Laurel Lanes Bowling & Entertainment Center
To step into the new Omni VR Arena at Laurel Lanes Bowling & Entertainment Center is like entering the twilight zone. The Arena features 4 space-age looking treadmills, multiple large screens and green neon lighting. To get the full effect, you’ll just have to try it.
Once you’re safely strapped into your treadmill and fitted with virtual reality goggles, it’s game on. You could be running full speed away from brain-sucking zombies, jumping around while dueling with swashbuckling pirates or walking with more caution while exploring a haunted house where ghosts could be lurking around any corner.
“Both casual players and people who are into e-sports love this,” says Keith Johnson, owner of Laurel Lanes. “It’s a full-bodied VR experience that’s so new that few people have played anything like this in South Jersey. You can not only compete against the people you’re playing with here but also against other Omni VR players around the country in real time for up to $100,000 in cash prizes.”
The Arena is the centerpiece of Laurel Lanes’ renovated arcade, which has also been fitted with 30 new games, including Connect 4 Hoops, Space Invader Frenzy, Raw Thrills Nitro Trucks, Minecraft, Pong Knockout, and some throw backs like Skee-Ball, play-til-you-win cranes and pinball. But the arcade is far from the only reason Laurel Lanes is such a bustling entertainment center. The center features 60 bowling lanes, a luxury private bowling suite and a billiards room. Splitz Bar & Grill, its signature restaurant, features both indoor and outdoor patio seating, live entertainment, an ice cream shop, a full menu as well as seasonal craft drafts, cocktails and wine from 2 full-size bars.
As Johnson explains it, bowling, billiards and the bar scene have never gone out of fashion at Laurel Lanes, which has been in operation since the 1950s. Still, the other attractions are popular with bowlers and non-bowlers alike. “We’re constantly renovating the center to change with the times,” says Johnson, who has worked in the industry all his adult life.
The Omni VR Arena, which was installed last month, is already in high demand, especially as people are booking fall parties and looking for a variety of offerings, says Johnson. The beauty of having your special event at Laurel Lanes is the center’s ability to customize the party to include attractions to fit your interests, budget and dietary needs.
Splitz Luxury Suite is ideal for special occasions or corporate retreats. The private space includes 6 cherry wood bowling lanes, plush seating for comfortable lounging and dining as well as a private game center featuring billiards, foosball, table-top arcade games, PlayStation 4 and a DJ booth. The lounge has a special entrance and can accomodate up to 125 guests and, when integrated with the connecting restaurant, can host up to 250 guests.
The children’s party rooms have also been renovated and now include interactive games that aren’t quite as intense as the Omni, says Johnson. Packages include bowling, games, sundae parties and more.
Johnson notes that it’s been exciting to see people discover the VR games, and it’s even entertaining to watch people while they game on the big screens outside the Arena. Most people do a double take, he says, noting that it is only available in 60 entertainment complexes in the United States and only one other in New Jersey (North Jersey that is). While Omni currently offers 6 game modes that draw on popular video game genres, new ones are expected to drop every 6 months and be added to the collection.
“It’s now popular to add the Omni experience to the luxury suite package,” Johnson adds. “It’s a great way to take corporate events or any party to the next level.”
2825 Route 73 South, Maple Shade | 856-778-7467 | laurellanesnj.com