| 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.
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 2016. 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,[4] [5] [6] [7] Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga (replacing parts of the former Target Canada store),[8] Avalon Mall in St. Johns, Seasons of Tuxedo in Winnipeg, and Brentwood Town Centre in Burnaby.[9] [10] [11] In May 2019, Cineplex announced a second Vancouver-area location on Granville Street to open in 2021, featuring a rooftop patio.[12]
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).[13]