GameTime, the multi-floor arcade, bowling alley and sports bar inside Centro Ybor, is getting ready to cash out. The Tampa location will close next month, with its last full day of business set for August 9. After 16 years in the 24,000-square-foot space that once housed GameWorks, owner Michael Abecassis says the lease is expiring and the shifting economics of Ybor have made staying put untenable. One of the neighborhood’s biggest family-entertainment anchors is officially powering down.
As reported by Creative Loafing Tampa, Abecassis called the move “an incredibly difficult decision” and said the lease at Centro Ybor is no longer in effect. He added that the company would be open to returning if the right deal came along. Creative Loafing Tampa also notes that GameTime took over the space in 2010 after GameWorks closed and quickly became a go-to spot for birthday parties, fundraisers and private events. In a longer farewell posted on the company’s site, Abecassis described the decision as painful and personal for staff and regulars alike.
According to Patch, GameTime reassured customers in a letter that “your game card, e-ticket and gift card balances will never expire,” adding that credits can be used at the Tampa arcade before it closes or at other Florida locations. The company’s online location page lists active venues in Fort Myers, Kissimmee, Ocoee and Miami, per GameTime. Guests with questions are being sent to the website and the Tampa contact number for updates and party bookings while the clock runs down.
Ybor's changing landscape
GameTime first opened at Centro Ybor on April 16, 2010 and grew into a 24,000-square-foot entertainment complex, according to prior reporting and the Centro Ybor directory. The tenant listing lays out the venue’s footprint and contact details, a reminder of just how much real estate it occupies compared with neighboring storefronts. The closure follows other recent exits from Centro Ybor, including Tampa Bay Brewing Co.’s taproom, which shut down in May, as noted by Creative Loafing Tampa. It is another sign of steady turnover in the historic entertainment district.
Company history and next steps
GameTime’s parent company, A&E Adventures LLC, entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2021 and completed a court-approved reorganization in early 2022, according to Meland Budwick. That restructuring allowed the chain to keep locations open while digging out from pandemic-era rent and revenue shortfalls. The company plans to host special events and community celebrations in the weeks leading up to the August 9 shutdown, Patch reports.
Management says anyone looking for one last round of games, bowling or beers at the Ybor spot is welcome to stop by before August 9 and is encouraged to check hours and event listings online. For questions about gift cards, game-card balances or party bookings, visit GameTime or call the Tampa location directly. What fills that massive empty space at Centro Ybor next, and how the broader district adapts as longtime anchors depart, is the next chapter Ybor will have to play out.
