Mid-2021 opening for €2 million entertainment centre

Photo: The old Texas Centre, the site of the new entertainment centre due to open in mid-2021.

The developer of what's being billed as a first of its kind entertainment centre in Ireland has said they are “100% going ahead” and hope to open in Athlone in early to mid-2021.Colm Wright, owner of Elevate Entertainment, confirmed to the Westmeath Independent that they are getting ready to refurbish the old Texas Centre in Irishtown over the coming months, and have been on-site recently cleaning out the long vacant landmark premises.

While initially hoping pre-Covid to open before Christmas, the target is now early to mid-2021.

“I genuinely think that this will be very good for the town. When you see what we're going to be doing you'll be blown away by it,” he predicted.

The €2 million investment will bring activities like electric go-karting, a first in this country, Ireland's largest Nerf Gun Arena, Nerf shooting gallery and store as well as virtual reality and augmented reality entertainment pods, all in one central town venue.

He believes it will be a huge draw for the town.

Asked what makes this development so unique in Ireland, Colm replied: “It’s because it’s multi-activity under one roof. Most go-kart centres are normally on their own.

With this, you come into a fully heated building with TVs, coffee docks, seating booths etc. You can come and stay here and do other things after like the Virtual Reality (VR) games, crazy golf, quasar. It's a complete entertainment centre”.

The go-kart element is the anchor of the centre and everything else will spin-off that, he explained, adding that the karts which he has trialled himself are a very exciting prospect and will come from France.

“It's going to be a big boys and girl's playground for all ages,” he joked, adding that their motto is “we're selling fun.” “I really think there won't be anywhere like it in the country.”

Colm, who has previously been involved in similar centres in Limerick and Cork, said the new facility will be put in place Covid ready to take account of all the measures.

He believes the centre will be a big draw for Athlone, appealing to a variety of markets from young and old, corporate clients, hen/stag parties and a variety of groups.

“It will be really good from a tourism point of view when it is up and running. It will definitely have a great pull from outside the town,” predicted the owner of Elevate Entertainment.

“Athlone couldn't be any better positioned in terms of Galway and Dublin with the motorway. I think the location is phenomenal, that's why we are here.

In relation to new jobs, he said: “We'll start off with 6-10 people and then up to 20, in year two - 40 as it develops.”

Back in June, Westmeath County Council overturned its own planner's recommendation that a €2 million entertainment centre in the former Texas Centre in Athlone should not go ahead because “amusement/gaming arcades” are considered to be an “undesirable use” in Athlone's Retail Strategy and could be “potentially detrimental” to the commercial environment.

However, council bosses disagreed with that assessment, saying it considered the plans to be a “higher order entertainment centre” that would be frequented by families and visitors to the town. Initially lodged at the end of 2019, the plans were parked for many months after the local authority sought further information and clarifications from the applicants and owners of the centre, Steinfort Investments.

The facility will extend to in excess of 4,000 square metres over three floors and will use all the balance of the retail space previously occupied by the Texas store many years ago.