the past, present and future family entertainment centers speaker gregg borman senior vice-president...

The Past , Present and Future Family Entertainment Centers

Speaker

Gregg Borman Senior Vice-President of Operations

Apex Parks Group

“The out-of-home entertainment business gets in your blood. Each year is filled with lessons on how to successfully help our amazing team of employees create memories for our guests and for each

other. My commitment to help our team and the industry remains strong. There is no better feeling than to see the people around you

grow and develop as professionals.” - Gregg Borman


Gregg began working in the attractions industry in 1979, when he accepted a GM position with an early FEC Founder, the Malibu Grand Prix Corporation in Orlando, Florida.

With 35+ years in the industry, Gregg is very active within the industry. He has served on the IAAPA Board of Directors, has been Chairman of the IAAPA FEC Committee, which includes oversight of the IAAPA FEC Education Sub-Committee and FEC Insurance Sub-Committee. He also served previously on the IAAPA Facilities and Operations Committee.

Gregg has been a speaker at several IAAPA Expo Education sessions. He is a member of the American Amusement Machine Association. In addition, he is a member of ASTM, serves on the ASTM F24 Committee for Ride and Attraction Standards and holds AIMS certification as an Operations Technician.


First -What is a Family Entertainment Center ?


Family Entertainment Centers are generally defined as having these characteristics:

• Unlike theme and amusement parks, their markets are community-based.

• Locations are in or near residential areas rather than in downtown or tourist locations (urban and tourist equivalents of FECs are often referred to as location-based entertainment centers, LBE's).

• Success depends on repeat visits of six or more times per year.

• Length of stay averages two to four hours.

• Per-capita expenditure per visit is in the US$8-US$25 range.


• FECs have multiple anchor attractions. This is what differentiates FECs from single anchored leisure attractions such as bowling centers, skating centers, laser tag facilities, mini-golf only facilities and pay-for-play centers using inflatables or soft contained play equipment such as Bounce It Up or Monkey Joe’s . It is the multiple anchor attractions that create an FEC's image .

• The critical mass of attractions creates its appeal and draw. FECs range in size from 10,000 to 200,000 square feet for indoor facilities and up to 20+ acres for outdoor facilities.

• Although not considered the main draw to FECs, a significant percentage of park revenues (25± percent) comes from Video/Redemption/Merchandise games. A significant percentage of income also comes from food and beverages, birthday parties and other celebrations. Some large operators achieve up to 50% in F&B and Group/Party revenues.


Types of Anchor Attractions often found in FECs:

• Small to Medium Hard Rides (Indoors or Outdoors) • Large Game Rooms with 7D+ simulator theaters • Ropes Courses• Bumper Cars (Indoor or Outdoors) • Go-Karts (Indoor or Outdoors)• Bumper Boats / Water Play Attractions • Large Arena Laser Tag- Now many are multi story • Indoor Black Light Mini-Golf / Themed Outdoor Mini Golf • Soft-Contained Play, Children's Edutainment Events • Ice or Roller Skating• Bungee Jump / Extreme Thrill Activities (Sky Coaster, Sky Shot, etc.)• Batting Cages


The Early Days of Family Entertainment

Centers


• Twin brothers John and Jim Huish are considered to be forefathers of modern-day family entertainment centers.

• Starting in 1957, John and Jim spent the next 40 years building and operating a series of miniature golf courses across parts of California, which evolved into the influential chain of Huish Family Fun Centers.

• They added game rooms to the facilities in the mid-to-late 1960s and billiards tables shortly thereafter.

• By the mid 1970s the Huish brothers established J&J Amusements, a premier supplier of go-karts and bumper boats, and they built a center that included miniature golf courses, batting cages, game rooms, and trampolines. In the early 1980s they added outdoor skate parks and go-kart tracks to the list of facilities they developed before Jim was killed in a construction accident in 1984.

2013 – IAAPA Attractions Hall of Fame Inductees – Early FEC Innovators


THE BEGINNING OF THE FEC PARK


Family Fun Centers Circa 1975

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High Points in the History of Family Fun Center DevelopmentFocus on the Development Outside Attractions

• 1950’s–More elaborate Miniature Golf courses start developing

• 1960’s-Billiard and Pinball arcades are added with Miniature Golf centers

• 1964–First Inflatable Bounce House “Moon Walk” added to existing mini-golf course

• 1970-First indoor non-bowling amusement center with golf, food and arcade

• 1973-First Batting Cage built in the round.

• 1974-First Trampoline Centers added to Miniature Golf centers. Up to 40+ trampolines in ground and above ground

• Mid 70’s thru 80’s–Game Rooms getting larger as the video game industry takes off replacing pinballs as the top earners. Batting cages, go-kart tracks, bumper boats, concrete water slides, trampolines, bumper cars became anchor attractions with golf courses and big game rooms. Food was drinks and snacks.

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High Points in the History of Family Fun Center DevelopmentFocus on the Development Outside Attractions

• 1970 thru 1990s, Major chains of Indoor / outdoor FEC Operators emerge. Malibu Grand Prix, Huish Family Fun Center, Golf Land, Golf N Stuff, Putt-Putt Fun Centers, Celebration Station, Adventure Landing, Camelot Park, and several more covered the “Sun-Belt” areas of the USA. All of these still have operations with the exception of Malibu Grand Prix which dissolved in 2002.

• Today the “traditional” indoor / outdoor FEC is now faced with having to compete with large scale indoor FEC parks. The development costs of these new large scale indoor FECs rival that of the traditional indoor / outdoor FEC.

• The common phrase within the traditional FEC industry is “Change or Die”. Meaning if operators do not reinvest in new attractions and keeping their parks updated, the sophisticated consumer will go where they can enjoy the latest in out of home entertainment.


High Points in the History of Family Fun Center DevelopmentFocus on Indoor Facilities and Attractions

• Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre first location opened in

1977. Pizza Time Theatre was the first family restaurant to integrate food, animated entertainment, and an indoor arcade. The chain merged with competitor Showbiz Pizza Place in 1984. In the early 1990s, the company unified the two brands renaming every location to Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza. CEC operates 577 locations as of March 2015.

• 1982 –First Dave & Busters opened in Dallas Texas focused on Fun & Food. Today operating 70+ locations with over 200+ games in each.

• 1990- Discovery Zone founded Indoor large soft-play, healthy food, small arcade. By 1999 fell into bankruptcy. During 9 year run several knock offs developed.

• 1998 – Main Event founded in Dallas, Texas –now operating 20+ locations.


High Points in the History of Family Fun Center DevelopmentFocus on Indoor Facilities and Attractions

• 2010 – Japan based Round One enters US market with a typical

store around 50,000 square footage and are anchor tenants in shopping malls. They offer bowling, arcade games, karaoke, billiards, darts, ping pong, food and drinks; a variation that is not matched by other competitors in the industry.

• 2011 thru 2015– The growing trend is for FEC Hybrid Locations with traditional FECs adding major indoor elements such as full scale bowling, multi story laser tag arenas, large scale rope courses, and adding restaurant and bar operations.

• The indoor FEC operators are adding more of the traditional attractions such as indoor rides, cosmic golf, upgraded bumper cars, upgraded food and beverage options, ropes courses, and laser tag arenas.


We are seeing bowling centers incorporate FEC components and traditional FECs incorporating bowling into their mix.

Card Systems –Loyalty Programs -Online Sales and Party Booking

Online networking and Social Media management

Laser Tag cannot be Boring –Think Themed and Multi-Level Arenas.

Go-karts need to be fast –remember speed sells

Water spray grounds in conjunction with, or in place of, bumper boats

Adding more capacity with high volume attractions to increase length of stay, added F & B revenues.

More emphasis on F&B –quality menu items to encourage guests to stay,eat and be social.

CURRENT TRENDS


Digital menu boards –Improved way of signage –Automated and digital attraction instructions.

Frequent surveying of your guests-in-house, survey monkey, web site, kiosks - Stay connected to what your guests want and think. React quickly to what your guests are telling you.

If you are not focused yet on birthday parties and growing the number you host, you are already behind the curve. Network with your peers-bring in a consultant to help you. Solicit input from your party team on what your guests want.

Ambiance-Lighting, Sounds, Visual –what sets you apart from the competition? Guests are looking for new and exciting –Need to focus on reinvention.

CURRENT TRENDS

The Future of The FEC IndustryTop 5 Challenges

Constantly changing in-home entertainment technology.

Increased options for the entertainment dollar and economic factors keep discretionary spending lower.

The need to reinvest into your facility and keep it fresh is greater today than ever before.

Today’s guests can quickly spread word of dissatisfaction through Social Media.

The failure to swiftly react to the first signs of guest dissatisfaction and reversing revenue trends.

Our Defenses Incorporate a SWOT analysis into your

planning. (evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a new project or in evaluating your business )

Be unique in delivering a consistent memory -The WOW factor!

Give them a reason to socialize at your park.

Stay connected –use Social Media and the internet to your advantage.

Use technology to give a better experience to your guests.

Network with your peers

The Basics still work !


Examples of Indoor FEC Attraction

Trends


Upgraded Food & Party Areas


Multi-Story Laser-Tag


Cosmic Indoor Mini-Golf


Laser-Maze


Bowling Concepts


Children's & Tween Rides


Spinning Bumper Cars


Ropes Challenge Courses


Larger Interactive Softplay


Billiards / Pool TablesVIP Areas


TRAMPOLINE PARKS


Soft Tip Darts & Dart Leagues


Safety Tip Archery


Karaoke Rooms


Indoor Zero Depth Water Play


Examples of Outdoor FEC Attraction

Trends


Traditional Family Entertainment Center


FUTURE SUPER FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT CENTER


Multi-Level Go-kart Tracks


Hi-Speed Euro Built Go-Karts


Zero Depth Water Play Area


Soaring Eagle Zip Lines -2 Person


Portable / Fixed Zip Line


Rope Challenge Course / Rock Climbing Wall


Outdoor Combat Laser Tag


Combat Paintball


Euro Bungee


Theming Improvements on Mini-Golf Courses


Thank You For Inviting Me to Speak To Your Association!

the past, present and future family entertainment centers speaker gregg borman senior vice-president...

Documents

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