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As
the second iteration of Pointe Orlando seemingly struggles to overcome many of the same issues the first version of the retail complex faced, we’re seeing the musical chairs between tenants pick up steam.
The past year has seen numerous closures at Pointe Orlando, including Tommy Bahama, Funky Monkey, RA Sushi, and the Minus 5 ice bar. But as quickly as the closures were announced, the mall announced a line of new tenants.
From a funky Austin-based burger bar,
Hopdoddy, to a new pan-Asian restaurant,
Lotus Asia House, to a Chicago’s
Hampton Social Pointe Orlando is bringing new options to the tourist district. Now they’re looking to bring in more visitors with a promising new attraction.
California-based virtual reality tech company
Nomadic is readying to open their very first flagship experience at Pointe Orlando. Using a mix of VR and tactile experiences, the new virtual reality arcade is similar to
The Void, which has a flagship location just down the street at Disney Springs.
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Image via Nomadic VR
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Nomadic's new VR arena at Pointe Orlando
Nomadic promises to be different, with far more interactive opportunities than other similar VR attractions. Linking up with
Vertigo Arcades, Nomadic is looking to bring the already popular "Arizona Sunshine" VR game to life in never before imagined ways.
From a shaking floor similar to the ones used in Universal’s Gringotts attraction queue to a seemingly endless amount of physical items that have been programmed into the VR simulation, Nomadic’s first experience will be an impressive addition into the crowded field of VR attractions.
Just across the pathway from Nomadic’s new Pointe Orlando location
is Main Event, the arcade and bowling alley-anchored entertainment center that has its own VR arcade experience. Partnering with
Zero Latency,
Main Event laid claim to the “first ever free-roam, multiplayer” VR experience, but a lot has changed even since the Pointe Orlando location opened in 2016. Since then, nearly half a dozen VR experiences have opened or in the works for the International Drive tourist district alone.
While retail has struggled at Pointe Orlando, the strategically located development has remained popular for convention-goers. Multiple bars, nearly all with live music, and various group attractions, such as adult laser tag and bowling, are packed when large conventions are in town. Those crowds of international businesspeople are precisely the type of people to whom any startup would be interested in showcasing their product.
This is just one
small step for Nomadic in a giant plan to make the company a household name. Orlando is the beginning; locations in Las Vegas and L.A. are already
in the works.
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