It would seem higher business costs and a change in customer base is having a detrimental affect on the amusement sector on Florida's west coast, after a number of family entertainment centres have been forced to close.
The Pirate’s Cove Family Fun Center, located on Tamiami Trail in Bradenton, is the most recent centre to go after being sold to a property developer.
Owner Craig Copeman said: “It’s tough but you can only charge so much money to play video games or ride a go-kart.”
Property taxes, petrol for the go-karts and a change in customer base have all contributed to the demise of the centres and it is believed that only one go-kart facility, at Livingston’s Amusement Center in Sarasota, exists between Tampa and Cape Coral.
Just two years ago, Pelican Pete’s Playland shut down in Englewood to make room for a car dealership and two hotels were built on the site of Celebration Station in Brandon. A petrol station and self-storage lot are expected to take over at Pirate’s Cove.
Entertainment analyst David Riley commented that increasing overhead costs and a drop in attendance levels have hit many businesses hard.
In most centres it used to cost just 25 cents to play a video game, whereas now the minimum amount the machines will take is one dollar.
