Dave & Buster’s opens in Downtown Summerlin
Dave & Buster’s, a restaurant-arcade franchise opened its first Nevada location Monday morning.
The 34,000 square-foot restaurant in Downtown Summerlin, brings with it more than 300 jobs.
When the doors opened about ten minutes before 10 a.m. Monday, about 40 people filed in.
Chris Bradley, 23, was one of those eager to play one of the more than 180 video games inside.
The Las Vegan native said he was excited about the Las Vegas restaurant’s opening after visiting California and Colorado locations in the past.
Dave & Buster’s is distinct from other local arcades because it caters to adult gamers, Bradley said.
“Eating and playing is the best,” said Bradley.
At the opening, Michael Alvarado, 29, at long last got a chance to play the latest version of his favorite dance video game.
When Alvarado heard that a Dave & Buster’s location was coming to Las Vegas, he said he had hoped it would bring the latest version of “Dance Dance Revolution.”
“I’ve been playing for 15, 16 years,” said Alvarado who has two full-size dance arcade games inside his Las Vegas home.
Alvarado’s prayers were answered recently when he spotted the game inside while peering through the glass of the restaurant from outside.
Alvarado was the first player in the building Monday, a distinction that came with a teddy bear prize from the general manager.
By 11 a.m. Monday, about 180 guests were immersed in the competing sounds of virtual lasers, pop music, and button mashing. The blinking lights and neon colors of the arcade games would have blended in nicely with the Las Vegas Strip.
General Manager Phil Shabat said the company had opened locations in high-tourist areas in the past, but that the Downtown Summerlin location was intended to cater to locals.
“We didn’t want to compete with casinos and tourists,” said Shabat, of the Summerlin location.
“We want to be that local spot where you can come in, have a drink, watch a game, play some games,” said Shabat.
Shabat added that all of the full- and part-time positions at the location had been filled.
Marlene Ranahan joked that she was having a good time at the arcade until her son beat her at air hockey. She said it was her son’s idea to come play on his day off but that she was happy to join him.
“It gives us time to spend together,” she said.
Marlene Ranahan added that she expected the arcade to do well because of its location at Downtown Summerlin mall and its proximity to some of the valley’s wealthiest residents.
Josh Ranahan said one of his first experiences at Dave & Buster’s came last year while visiting family in New York. He lives nearby and said he enjoyed the mix of food, drink and video games.
“It just makes for a good evening,” he said.
The Nevada location is the company’s 87th since its 1982 founding in Dallas.
Contact Alexander S. Corey at acorey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0270. Find @acoreynews on Twitter.
RELATED
Dave & Buster’s to open at Downtown Summerlin this summer
