Let me start by saying this about the soon-to-be-opened Rec Room – I grew up a few blocks from the old Brentwood mall and would have crawled over broken glass to have this stuff.
I can’t wait until the Rec Room is open.
Cineplex gave me a guided tour today (Friday) of construction of its mega-entertainment complex known as the Rec Room and my mind was blown. It’s all still under construction, but it was still pretty cool to see just how big the place is and what it will offer.
It’s unlike anything Burnaby has ever seen.
Located in the Amazing Brentwood’s expansion, this is Cineplex’s ninth Rec Room in Canada. It’s more than 40,000 square feet of “eats and entertainment” that is due to open sometime this spring. The Rec Room is expected to offer 190 permanent jobs, including 16 full-time management positions. Visit TheRecRoom.com/Careers to apply.
It’s different from the movie screens that Cineplex is opening at the Amazing Brentwood. Those screens will be one floor up.
No, the Rec Room is a separate experience that can accommodate as many as 1,300 people with private space for celebrations, corporate events and parties. Half of the space will be dedicated to dining and live entertainment, with the other half set for games and feature attractions.
“The Rec Room will be open to guests of all ages, but we see this as a perfect destination for millennials and baby boomers alike,” said the promotional material.
The Rec Room will work closely with Cineplex Digital Media to offer content on more than 70 screens throughout the facility.
I’ve split things up into different categories:
Eats
The food served at the Rec Room’s two eateries consists of what they call a “scratch kitchen,” which means everything is cooked fresh on the spot. There is not pre-packaged items that are just assembled into a meal.
Three10 is a sit-down restaurant that will overlook the Amazing Brentwood’s new show-stopping pedestrian mall that will include large water features.
The Shed will offer people quick-service food to munch on while they are playing in the games area.
Entertainment
A massive attractions area where gamers of all ages can play more than 90 amusement games, well as ping pong and pool.
Virtual reality experiences with the latest technology immersing you in a VR world.
The Trophy Case is a redemption store filled with prizes and nostalgia-inspired treats and toys with your winnings from the amusement games.
A live performance space that will feature regular music performances, comedic acts, DJs, trivia contests and karaoke. With so many Rec Rooms in Canada, plans are in the works for bands to go on Rec Room tours across the country.
The Rec Room will also have a huge bar where sports fans can grab a drink and food, watching games on large TV screens.
The games area is known as the Yard and it’s going to be 8,400 square feet. Players won’t need coins or tokens as they can use an electronic device to play and keep track of how many points they’ve earned towards the Trophy Case. Guests will also be able to earn SCENE points.
So there you have it. Quite the complex and right on the SkyTrain line.
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
