We just hosted our annual tradeshow here at our Roanoke, VA warehouse. We realize that many people aren’t able to attend, so we thought we would follow up on the tradeshow with a series of interviews with the vendors that attended. Our first one (ever) is with Al Keeping and Mike Ewald from LaserBlast. We hope you find these interesting. . .
QUESTION: What is involved in a skating rink adding laser tag to their rink? How much space will it take? How much time will the construction take up?
Adding laser tag to a skating rink typically follows one of three tracks:
- Repurposing lightly-used lobby, party rooms, banquet halls, storage space, etc.
- Reducing the size of the skating floor to acquire more space.
- Expanding the building.
Construction times will vary significantly depending on the type of space being repurposed; a remodel can be complete in 3-6 months. We recommend 3,000 to 4,000 square feet for a full conventional laser tag with briefing and vesting area included. As little as 1,200 square feet is suitable for our kid-friendly CyberBlast-Phaser game.
QUESTIION: How much do rinks get for a game of laser tag? Or do most add it to their general admission price or birthday party packages?
Adding laser tag to birthday party packages accounts for about 50% of laser tag revenues. The other half is made up of paid per-game players and larger events. Most rinks see a large increase in party bookings after adding laser tag.
Price per game varies depending on the length of game, and the ‘wow’ factor / size of the attraction. A smaller CyberBlast Phaser game will typically be $3-$4 for 6-10 minutes of actual game play (15 minute experience time, including briefing, suit-up, and exiting).
A traditional laser tag will demand a higher price of $6-$9 for 8-12 minutes of game play.
QUESTION:Â What makes LaserBlast brand a good option for the skating rinks?
Although we offer a wide variety of interactive devices and advanced game, easy operation and extreme durability are most important for a skating rink addition. When laser tag is an added attraction, it’s critical that the equipment starts up quickly, offers simple 1-button game starting, and holds up to fired up energetic players. Our unique background in rugged electronics, industry-exclusive Wireless Charging system, and fully automatic 1-button startup make LaserBlast equipment the ultimate operator-friendly system. We also offer the option to use a 2-pound hand-held phaser for smaller players side-by-side with the full vested system.
QUESTION:Â How long do the equipment pieces last?
We have some clients continuing to operate their original system 15 or more years later. We advise a refurbishment or upgrade program after 5-7 years of normal use to take advantage of the latest offerings and keep everything running tip-top. We do not require any license codes or fees, so you are welcome to use the equipment as long as you would like.
QUESTION:Â How often should you remodel the laser tag field arena to keep it fresh?
Optimally some freshening of the arena should be done every 2 years to keep the attraction from getting stale. It doesn’t have to be a full remodel though; just changing around a few key panels, adding a special centerpiece, or some targets or special effects goes a long way. A typical operator does this every 5-10 year.
QUESTION: What’s the best way to reach you if they have more questions?
E-mail or Phone would be best:
You can reach us on our toll-free line at 877-338-7889, or by e-mail at info@laser-blast.com
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