Activate, the Winnipeg-based live-action game chain, is gearing up to bring its high-energy concept to Jacksonville, with a company-owned location planned at St. Johns Town Center later this year. The compact venue is built around quick, tech-driven challenges that send groups hustling from room to room, aiming squarely at parties, families and after-work crews looking for something more active than another sit-down outing.
The city is reviewing a permit for Activate Games - Jacksonville at 10275 Buckhead Branch Drive, Suite 101, in the former Ballard Designs space tucked between Dillard’s and Nordstrom. The filing lists ARCO/Murray National Construction Co. Inc. of Downers Grove, Ill., as contractor for an estimated $1.6 million build-out of roughly 8,700 square feet that would house 12 interactive game rooms, and a spokesperson told the paper the Jacksonville site will be a company location expected to open this year, according to Jax Daily Record.
Inside, players will rotate through a dozen "micro-arenas" with names like control, grid, grip, hide, hoops and laser, where each challenge runs about one to three minutes and difficulty levels unlock as teams progress. According to Activate, the company sets a minimum age of 6, requires an adult to accompany players ages 6 to 13, recommends booking ahead to lock in a time slot, and bans outside food while allowing small water bottles that can be stored in lockers.
Big Backing As Activate Expands
Activate has been stepping on the gas with its rollout. The company said it doubled its credit facilities to $72 million with Export Development Canada and RBC Royal Bank to fund global expansion. Industry coverage and company releases note the firm is on track to open dozens more sites this year and is targeting 100 locations across 12 countries by 2027, including planned openings in Miami, Las Vegas and Jacksonville, according to Retail Insider.
Next Door: Sandbox VR And The Retail Fit
Plans place the Activate space near other entertainment tenants at St. Johns Town Center and appearing adjacent to a proposed Sandbox VR unit at 10275 Buckhead Branch Drive, No. 119, according to Jax Daily Record. The virtual-reality operator lists several Florida locations and markets a Miami store as "coming soon" on its site, according to Sandbox VR, setting up a live-action versus VR one-two punch in the same retail block.
For Jacksonville families and party planners, Activate's arrival would add another option for birthday parties and group events, with the company offering party packages and group bookings at many locations. The chain again recommends booking ahead and highlights repeat-play features and wristband score tracking for players who want to keep coming back to beat their best numbers, according to Activate.
