Since the indoor laser tag should have a stationary location, the first and main task of a business owner is to find commercial or industrial premises where he can build a good laser tag arena. These premises should meet several important criteria:
1. Be large enough for a planned number of gamers.
The room space of a laser tag arena depends on the planned number of gamers.
The arena owner can use the following room space calculation examples:
- 10-15 players: 2,200 – 2,700 sq. feet (200-250 sq. meters);
- 15-20 players: 2,700 – 3,200 sq. feet (250-300 sq. meters);
- 20-30 players: 3,200 – 4,300 sq. feet (300-400 sq. meters);
- 30 and more players: from 4,300 sq. feet (400 sq. meters).
However, indoor laser tag location is not just a gaming arena. This location usually includes several additional zones:
- reception,
- rooms for charging and storing equipment
- room for players’ clothes changing
- a briefing room where players are instructed (it can be in reception zone),
- parents waiting room (it also can be in a reception zone)
- dining room for birthday parties table with food and drinks
- toilets and showers.
Of course, ones can start this business without some zones (for example, without dining zone or without a toilet, especially if the arena premises are rented in a shopping mall, that already has toilets and cafeterias and restaurants, but in many cases the direct consumer and payer of these services are parents, that want to organize a birthday party or another event for their children. Therefore the absence of dinning zone can become a critical argument of going to another laser tag arena or another attraction. Moreover, some zones can bring to owner additional cash flow. For example, a snack bar can become a comfortable place for parents waiting their children or players can buy snack and beverages after the game. These additional zones can add about 200-300 sq. feet (20-30 meters) to needed room space.
2. Be accessible and have a nearby parking
We are used to the fact that laser tag arenas are often located in large shopping molls. This trend is easy to understand because renting a location in traffic place will significantly reduce advertising costs and can bring a lot of impulse purchase clients who are just bored in a moll. But After all, the arena, located in the shopping center, is easy to find, and some customers will come to play, having accidentally stumbled upon it. But on the flipside the rental payments for the large location in traffic place can be extremely large, that’s why sometimes renting a separate room for indoor laser tag games is a good option.
Finding a separate room for the arena is also a good option. Almost every city has warehouses that are unused for a long, empty basements or even non-operating factories. The owners of these industrial premises will be happy to let them on hire at a low rate. This option gives the owner multifold possibilities to find the location of needed room space an and equip it as he want, rather than adjust to the limited offers of shopping centers rooms owners. The main rule in this case is that this indoor location should be easily accessible to customers. If it is difficult to get to it, then neither advertising, nor ultramodern equipment with the best arena will be efficient. And don’t forget about parking. Children will be brought by parents with cars. They always need the place to park.
3. Be safe and secure for players of all ages
This is a very important requirement, that’s why equipment owner should examine the safety conditions of the location before signing a rental agreement.
For example, this location should have
- uneven or slippery floor,
- fragile constructions,
- flammable materials,
- low ceilings,
- sharp corners and so on.
Conversely, this location should have
- good ventilation, especially if the owner is going to use smoke machines;
- sound insulation, especially if this location is located in a residential area;
- emergency exits.
The arena designer should use stairs while building a multitiered laser tag arena. The player should go from level to another by soft slope, so that players cannot fall down. While selecting a room or designing the arena the owner should, always remember about players’ safety. It should be in the first place. That’s why not every location can be reconstructed into a laser tag arena.
It is clear that we can’t describe all nuances of selecting location and designing arena in one article. We will try to arise the most crucial issues in the next articles.
