Columbus' last Magic Mountain, the long-running family entertainment center on Scarborough Boulevard, is officially on its final lap. The East Side staple will close right after the Fourth of July weekend, with its last day of operation set for Sunday, July 5. When the lights go off, the city will be saying goodbye to go-karts, miniature golf, bumper cars, and what is currently Columbus' last full-scale Magic Mountain arcade. The shutdown quietly closes the book on the brand's presence in the city after years of churn in the local family-fun scene.
Final Weekend Set
Columbus Business First reported that the Scarborough center will shutter immediately after the upcoming holiday weekend, putting an official end date on a familiar East Side hangout. The outlet noted the story today, and its report has been echoed by other local coverage tracking the region's wave of entertainment closures and reshuffles. For regulars, that means one more long weekend to squeeze in a birthday party, a few last laps, or a final round of putt-putt.
What's at the Scarborough Site
The Scarborough site at 5890 Scarborough Blvd houses the East Side Magic Mountain, and the park's official listing on the Magic Mountain Fun Center website spells out what is at stake. The lineup includes miniature golf, go-karts, batting cages, bumper cars, laser tag, and an arcade, the classic mix that has powered countless kids' birthday parties and quick family outings. The same site lays out the building's address and hours, details that, for many families, have long been part of the default weekend game plan.
A Changing Market for Family Fun
The Scarborough closure follows the earlier loss of Magic Mountain's Polaris operation, which Columbus Business First reported was redeveloped after 2021 for a Carvana vending-machine project. That site swap helped underline how valuable the real estate has become, even as traditional fun centers have had to fight harder for attention.
At the same time, the region's entertainment landscape has tilted toward bigger, multi-attraction destinations. Amusement Today named Star Lanes Polaris the AAMA's 2026 Family Entertainment Center of the Year, a high-profile nod that highlights just how much the market now favors large, full-service venues over old-school, single-brand fun parks.
Where Families Will Go Next
For families who counted on Magic Mountain for relatively affordable arcade time, birthday packages, and quick-hit outings, the closure will mean reshuffling the weekend routine. Columbus still has options, from bowling-anchored entertainment centers to larger arcades and private-event spots, and those kinds of venues are increasingly shaping how and where people spend their play money.
Local coverage notes that staff and patrons are planning a final weekend of festivities at the Scarborough site before the doors close on July 5, giving longtime customers one last chance to wander the arcade, log a few more go-kart laps, and say a proper goodbye. After that, the city's family-entertainment map will lean even more toward bigger, experience-driven centers, with Magic Mountain remembered as one of the old reliable stops that helped get it there.
