Gameworks is Closing

[PP1]

Link below to the story. I probably have frequented Gameworks 4 or 5 times a year since 2002. When working at Brio in 2005, I went there a lot between shifts. The games were fun, but I never ate at the restaurant. I never remember seeing anyone sitting in the dining area and eating. The bar was always steady but never seemed slammed.

 

https://www.wlwt.com/article/gameworks-closing-at-newport-on-the-levee-after-20-years/38628048#

[sportsfan41]

That's a shame but not surprising.  The Levee as a whole has been struggling for probably a decade now.  Now throw Covid into the mix and I'm sure they were barely getting by. 

[The Raven]

Article stated that the space was 22,000 sq ft.   Lease payments must have been massive.     I'm not much of a bar guy, but always had a decent time there.    I'm guessing the new owners break that space up and see if they can get multiple vendors in there.

[sportsfan41]

11 minutes ago, The Raven said:

Article stated that the space was 22,000 sq ft.   Lease payments must have been massive.     I'm not much of a bar guy, but always had a decent time there.    I'm guessing the new owners break that space up and see if they can get multiple vendors in there.

I would have a hard time investing in any business that's looking to plant itself in the Levee.  The place is a shell of what it used to be 20 years ago. 

[The Raven]

4 minutes ago, sportsfan41 said:

I would have a hard time investing in any business that's looking to plant itself in the Levee.  The place is a shell of what it used to be 20 years ago. 

I completely agree.   It always has seemed like no one was really sure what to do with the place.   They wanted the young suburban adults to go down and make it a trendy bar/restaurant area.  But THE major attraction down there is the Aquarium, which draws young families and kids.  I don't think the people at the top thought it out all that well.   They were just happy to have people leasing the spots, regardless of what it drew.

[CincySportsFan]

Only went to Gameworks a couple of times over the years. Most of the time we went to either Mitchell's Fish Market or Shadowbox when they were there.

[Run To State]

On 12/28/2021 at 8:16 PM, CincySportsFan said:

Only went to Gameworks a couple of times over the years. Most of the time we went to either Mitchell's Fish Market or Shadowbox when they were there.

Shadowbox was always a blast! I miss that place and Cafe Istanbul the most.

[CincySportsFan]

6 hours ago, Run To State said:

Shadowbox was always a blast! I miss that place and Cafe Istanbul the most.

Prior to covid, we try to make a trip a couple times each year up to Columbus to see them there. Still several from the Newport cast performing.

[Run To State]

3 hours ago, CincySportsFan said:

Prior to covid, we try to make a trip a couple times each year up to Columbus to see them there. Still several from the Newport cast performing.

I'm going to have to go. I took my wife and a friend there a few years ago, I met @swamprat for a Blue Jackets game while they were at Shadowbox. Maybe I can do a game and the Shadowbox... 🤔

[The Raven]

In looking at the Gameworks website, it looks like they have closed, some only "temporarily" for now, all of their locations.

[Beechwoodfan]

My son had his bachelors party there.  I don’t know, but could it be that home games are so great that no one wants to spend the money at these places anymore?

[The Raven]

4 minutes ago, Beechwoodfan said:

My son had his bachelors party there.  I don’t know, but could it be that home games are so great that no one wants to spend the money at these places anymore?

That's part of it, I'm sure.  Also, part the attraction to those places was watching a game on a big TV.   Large screen TVs now cost so little that a majority of people own at least one.  You don't have to spend $100 for food and beer just to watch a game on a 65" TV anymore.

[rjal]

Well that stinks.  My kids liked to go there a couple times a year and have been hoarding their prize points for about five years so they could get something "good". lol. They were just there before Christmas and no one there told them.  oh well.

[rjs4470]

This wasn't a surprise. They've been managed by the group that runs Rotolo (The Bowling alley/restaurant in the Levy) for the last year or so. I've known they were in trouble as they were former clients of mine, who had been a slow pay who eventually stopped paying completely almost 2 years ago. I had been in there quite a few times and it was almost always empty. 

[Run To State]

I just recently read that a notice on the door of Newport's Gameworks location noted a "rebrand and relaunch".