Funworld July 2008

On Target

More family entertainment centers enter the laser tag arena

by Mike Bederka

LASER TAG CONTINUES TO HIT THE MARK AT FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT CENTERS AROUND THE WORLD.

From 2002 to 2007, the number of FECs that opened with laser tag almost doubled, according to the International Laser Tag Association. In the same five-year stretch, about 25 percent more stand-alone facilities debuted.

This success comes from the attraction scoring points on three major fronts, explains Eric Gaizat, of membership services for the Indianapolis, Indiana-based organization. “It’s reliable, fun, and, most important, profitable.”

Wide Audience
AJ’s Family Fun Center in Ludington, Michigan, installed a laser tag arena in 2006 as part of a park overhaul. They wanted to move from a seasonal to a year-round business, says Jason Rice, general manager. “It has paid for itself already,” he says. “We would be kind of lost without it.”

His sales jumped because laser tag attracts a wide range of guests. Construction workers, seniors at post-prom functions, and members of church groups all pay them a visit. And, of course, laser tag remains a popular birthday party activity. “Laser tag is a game that can be fun for anyone who can hold the phaser and wear the pack,” Gaizat says.

The Lasertron Interactive Entertainment Center in Amherst, New York, hosts many corporate events thanks in part to a full liquor license.

About 40 percent of guests top 21 years old, says Jim Kessler, chief of imagination and performance. Many of them grew up on laser tag and enjoy reconnecting with their youth, he says.

Like AJ’s, Lasertron has found financial success with laser tag. This year, the facility—which also features go-karts and an arcade—will do $1.2 million just in laser tag business, he projects.

New Trends
The key to making money from laser tag comes from having a large venue, says Kessler, also president and chief executive officer of Lasertron Inc., a manufacturer of laser tag equipment and arenas. After his facility went multilevel (6,900 square feet on the first floor and 2,300 square feet upstairs), sales and the “wow” factor went way up.

Guests don’t have to worry about enemies just from the front and back, left and right. “Once you add that second level, it becomes 3-D in a sense,” he says. “You can get tagged above and below. The size of it looks so much bigger.”

Two-level arenas out per form and outlast single-level arenas nearly two to one, Gaizat notes: “This results in a better return on investment and greater experiences as well as raises the bar for any competition in the area.”

Beyond the venue landscape, laser tag has expanded with its technology. Long gone are the days of clunky helmets and basic games.

The lighter, more durable equipment has clearer sound and more color options, Gaizat says.

IAAPA F.I.R.S.T. Program—Learn more about the IAAPA FEC insurance program by contacting American Specialty at +1 260/672-8800 or at amerspec@amerspec.com.

Companies also offer different additions to their software packages. Players can upgrade the packs or unlock hidden features, including stealth, rapid fire, and freeze ray. Managers can change the game length as well as the number of lives allotted.

The constant variety equalsmore repeat play, Kessler says: “It adds something to the game experience. Guests never know what they’re going to get.”

Other features thatmake laser tag exciting rely on enhanced sights and sounds. Fog makes the lasers visible and creates a fun environment, Gaizat says. “And the right music is crucial to saturating the player in the reality the operator is trying to create,” he says. “In the past, the normhas been to use heavy technomusic.Now,more arenas use music that may mirror the theme they’ve chosen for their facility.”

Maintenance Issues
Kessler takes these special effects seriously. “In our facility, you can lose your job if the fog machine isn’t working correctly,” he says.

Luckily, maintenance doesn’t generally causemany snafus, Kessler says. If FEC operators stick to weekly quality control checks, larger problems shouldn’t develop. For example, Kessler spends more time dealing with the 37 games in his arcade than the laser tag equipment.

Rice agreed about the attraction’s ease of use.He can easily handle switching out batteries or cleaning a vest. With bigger troubles, Rice uses phone support from the manufacturer.

“Some things are beyond me,” he says with a laugh.

The good news is parts have become easier to replace or fix if broken, Gaizat says.

To help keep routine costs down, some facilities have made special efforts to become more energy efficient.

Davor Franicevich, owner of Laser Tag of BatonRouge, in Louisiana, recommends having a lighting and HVAC management system for the building. This way, lights only pop on when needed and all the air-conditioning units can be synchronized.

Payback on setting up a systemlike this takes less than two years, Franicevich says.

Another tip is to buy LEDlighting. They probably will cost more money than traditional lights to purchase, but they make up for it by using less power and lasting longer.

For more information about the International Laser Tag Association, visit www.lasertag.org.

Mike Bederka is a contributing editor for FUNWORLD. He can be reached at mbederka@IAAPA.org.