A Look at the Latest Trends and Innovations at Large Parks and Resorts
by Chad Emerson
At 34, David Goldfarb has already been in the amusements industry for 15 years. He started out at 19 as an operator, first providing games at the University of Central Florida and later placing three pool tables, a juke box and video games at a small sub shop with a sports bar.
Today, his company, PrimeTime Amusements, operates close to 1,000 machines between Orlando and Miami. The firm also rents equipment and sells imported diversions such as the boxing game Knockout. Additionally, the company holds an exclusive contract with 400 machines at Universal Orlando, supplying amusements to such locations as NASCAR Café and Lowe’s Hotels.
“It’s a very complex business,” said Goldfarb, who also sells equipment overseas, and operators need to also sell and rent to succeed. He said he noticed business decreasing five years ago. “…The business is not great, the strong will survive. You’ll see distributors as operators and you will see distributors opening their own facilities.”
Goldfarb has put his take on the industry into action, and with Bill Mulder, 40, an expert in the go-kart industry who has been involved in opening facilities all over the world, was to celebrate the grand opening of the 100,000 square foot Xtreme Indoor Karting in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., August 25. Over $5 million was put into the project, which marries games, karting and food to attract not only families but lucrative corporate customers willing to spend from $20,000 to $35,000 for four hours of team building and downtime.
“Our main business would be corporate business. However, the families play a big role,” he said.
“We have a prototype and two people with totally different backgrounds, it’s a good mesh. We have one person that is an expert in the track side and one person that is an expert in the amusement side and we basically just put our forces together,” he said. “…We have built the largest indoor track in the United States and one of the fastest tracks in the world for go-karts.” The idea is to expand, and locations are also planned for Chicago, where an investment group and a 120,000 square foot facility downtown have been secured, and in Las Vegas. “Fort Lauderdale will be the cookie cutter and we will put operations all over the United States,” he said.
Xtreme Indoor Karting speaks to the need for the industry to offer something unique and interactive to a clientele saturated by the offerings of the home market. The facility will feature a fleet of 32 British Bowman Karts gasoline vehicles, 16 of which will race at a time. And with 160 of the newest games, the location will become a showcase where customers can see machines in action. “The fixed cost you need for a warehouse showroom are actually put into the operation,” he said.
Xtreme Indoor Karting is embracing technology by running the center completely on the Sacoa cashless card system. There were to be six kiosks where guests can insert money or credit cards and receive a card to use throughout the facility.
The center will feature a bar called the Beer Garden overlooking the track located to the right of the entrance. This 6,000 square foot attraction will be both inside and outside, with smoking permitted in the outside area.
In the 10,000 square foot adult arcade, there were to be 125 machines, including popular diversions such as the Derby Owners Club and the Highway 66 bowling game. The kids arcade will feature 35 machines, including redemption pieces and a redemption counter, and air hockey. And the sports bar, which was to seat between 80-100 and feature a VIP section with sofas and a full liquor license, was to have 10 flat screen, 50-inch plasma televisions and 10 pool tables.
The Fast Track Café was to feature finger foods with a menu similar to a Dave and Buster’s, but more narrow, without meals such as New York strip steak and prime rib. “We will have excellent food, but it’s scaled down, we’ll have 15 items all together,” he said. And a boutique near the café was to sell NASCAR merchandise and related items.
The center was to feature four birthday party rooms, which can be converted into conference rooms. And overlooking the track was to be space for 250 people, and separate bathrooms and showers.
The facility was additionally to offer a glass-enclosed executive conference room for 12, also overlooking the track. The conference rooms were to include flat screen plasmas, professional pool tables and bars provided free of charge to those renting out the spaces. “Wherever you go, you will be able to see the track area,” he said.
Goldfarb sees others in the industry who have diversifed to stay successful. At the IAAPA event last year, he met Len Keywood of Canada’s Starburst. Keywood bought Goldfarb’s boxing machines by the container. “He is the smartest person in the industry,” he said, adding that Keywood is the largest distributor in Canada and has 8,000 machines as an operator. “…He comes from a similar background, he started off from humble beginnings,” he said. -