The Rec Room

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.[1][2]

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

• Alberta[18]
• Deerfoot, Calgary
• South Edmonton, Edmonton
• West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton[1]
• British Columbia
• Brentwood Town Centre, Burnaby
• Granville Entertainment District, Vancouver[14]
• Manitoba
• Seasons of Tuxedo, Winnipeg
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Avalon Mall, St. John's
• Ontario
• Masonville, London
• Park Place, Barrie
• Roundhouse Park, Toronto[2][5]
• Square One Shopping Centre, Mississauga
• Quebec
• Royalmount, Mount Royal[16]

See also

• Dave & Buster's
• Player One Amusement Group