Graphic by Owensboro Times
The Escape Today owners are excited to show off plenty of new and upgraded entertainment options when they reopen Friday. That includes a new Game of Thrones-inspired escape room that is still in the works, an improved ax-throwing experience, and what is now the largest free-to-play arcade in the state.
Co-owner David Haynes said while they are legally allowed to reopen July 3, they are also being timid in their approach as ax-throwing, arcades and escape rooms are such socially-driven experiences.
Escape Today’s arcade will be limited to 33% capacity, so half of the arcade’s 60 machines will be turned off to accommodate social distancing, Haynes said. Axe-throwing will be limited to every other lane as well, much like bowling alleys have done.
Hayne said they are hoping to open up their newest Game of Thrones-inspired escape room by late summer. As Haynes and co-owner Max Garvin typically spend $10,000-$12,000 on a new room, they wanted to hold off on spending that amount of money until they figure out what COVID-19 looks like closer to fall.
Haynes and Garvin also planned to open up 18 holes of mini-golf by utilizing the 18,000-square foot area behind their building to create a course that features different businesses at each hole, but plans for that project were put on hold because of COVID-19.
“There was nothing in stock and everything was three to four times the price it normally would be, but we’re still pushing for mini golf in early 2021,” Haynes said. “We’re going to maybe make it a community-based golf course. We would want to work with different businesses to figure out what the mini-golf course would look like.”
