Main Event Entertainment
.svg) | |
| Company type | Brand |
|---|---|
| Industry | Family entertainment centers |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Fate | Acquired by Dave & Buster’s |
| Headquarters | Coppell, Texas, United States |
Number of locations | 58 |
Area served | United States |
Key people | |
| Parent |
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| Website | https://www.mainevent.com/ |
Main Event Entertainment is an American chain of family entertainment centers. The company was formerly headquartered in Lewisville, Texas, before being sold to Dave & Buster’s in 2022. It currently operates fifty-eight locations in twenty states, predominantly in Texas and the Southern United States, and features attractions and features such as bowling alleys, arcades, laser tag, virtual reality games, gravity rope courses, miniature golf, billiards, escape rooms, karaoke and a restaurant under the name of Family Kitchen at all of their locations.
The company was a subsidiary of Ardent Leisure before its acquisition by competitor Dave & Buster’s in June 2022, with Main Event's former CEO Chris Morris becoming the current CEO of Dave & Buster’s. Main Event now operates as a family entertainment brand and separately owned unit of the more adult-oriented Dave & Buster's chain.
History
![[icon]](/enwiki/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2022) |
Main Event was founded in 1998 by Neil Hupfauer and David Smith. [1] Ardent Leisure, an Australian company acquired it from the founders in 2006. [2]
In 2018, Chris Morris replaced Charlie Keegan as president and CEO of the company.[1]
In June 2020, Ardent Leisure sold a 24.2% stake in the company to RedBird Capital Partners.[3]
On April 6, 2022, Dave & Buster's announced its intent to acquire Main Event for $835 million, with Main Event's CEO Chris Morris becoming the chief executive of the combined company. Outgoing interim CEO Kevin Sheehan considered Main Event to be complementary to the main Dave & Buster's chain, citing that the two chains were positioned towards different demographics (families and young adults respectively), and that Main Event had a focus on larger-scale activities and attractions. The acquisition was completed in June 2022; Sheehan, who became chairman at that time, stated that larger Dave & Buster's locations could be converted to Main Event to take better advantage of their floorspace, and be supplanted by D&B locations with a smaller footprint in the same market.[4][5][6]
Operations
Main Event Entertainment operates family entertainment centers which feature billiards, bowling, arcade games, virtual reality games, laser tag, miniature golf, gravity ropes course, and karaoke. Main Event offers facilities and services for birthday parties. The company also provides food and beverage, as well as meeting and event space with accommodations for corporate meetings or group gatherings; and event facility rental services.[7][8][9][10]
Each Main Event location offers full restaurant services under the name “Family Kitchen”, with items like appetizers, pizza, hamburgers, salads, and unique desserts. Each location also has a full-service bar, serving beer, wine, mixed drinks, and a bar menu.[11]
References
- ^ a b Kezar, Korri (28 February 2018). "Main Event names restaurant veteran to CEO role". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
- ^ https://www.chron.com/news/article/prn-main-event-entertainment-holdings-inc-1905578.php
- ^ Schlesinger, Larry (2022-04-06). "Ardent Leisure sells US entertainment business for $1.1b". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2022-05-06.
- ^ Lalley, Heather. "Dave & Buster's might convert some units to Main Event". Restaurant Business. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
- ^ Lalley, Heather. "Dave & Buster's completes its Main Event acquisition". Restaurant Business. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
- ^ "Dave & Buster's to buy Main Event for $835M". Restaurant Dive. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
- ^ "Main Event Entertainment Competitors, Revenue and Employees - Owler Company Profile". Owler. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
- ^ "Guests Can Head For Fun At Main Event Entertainment's Second Chicago-Area Location". www.prnewswire.com.
- ^ "Main Event opens in north Fort Worth".
- ^ Haller, Sonja. "Main Event Entertainment brings fun for all ages to Avondale". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
- ^ "Main Event Entertainment Enhances Its Distinctive "Eat. Bowl. Play." Experience With New Spring Menu | RestaurantNews.com". RestaurantNews.com. 2018-04-13. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
Further reading
- "Keegan Leaving Main Event and Marble Room Debuts". Modern Restaurant Management. 12 September 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
- Smith, Casey (22 April 2015). "Popular entertainment venue Main Event opens in west Tulsa, featuring video games, bowling, billiards, laser tag and more". Tulsa World. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
- Kezar, Korri (2018). "Main Event names restaurant veteran to CEO role". Dallas Business Journal.
- https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/blog/morning_call/2015/02/main-event-entertainment-plans-new-look-prototype.html
- https://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/news/2015/07/13/dont-call-it-a-bowling-alley-main-event-will.html
- "Main Event sets opening date for family fun center in Christiana". delawareonline. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/joanverdon/2020/05/19/bowling-valets-and-socially-distant-laser-tag-main-event-arcades-reopen-with-new-rules/?sh=25dd93872476
- "Main Event readies to reopen in Humble". Houston Chronicle. 18 January 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
- https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2013/01/08/main-event-to-open-stafford-location.html