If you're looking for any opportunity to escape the Florida heat, this new family fun park may be for you.
CITRUS PARK, Fla. — If you're looking for a new place to escape the Florida heat, there's a fun new option in the Tampa Bay area that has a little something for the whole family – Elev8.
As soon as you walk into what used to be a Sears department store at the Citrus Park Town Hall mall, it's a sensory overload.
"There were so many lights and just everything was so capturing," McKenna Proutry said. "It was really cool to walk in. And, like see, everything was just overwhelming."
Elev8 is a fun park that offers a long list of games, including:
- Arcade games
- Putt-putt
- Bowling
- Ropes course
- 4-D experiences
- Virtual reality
- Go carts
- Laser tag
"Well, the community has been wonderful and supportive," Elev8 Director Keith Baldwin said. "The overwhelming response has been positive. It was a little bit rushed to get open. So we did this sneak peek. All of our attractions are open right now. The go-karts, the laser tag, the mini golf, all the 880 video games, and the two virtual reality attractions."
For some of the families enjoying all there is to offer, the coolest feature might just be the fact that it's indoors.
"Yes, I'm so happy that we're inside," Jessica Kenny said. "It's 94 today like it's too hot to be outside."
Pricing starts at nine dollars per activity. You can buy bundles to save money. For a full breakdown of pricing, click here.
"We're something fun for everybody, from who wants something from the mom that wants to have a birthday party, to the young professionals, we're a great date night location," Baldwin said. "So this concept itself is unique. It's something for everybody."
The new fun park is the third empty Sears storefront Elev8 has transformed into an arcade and gaming extravaganza.
"It's been coincidental. It wasn't really part of the strategy, but the partnership from the malls – it's the old spaces that have been vacant," Baldwin said. "And it seemed like a good marriage."
The park has softened over Memorial Day weekend. The director said they are now waiting on their liquor license approval to open their full-service restaurant.
Malique Rankin is a general assignment reporter with 10 Tampa Bay. You can email her story ideas at and follow her Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
