VR Adventure Zone, a family-friendly arcade, is inching closer towards opening a new location at Pier One Marina on Pensacola Beach.
The Development & Leasing Committee of the Santa Rosa Island Authority (SRIA) approved plans by Michael Fletcher, owner of VR Adventure Zone, to open the new location with an updated look, games and services on the second floor of Pier One Marina during the SRIA’s Oct. 8 Committee Meeting.
Now, every Board member will vote on the proposal during the SRIA Board Meeting on Oct. 22.
Fletcher previously told the News Journal that he’s aiming to hold a soft opening event the weekend after the Board meeting, likely on Oct. 25, if their renovations stay on schedule and the SRIA approves their plans.
Fletcher added that they’re bringing their virtual reality entertainment like escape rooms alongside a new selection of games to Pensacola Beach.
According to the company’s website, VR Adventure Zone in Pensacola and VReality in Destin offer “Huge VR free-roam arenas, adrenaline inducing VR racing sims, challenging VR escape rooms, Graphically stunning PC VR stations and thrilling 9-D motion simulators,” as well as over 300 classic arcade games.
VR Adventure Zone will have 21 virtual reality escape rooms, with plans to add more, as well as stations for virtual reality games and laser tag with four different levels among other options.
They plan to serve pizzas from their new kitchen, according to Fletcher, and potentially items like chicken fingers and pretzels to customers in the lounge area.
A new “redemption” arcade where you can win prizes is coming to the business too.
The redemption arcade will run off a card system, where you pay to load up a card and then swipe it to play games, however it won’t be available until about a week after they hold a soft opening.
Monthly passes to the Pensacola Beach location will be available to purchase once it opens.
The venue will be open in the afternoon and evening during the week, but they’ll be open all day during weekends.
The application to the SRIA shows that VR Adventure Zone is targeting a handful of demographics as their main customer base: teens and young adults, families with kids 6-years old and up, birthday and private parties as well as corporate groups looking for team-building opportunities.
Why is VR Adventure Zone coming to Pensacola Beach?
Scott Wheatley, the master leaseholder of Pier One Marina, approached Fletcher at the end of 2024 about opening a VR Adventure Zone location on the beach, shortly before his lease at Cordova Mall was set to expire.
“He had come to our location in Cordova Mall several times,” Fletcher said. “He just thought it would be a great idea because there because it’s a family-oriented (entertainment center). There’s nothing like it on Pensacola Beach.
“Our lease was up in January but (Cordova Mall) exercised their right (to vacate), gave us a 30-day notice and said ‘we’ve got a long-term tenant coming in your location and we need you to vacate,’” continued Fletcher.
VR Adventure Zone operated inside Cordova Mall for over four years.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: VR Adventure Zone clears next step toward bringing games, food to Pensacola Beach
Reporting by Edward Bunch III, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
