Rec Room definitely not your parents’ basement
Winnipeg location features games, dining
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This article was published 21/02/2020 (2065 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Get ready to bring your A-game when you visit The Rec Room, which officially opened last week.
The new complex at 696 Sterling Lyon Pkwy. is sure to draw gamers, but it offers so much more than the 130 amusement games.
Part of Cineplex, The Rec Room brings together dining, amusement games, technology and live entertainment experiences all under one roof. There are also attractions like six lanes of 10-pin bowling, bar games like ping-pong and pool, axe-throwing and the latest in virtual reality experiences from VRstudios.
All visitors to The Rec Room are greeted by visitor services, and given a quick orientation to the huge facility. They then purchase a wristband called a game TAG, onto which they load credits, said Christina Kuypers, vice-president of operations and guest experience at The Rec Room.
“The game TAG is an RFID device which keeps track of your credits earned,” she said. “You can then redeem those credits for items at the trophy case. It eliminates the need for tokens or paper tickets.”
The games themselves are grouped by type in “The Yard,” and are carefully curated to appeal to all ages. Among them are video games like Halo and Mario Kart, TV-inspired games like Wheel of Fortune, classic games like Pong, and games which attract an audience such as Pump It Up.
When it comes to virtual reality, players can don their goggles and helmets and either play in the VRcade arena or in ATOM pods. Next door to the VRcade is an axe-throwing area where patrons can try throwing for the first time, or purchase an hour of fun.
The 42,000-square-foot venue also includes the Three10 dining room which features hand-crafted eats, a quick-service food counter and bar called The Shed, and a huge bar with local craft beers and huge TV screens for watching sports events.
“The Hall is a live entertainment space, where we will be hosting bands, comedy nights, art battles, drag shows,” Kuypers said. “We’ll have exciting events such as karaoke nights where you’re backed by a live band.”
The Rec Room at Seasons is the first for Manitoba. Cineplex operates seven other locations in Alberta, Ontario and Newfoundland, with plans to open more in B.C. and Quebec.
For more on The Rec Room, see www.TheRecRoom.com
