FECs find success with cultural and religious events
by Mike Bederka
 Cultural and religious celebrations are often held in hotels or restaurants, but family entertainment centers (FECs) are finding these events can open up a whole new business opportunity. “[At hotels and restaurants], all you get is a room— that’s it,” says Jimmy Griznaid, owner of Mad Mad Whirled in Marietta, Georgia. Family entertainment centers generally have the room, but they also feature great rides and attractions to make their facilities stand out from their bland four walled competition. Here’s how three FECs target these special occasions.
Quinceañeras
With quinceañeras, Griznaid believes he has found the greatest possible word-of mouth marketing tool. “You have 300 people,” he says. “They stay until 4 in the morning, sweaty from dancing all night long. It sticks.”
Griznaid started to book these 15th birthday celebrations for Hispanic girls five years ago when he realized he had ample space to accommodate the large gatherings. He eventually created a dedicated banquet room with a stage, special lighting, and a sound system to enhance the appeal of his 30,000- square-foot venue.
Targeted advertising in a local Spanish magazine helped get the quinceañera business off the ground, and he then nurtured this niche by making the process as seamless as possible for guests. His staff walks them through a list of vendors—entertainment, food, drinks, decorations, and media—and after about 40minutes, they should have everything picked out, he says.
“It’s a lot more work if the guest brings in outside vendors,” Griznaid notes. “With us, you get an entire package. Pay one price, and we book everything. It saves them time and money.”
A quinceañera is generally a festive occasion with lots of dancing. At Mad Mad Whirled, guests have the option to play laser tag, video games, and Whirlyball. Also, with up to a couple hundred adults in the building, alcohol plays a big role in the night, Griznaid says: “Bottom line: You cannot survive without some form of alcohol. You will not book these events.”
Pre-recession, a quinceañera would cost $6,000 to $12,000 with a 30 percent profit margin for Griznaid, but prices for customers have dropped noticeably since then—as has business. A few years ago, he hosted one a week; now, it’s more like one a month. However, he’s hopeful the impressive numbers will return when the economy bounces back.
Bar and Bat Mitzvahs
Three years ago, Angela Prestinario had a feeling that bar and bat mitzvah celebrations would be a nice way to generate revenue. She confirmed that hunch as soon as she put the details on her facility’s website. Interested parents almost instantly called over or sent e-mails to find out more information. “People are always looking for new unique types of venues to hold events,” explains Prestinario, director of marketing and sales for Stratum Lasertag in Mesa, Arizona.
Bar and bat mitzvahs—Jewish coming-of-age celebrations— can require more work and planning than your typical party, she says: “Every single one I’ve done has been very different. It’s not a cookie-cutter type of event.”
During that key initial meeting with parents (usually eight to 12 months before the special date), lots of decisions will be made. Many of the details will depend on how much they want to spend, as events can run anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000. Some choices include having the event non-private, semi-private, or private; catered with kosher pizza and pasta or higher-end food options; a DJ and dance floor or just laser tag and arcade games as entertainment. “It’s a lot of customization,” says Prestinario, who hosts three or four bar/bat mitzvahs a year.
The hands-on attitude continues on the night of the event. Stratum has staff members who specifically work the corporate and larger-scale events and are trained to meet the expectations of the customers. “There are a lot of questions that come up,” she says. “You have to think on your toes sometimes and figure out the needs of the client.”
Eid
Boomers in Irvine, California, hosted its first Eid celebration for the Muslim American Society in 2006. Roughly 1,000 people came out for the Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. Two years later, attendance tripled for the event.
“They reached out to all of Southern California,” says Janet Wilson-Irving, director of sales and marketing of the FEC division for Palace Entertainment, owners of Boomers Irvine. “We reached capacity.”
The exclusive event served as a fundraiser for the Muslim American Society. The group could upsell the tickets since Boomers gave them such a discounted deal for the buyout, Wilson-Irving says. The venue also allowed them to bring in their own halal food—items that meet certain requirements in accordance with the religion’s dietary laws. Wilson-Irving understood that a strict “no outside food” policy would not be conducive to this specific event. “You must be flexible and understanding of the needs of certain groups,” she says.
They did miss out on some food revenue, Wilson-Irving admits, but “it was definitely profitable in the sense that it brings awareness to our location.” She also put the organization in touch with Palace properties around the country to further help the relationship.
Contact Contributing Editor Mike Bederka at mbederka@IAAPA.org.
|
