Mavrix, the locally owned entertainment hub in Scottsdale, is hosting a five-day party to celebrate its second anniversary.
The 50,000 square-foot venue, located at the Pavilions at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, is marking its milestone birthday from Feb. 28-March 4 with high-value promotional offers for guests and a fundraising effort to benefit the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
“We are humbled and blown away by the response we have received from guests,” said Scott Sanders, CEO of Octane Entertainment, the company that owns Mavrix and Octane Raceway next door. “We got off to a rough start, but that makes this anniversary so much sweeter.”
The entertainment center first opened on March 7, 2020.The 50,000 square-foot venue, which features 22 bowling lanes, 95 arcade games, laser tag, billiards tables and a scratch kitchen at The Trophy Room Grill, enjoyed high guest counts and positive customer reviews in its first week-and-a-half in business. But on March 17, Mavrix was forced to shut its doors as a COVID-19 precaution.
“I will never forget that day,” said Sanders. “It was devastating on all counts, but the worst part was losing employees who had become part of our family.”
Nearly two years later, Mavrix has bounced back, even beating the benchmarks that Sanders and his team set before the business opened. But the road has been anything but smooth. Indeed, for months after it reopened in Scottsdale in May 2020, the venue experienced low occupancy that fell way below expectations.
“In keeping with guidelines for COVID-19, we planned to reduce our occupancy to 50%, but we never even got close to being half-full,” said JP Mullan, chief operating officer of Mavrix. “It was a ghost town.”
Despite Mavrix’s rough start, Mullan and his team stayed the course, focusing on marketing to build the business and operations to ensure guests would come back. Their efforts also included rigorous hiring and training practices and strict safety and sanitization guidelines to increase guests’ comfort level amid the pandemic.
“We transformed our operations to provide a safe place where guests could escape from the challenges of COVID,” said Sanders.
The company’s turnaround began in earnest in early 2021 with revenue growing 54% between January and July. Meanwhile, Mavrix earned noteworthy accolades including “Best Entertainment Center” and “Best Sports Bar” as well as “2021 Big Business Finalist” from the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce’s Sterling Awards.
Today, Mavrix has made a name for itself, not only for its bowling and games, but also for corporate team-builders and parties. It’s also a hot spot for sporting events with dozens of 4K televisions throughout the venue and a 5,000 square-foot patio featuring a 20-foot LED TV.
The company also hired a highly trained chef, Scott Nelson, to helm Mavrix’s kitchen. In March, the venue will unveil a new menu featuring made-from-scratch entrees like chimichurri ribeye and Baja chicken pasta.
“From the very beginning, our vision was to offer a food and beverage experience far beyond the typical family entertainment center,” said Mullan.
In addition, the venue just installed 15 new arcade games, part of a strategic plan to keep the guest experience fresh and up to date.
The anniversary celebration will include $2 bowling and $2 laser tag. In addition, the two bowlers who post the highest scores during the five-day event each will win free bowling for a year.
For more information about Mavrix’s two-year anniversary, visit the company on Facebook, Instagram and at mavrix.com.
Mavrix, the best entertainment venue in Scottsdale, is the place for a memorable night out with friends or a day of family fun, this new hot spot is an epic entertainment destination. Be sure to check out everything Mavrix has to offer including bowling, laser tag, arcade games and a chef-driven menu of entrees and delicious beverages.
Octane Entertainment has specialized in creating exciting and immersive experiences in the Valley of the Sun since 2003. From the high-speed kart racing at Octane Raceway, to the free roam virtual reality gaming at Velocity VR, to the all-in-one entertainment mecca that will be Mavrix, Octane Entertainment is committed to leaving guests awestruck and wanting more.
