohio-based Scene75 is closing its Pittsburgh area location permanently due to Covid-19, according to WTAE. The FEC chain also has locations in Dayton, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus, and is expanding to Illinois this year. Opened in 2018, the company says its Edgewood, Pa., location was no longer viable – noting that two lockdowns were too much for it to withstand. “We have made the incredibly difficult decision to permanently close our doors in Edgewood due to the pandemic and the hard obstacle of having two lockdowns,” they said. “We are happy for all of the wonderful families who had…
Dylan Stidham and Kristin Hamm will open Stidham’s Axe Throwing in Morganton, N.C., tomorrow, May 14. According to the News Herald, the venue will also offer billiards, foosball and other entertainment. “We are going to be operating seven days a week,” Stidham said. “We will be offering axe throwing, access to pool tables, foosball tables, darts, cornhole boards and a jukebox.” The owners say it will be welcome to everyone, including families with children. Beer will be served once they get their alcohol permit later this month. “We want to try and keep the business family-friendly, that’s why we will…
Adam Sandy of amusement ride maker Zamperla recently wrote about the changing guest experience in a post-Covid world, saying that while there’s pent-up demand for attractions, operators still have to work “within the strictures of attendance caps and health screenings.” “We are seeing more guests that are seeking safe outdoor entertainment options to have fun with their friends and family,” added Brad Malone, manager of marketing and communications at Six Flags in Texas. “The safety protocols we have in place, like reservation requirements and requiring all guests over the age of two and all team members to wear a face…
Sacoa CEO Sebastian Mochkovsky reports that the market has been reactivated since Covid began and there’s been an uptick in business lately. The company has been busy with installs and opening Dezerland Park in Orlando, Fla. – a massive, 800,000-sq.-ft. entertainment center with electric go-karts, bowling, a trampoline park and a 250-game arcade. The venue also houses the Orlando Auto Museum and the Pinball Palace. Mochkovsky also noted that In the Game recently opened at Icon Park Orlando with more than 60 machines using Sacoa’s Spark readers, multiple K4 Kiosks, POS and the Sacoa Redemption System. They’ve also done installs…
Manufacturer Stern Pinball is starting production on its latest cornerstone game – Star Wars: The Mandalorian – next week, the factory reports. The game is based on the successful Disney+ show The Mandalorian, which put out its first season in November 2019. The third season is planned for spring 2022. Production for the Pro version of the pinball game begins next week; in early June, the 750 limited-edition models go into production; and by late June, the Premium machine will be in the works. Stern reported its production has been increased by 20% and will increase another 25% over the…