Pirate Pete's Family Entertainment Center will throw open its doors at a new Mount Vernon location on Sept. 18, marking the arcade and laser tag venue's return after it was forced out of its longtime Marion home earlier this year. The grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony begins at 1 p.m. at 103 Shiloh Dr., the site of the former all-ages entertainment complex and gymnastics center known as The Zone, which closed recently before Pirate Pete's moved in.
The relocation caps months of uncertainty for the business, which had been a Marion staple since 2009. According to the Morning Sentinel, Pirate Pete's was unable to renew its lease at the former Illinois Star Centre Mall, with the agreement expiring March 31. Owners then searched for an alternative site before settling on the Shiloh Drive building, where they completed extensive renovations ahead of the move. The Marion mall closure had been telegraphed since January, when WQRL reported that Pirate Pete's would permanently shut down its mall location due to the unrenewable lease, prompting the hunt for a new home.
The Marion property itself is being converted into something far bigger than a shopping mall. The former Illinois Star Centre Mall is now undergoing a $112 million to $115 million redevelopment into The Oasis Development, a 550,000-square-foot sports and entertainment complex financed through Illinois' first Sales Tax and Revenue Bond district, according to Bond Buyer. Groundbreaking on that multi-year project took place in May 2025.
What's Moving Into the Former Zone Building
The new Pirate Pete's occupies a 25,200-square-foot commercial building on a 1.68-acre lot at the corner of Illinois Route 15 and Shiloh Drive, per LoopNet listing details. The Mount Vernon location will have the same offerings as the Marion site, including arcade games, laser tag, a dining area and birthday party rooms, mirroring the 2,000-square-foot laser tag arena and redemption arcade the business ran for years at its former venue, per visitSI.
Pirate Pete's co-owner Roger Loyd said the company's approach to customer service has driven its longevity. “Customer service is key to Pirate Pete's success,” Loyd said, adding that the business aims to treat customers well and operate positively. Loyd also noted that Mount Vernon does not have quite anything like Pirate Pete's offerings, and the center is known for hosting several hundred birthday events a year on a walk-in basis.
Mount Vernon Mayor John Lewis welcomed the arrival, saying the city needs more family entertainment venues. Jamie Storey, executive director of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, said new businesses bring new energy, new opportunities, and new reasons for people to invest in their community. The chamber is coordinating the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony, and the public is invited to attend.
A Corridor Betting Big on Family Entertainment
Pirate Pete's isn't the only new attraction landing on Shiloh Drive this year. Arena Adventure Park, a 30-job indoor trampoline and active play park planned for 206 South Shiloh Drive, received city council approval in May 2026 ahead of a planned late-2026 launch, according to WFIW Radio. That venue is expected to feature trampolines, dodgeball, an interactive pixel floor and arcade games, adding to a growing cluster of youth-focused entertainment options in the area.
The 103 Shiloh Drive property also sits within the Mount Vernon Enterprise Zone, which gives eligible commercial projects access to local tax incentives and development benefits, according to listing details from The Kombrink Team. Illinois enterprise zones generally offer building material sales tax exemptions and property tax abatements meant to stimulate business growth in designated corridors.
Mount Vernon's appeal as a landing spot for relocating businesses is tied to its position at the crossroads of Interstates 57 and 64, which draws retail and recreational traffic from a 12-county region, according to Southern Illinois Realty Experts. The city's major employers include Continental Tire, the Walgreens Distribution Center and SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital. That regional pull is set to grow further as the Illinois Department of Transportation carries out a $257.8 million project to widen Interstate 57 to six lanes between Mount Vernon and Johnston City, with $224 million of that funding coming from the state's Rebuild Illinois capital program.
The timing of the ribbon-cutting isn't incidental. The Sept. 18 event falls within Illinois Chamber of Commerce Week, which runs Sept. 13 to 19 under an annual proclamation from Gov. JB Pritzker celebrating local business advocacy and civic engagement statewide.
