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STATE COLLEGE \u2014 Families in the region looking for fun entertainment for all ages will have a new option next month as Nittany Valley Sports Centre opens The Clubhouse Family Fun Centre.<\/p>\n
Located at 177 Champion Drive in State College, The Clubhouse is a new entertainment space designed to give families, teams, companies and groups a place to play, gather, and build memories. It was designed to complement Nittany Sports Centre, a year-round sports and recreation facility that offers youth and adult programs like basketball, soccer, volleyball, flag football, speed training, camps, leagues and special events.<\/p>\n
A grand opening of the new addition is scheduled for March 7 at noon.<\/p>\n
The Clubhouse will offer 70 arcade games and virtual reality experiences including first-of-its-kind VR Starship in North America, a six-person adventure that takes players on flights throughout the cosmos.<\/p>\n
As Nittany Valley Sports Centre has grown, staff there have studied what similar facilities across the country were doing well to see how they could improve the experience for families. They identified a growing trend of adding family entertainment components alongside sports programming.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you look at our day-to-day reality \u2014 parents waiting during practices, siblings tagging along, teams sitting around between tournament games \u2014 it became clear there was an opportunity to enhance what we offer,\u201d said Jaimie Confer, Director of Marketing and Sales at Nittany Valley Sports Centre.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Clubhouse grew naturally from that observation. Families are already here, spending time together in our building. We wanted to create a fun, energetic space that gives them even more ways to connect, celebrate, and enjoy time together whether they\u2019re here for sports or just for fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
Confer said the idea behind The Clubhouse has been in the works for several years because they knew existing space in the building would become available when one of the tenants finished their lease.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe began researching and evaluating options well in advance. During that planning phase, we worked with consultants, conducted a feasibility analysis, and carefully defined what we felt would best serve our community,\u201d Confer said. \u201cOnce the space became available at the end of November, the physical buildout has moved quickly. It wasn\u2019t a ground-up construction project \u2014 it was more about reimagining and repurposing the space. We removed a few walls, refreshed the finishes, and completed significant electrical upgrades to support the arcade and entertainment elements.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the new offerings at The Clubhouse is space for birthday parties and group events.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Clubhouse itself is designed to comfortably handle a strong crowd. We can host multiple birthday parties or group events simultaneously while still welcoming families who simply want to walk in and play,\u201d Confer explained. \u201cThe Clubhouse is just one part of a much larger facility. The Centre can accommodate significant activity across multiple areas at once \u2014 practices on the<\/p>\n
turf, games on the courts, training sessions, and now entertainment in The Clubhouse \u2014 all without the building feeling overwhelmed.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Clubhouse boasts dedicated private party rooms that can host up to 40 guests, along with semi-private gathering areas that can accommodate large groups as well. Those spaces connect naturally to The Clubhouse experience, so groups have room to gather, celebrate, and then move back into the arcade and activity areas seamlessly.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur goal with The Clubhouse was to create energy without congestion \u2014 a space that feels lively and exciting, but still comfortable,\u201d Confer said. \u00a0\u2018Whether it\u2019s a team celebrating after a tournament game, a large birthday party, or a family coming in on a Saturday night, the building is designed to handle it smoothly.\u201d<\/p>\n