Canadian entertainment and media company Cineplex has announced the expansion of several of its entertainment concepts, bringing a range of leisure activities to new locations in the country.
The first is Quebec's first The Rec Room ‒ a venue for "food and fun", featuring amusement gaming experiences, live entertainment and multiple dining options.
The 40,000sq ft (12,200sq m) site at property company Carbonleo's Royalmount development on the Island of Montreal will include classic amusement games such as air hockey, pool, table tennis and ten-pin bowling, as well as immersive virtual reality experiences. There will also be a live performance space for music and comedy acts, DJs and karaoke.
Cineplex already operates seven The Rec Rooms across Canada, with a further four due to open soon.
In addition to The Rec Room, the Royalmount will also have a VIP Cinemas ‒ Cineplex's adult movie-going experience, which includes fully licenced beverage and foodservice direct to the plush recliners where guests are watching their chosen film. The new theatre at Royalmount will have five auditoriums and a fully-licenced lounge for pre and post-movie food and drinks.
Construction on both The Rec Room and VIP Cinemas at Royalmount is due to begin in 2021, with a target opening of 2022.
"With its dynamic culture and selection of best-in-class attractions, including The Rec Room and VIP Cinemas, Royalmount will be an urban hub that beautifully complements the city's already dynamic profile," said Claude Marcotte, executive vice president at Carbonleo.
Cineplex has also announced the opening of the first of its "reinvented" Playdium entertainment complexes at a 41,000sq ft (12,500sq m) site in Brampton, Ontario. The complex is a mix of gaming and attractions, with video games, 20-ft-high rope courses, a 60-ft zipline, bowling and virtual reality e-sports, alongside multiple food options. Gamers can earn credits on RFID wristbands that can be redeemed for prizes such as board games, toys, drones and GoPro cameras.
The company said it plans to open up to 15 Playdium complexes in mid-sized communities across Canada, with one further site planned for this year in Whitby, Ontario, and a third in 2020 in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia already announced.
