Timezone, Kingpin owner TEEG opens 300th venue with plans for 50 more next year

The Entertainment & Education Group (TEEG) – the largest operator of family entertainment venues in the Asia Pacific – has opened its 300th venue, a Kingpin, at Canberra’s Civic shopping centre.

Moreover TEEG – which also owns Timezone and Zone Bowling – intends to trade from 50 more outlets in 2020.

The Singapore based company employs about 5600 staff.

Other than the Civic store, TEEG this month opened Timezones at Sunshine Plaza, Maroochydore and in Cairns.

Outside of Australia, it recently began trading from venues in Hanoi’s Aeon Mall, Auckland’s Botany Town and Indonesia’s Galaxy Mall. It has also recently unveiled a 1500 sqm flagship complex in Mumbai, India, and a 2400 sqm venue in Ayala Manila Bay, Philippines.

TEEG is a joint venture between Quadrant Private Equity and LAI Group. Two years ago the company acquired Ardent’s Bowling and Entertainment division, giving it access to new brands and a portfolio of stores in Australia and New Zealand.

It is also enjoying success in Asia with new “kids edutainment brand” Timezone Play ‘N’ Learn.

Timezone Play ‘N’ Learn, which at this stage is only in India, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam, is growing in popularity, TEEG said.

Experienced based venues on the radar of shopping centre landlords: TEEG

“With the opening of the Kingpin in Canberra, TEEG’s fiftieth venue opened in 2019, the group now has over 300,000 sqm of space leased across seven countries,” the company’s managing director, Scott Blume, said.

“We have seen a huge amount of support for all our four brands from our guests and importantly from real estate developers.

“We are seeing increasing demand for leisure and experience based venues in shopping centres and other large format retail centres across APAC as developers move to accommodate more retail and lifestyle tenants,” the executive added.

“This strategic shift from developers has also seen us open 14 new Play ‘N’ Learn venues in 2019 to meet the guest demand for a premium soft play and learning environment.

“Timezone Play ‘N’ Learn is the kids’ edutainment brand of TEEG, which has grown in popularity across Asia, as an active-kids indoor playground where activity and movement in play, builds development and academic success.

Zone Bowling Australia renovation a focus

Mr Blume said the group will next year focus on continuing to renovate and upgrade the guest experience in Australian Zone Bowling venues.

“We are seeing revenue growth of over 50% in many of the recently refurbished venues, including growth in social bowling where it forms a part of an extended experience for our guests.

“We expect this growth to continue in 2020 where we already have over 30 venues committed to open and we expect to finish the year with a total of around 350 venues,” he added.

Zone Bowling stores include ten pin bowls facilities as well as arcade games entertainment.

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Marc Pallisco

A former property analyst and print journalist, Marc is the publisher of realestatesource.com.au.