The Rec Room Explained

The Rec Room
Type:Subsidiary
Locations:10
Industry:Entertainment restaurants
Founded:2016 in Edmonton

The Rec Room is a Canadian chain of entertainment restaurants owned by Cineplex Entertainment. It first opened in Edmonton in 2016 and its locations feature entertainment and recreational attractions such as an arcade, driving simulators; recreational games such as darts, bowling, archery, and virtual reality; as well as restaurants and bars, and an auditorium with a cinema-style screen, which can be used for concerts and other live events.

History

In January 2015, Cineplex Entertainment announced the establishment of The Rec Room as a brand-new concept, with initial locations set for Calgary's Deerfoot City, South Edmonton Common, and Roundhouse Park in Toronto.[1] [2] Cineplex CEO Ellis Jacob explained that the chain was meant to help the company diversify beyond its core cinema business in the wake of the growing streaming industry.[3]

The first location opened in South Edmonton Common in September 2016.[4] A second location at Roundhouse Park opened in June 2017, along with a second Edmonton location at West Edmonton Mall.

Cineplex aimed to open 10-15 locations of The Rec Room nationally, ranging in size from 30,000 to 50,000 square feet. The company subsequently announced and opened other locations, including Masonville Place in London,[5] [6] [7] [8] Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga (replacing parts of the former Target Canada store),[9] Avalon Mall in St. Johns, Seasons of Tuxedo in Winnipeg, and Brentwood Town Centre in Burnaby.[10] [11] [12] In May 2019, Cineplex announced a second Vancouver-area location on Granville Street which would feature a rooftop patio. Originally slated to open in 2021, it was delayed to November 2024 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[13] [14] In September 2019, Cineplex announced plans to open their first Quebec location at Royalmount in Mount Royal,[15] which is slated to open in fall 2024.[16]

The Toronto location features The Void virtual reality attraction.[2] In July 2018, Cineplex announced that it would become the exclusive Canadian franchisee of The Void and add additional locations (such as the Mississauga and West Edmonton Mall locations).[17]

Locations

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Second Rec Room location almost ready to go in West Edmonton Mall. 2017-07-06. Edmonton Journal. 2017-08-29. en-US.
  2. Web site: Be a virtual Ghostbuster at Toronto's new Cineplex Rec Room. Toronto Star. 30 June 2017 . 2017-07-03.
  3. Web site: Entertainment and eats emporium the Rec Room opens in Toronto. July 1, 2017. Toronto Star. July 1, 2017.
  4. News: The Rec Room dining, entertainment centre targets Edmonton millennials. 2016-09-19. CBC News Edmonton. 2024-11-01. 2016-09-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20160920163834/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/the-rec-room-dining-entertainment-centre-targets-edmonton-millennials-1.3769569. live.
  5. Web site: Roundhouse to get Cineplex 'social destination' for dining, entertainment. Toronto Star. 23 February 2016 . 20 April 2016.
  6. Web site: Cineplex at Edmonton's South Edmonton Common opening The Rec Room. Edmonton Sun. 20 April 2016.
  7. Web site: Cineplex unveils big plans for Deerfoot City. NewsTalk770. Corus Radio. 20 April 2016.
  8. Web site: Cineplex's 'Rec Room' opening slated for summer 2017. Calgary Herald. 3 March 2017.
  9. News: 'Perfect spot': Here's what's coming to the old Target store at Square One. Rosella. Louie. 2017-11-06. Mississauga.com. 2018-06-01. en-CA.
  10. News: The Rec Room in Avalon Mall promising games, drinks, and a dose of nostalgia. CBC News. 2018-06-01. en-US.
  11. News: Future of retail? Cineplex to open massive entertainment centre at Winnipeg's Seasons of Tuxedo . CBC News. 2018-06-01. en-US.
  12. News: Cineplex eyes Burnaby for Rec Room entertainment complex. 2017-05-17. Vancouver Sun. 2018-06-01. en-US.
  13. Web site: Cineplex opening Rec Room fun centre on Granville Street in Vancouver. Vancouver Sun. Scott . Brown. 2019-05-15. en. 2019-09-11.
  14. News: Lee-Young. Joanne. Can a new entertainment venue revitalize Vancouver's beleaguered Granville strip?. 2016-09-19. CBC News Edmonton. 2024-11-01. 2024-10-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20241009194420/https://vancouversun.com/news/can-cineplex-rec-room-venue-revitalize-vancouver-granville-strip. live.
  15. News: Fournier. Marie-Eve. Cineplex, first tenant of the Royalmount. 2019-09-18. La Presse. 2024-11-01. 2020-08-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20200804171003/https://www.lapresse.ca/affaires/entreprises/2019-09-18/cineplex-premier-locataire-du-royalmount. live.
  16. Web site: Royalmount. The Rec Room. 2024-11-01. 2024-11-01. https://archive.today/20241101223828/https://www.therecroom.com/promos/royalmount-opening-soon. live.
  17. News: Cineplex to add at least 5 more Void virtual-reality experience centres. CBC News. 2018-07-11. en-US.
  18. Web site: The Rec Room. 2021-12-26. The Rec Room. en-us.

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