Esports entertainment company Allied Esports and Simon Property Group will open an esports venue in the Mall of Georgia.
The mall – which is located in Gwinnett County, Georgia, – is the first location that has been chosen to house a joint esports venue following Simon’s investment in Allied Esports’ parent company Black Ridge Acquisition Corp.
RELATED: Real estate giant Simon to invest in Allied Esports
The 13,000 square foot facility will also host both amateur and professional events, according to a release. It will part of the Allied Esports Property Network and have capabilities for broadcast and streaming production. Development of the retail space is expected to commence in the first half of the year, with the grand opening set for the second half.
John DiCioccio, General Manager at the Mall of Georgia discussed the development in a release: “Allied Esports’ new esports facility is a perfect complement to the mix of shopping, dining and entertainment options at Mall of Georgia. Guests enjoy experiential offerings, and this new concept is certain to become a fast favorite among those who visit the center.”
RELATED: Allied Esports welcomes Wanyoo to affiliate program
The facility at the Mall of Georgia, along with other venues that in the future, are set to become integral parts of the 2020 Simon Cup – an amateur esports tournament where players have the opportunity to win shopping sprees at Simon shopping malls.
Jud Hannigan, CEO of Allied Esports added: “We’ve long felt that the gaming and esports communities in the Southeast, especially the greater Atlanta metropolitan area, are vibrant and growing and believe we have a location at Mall of Georgia that will serve as a dynamic hub for esports experiences in the region. We’re excited to launch this first-of-its-kind on-mall venue and continue to develop and expand on this new concept for additional Simon destinations.”
Esports Insider says: The facility has the potential to benefit the local esports scene by exposing the general public to the industry, which is always an exciting prospect. It’ll be interesting to see just how it’s received upon opening later in the year.