HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A new family entertainment center, Elev8 Fun, recently opened in the Citrus Park Mall and aims to increase foot traffic at the once popular shopping destination in Hillsborough County.

What You Need To Know

  • Elev8 Fun opened its second location at Citrus Park Mall in June

  • Family entertainment center hopes to bring more foot traffic to malls

  • Elev8 Fun Tampa is a 125,000-square-foot center in a former Sears store

  • Company plans to open a third location in a former Sears store in Jensen Beach

“Online shopping was the demise of most brick-and-mortars,” said Elev8 Fun Director of Operations Keith Baldwin. “We believe getting people off the couch and out to socialize again will hopefully, hopefully, revitalize this space.”

Elev8 Fun purchased a former Sears store which closed in 2018 and transformed it into a 125,000-square-foot entertainment center. It features one of the largest laser tag arenas in Florida and a nearly half-mile-long go-kart racetrack on the second floor.

“They are lithium-based cars and they go up to 35 miles per hour,” said Baldwin. “This is go-karting at its best.”

There’s an arcade featuring simulator video games, a ropes course with a zipline, a 12-lane bowling alley and a black-light pirate-themed mini-golf course on the bottom floor.

“PlayStation came out, then the home-based entertainment was a big thing,” said Baldwin. “Now, the entertainment centers themselves after COVID are making a resurgence.”

Elev8 Fun had a soft opening last month, but has been waiting for its food and liquor licenses for the official grand opening which is expected to be soon, according to Baldwin.

“We are thrilled to bring the next level of fun to Tampa,” said David Goldfarb, president and founder of PrimeTime Amusements, a partner in the Elev8 Fun project. “We know that families, couples and groups of all kinds will find hours of fun here. We’re honored by how the community has already embraced us and look forward to years of fun to come.”

Baldwin said the company plans to open its third location in Jensen Beach by the end of the year. The flagship entertainment center is in the Orlando area. Both of those entertainment centers are also located in former Sears stores.