The LBX Show #76 - Herschend’s Heartspitality, Layered Reality collapse, & more!

The LBX Show #80 - China’s Phygital Active Play, Park Avenue Open Day, & more!

Sponsored by Intercard [https://www.intercardinc.com/]! On this week's show we track the latest shifts in location-based entertainment, from embedded finance inside POS systems to the on-the-ground realities of what’s opening, what’s closing, and what operators keep getting wrong. Along the way, we connect cashless tech, immersive experiences, arcade supply chain delays, and the simple revenue levers that still matter most.  • Intercard’s upcoming event lineup and why cashless systems still drive efficiency  • ROLLER Capital powered by Adyen and what embedded finance changes for venue operators  • Upla’s outdoor trampoline model and pricing benchmarks for hybrid attractions  • Disney’s Muppet motion capture approach and why performance realism matters  • Opening trends, clustering, and why chains keep expanding  • Food and beverage as a per-cap and dwell-time lever, plus party room implications  • Peter Piper Pizza growth, franchise dynamics, and positioning versus Chuck E. Cheese  • VR free-roam and XR pop-ups moving into museums, galleries, and cultural venues  • Japan arcade revitalization and how multi-floor layouts shape operations  • China’s phygital active entertainment wave, wristbands, and integrated F&B  • Touring IP attractions like Minecraft and what makes pop-ups work  • Gigo’s Shanghai strategy and Sandbox VR’s expansion with ongoing F&B critiques  • Flight 509 closing lessons on branding, attraction mix, and market fit  • Andon Labs’ AI-managed coffee experiment and why automation can backfire  • Park Avenue Open Day highlights, new game visibility, and shipping delay realities Subscribe and visit LBX Collective [https://www.lbxcollective.com] for more!

Sound Off #123 - The Closure Logjam, Staytainment, Licensing Expo, & More!

Sponsored by Intercard [https://www.intercardinc.com/]! On this week's show we zoom out on why location-based entertainment keeps announcing openings while closures suddenly go quiet, and why that silence can signal bigger risk than bad news. We also track how "staytainment," IP licensing, and next-gen active play are reshaping what guests expect and what operators must execute.  • lack of announced closures creating an unhealthy logjam  • consumer trade-offs squeezing travel and discretionary spend  • staytainment positioning as a local-growth strategy  • active entertainment shifting toward digital sports amusement  • Lucky Strike facing legal pressure and association conflicts  • nostalgia-driven hospitality and arcade hybrids gaining momentum  • single-attraction competitive socializing depending on strong food and beverage  • private equity entering cashless payments and venue tech  • interactive dark rides and VR adventures pushing repeatable formats  • Licensing Expo signals bigger IP and transmedia competition  Subscribe and visit LBX Collective [https://www.lbxcollective.com] for more!

The LBX Show #79 - World Cup Playbook, Black Mirror, Influencer Marketing, & More!

Sponsored by Intercard [https://www.intercardinc.com/]! On this week's show we break down what World Cup season means for location-based entertainment operators, with real examples you can adapt into watch parties, limited-time menus, and ticketed bundles that boost revenue. We also track major openings and closures across the industry, then close with a practical influencer marketing playbook you can use right away. • Intercard’s 2026 event schedule and where to meet the team • World Cup promotion ideas for FECs and LBEs built around community events and seasonal food and beverage • Dave & Buster’s kickoff-week activations including the human crane concept, themed menu items, merch, and ticketed watch parties • Topgolf’s tournament programming including match broadcasts, soccer-inspired game overlays, and limited-time drinks • Topgolf Las Vegas Hideaway Pool details and what it signals about adult-focused amenities • Open and Shut highlights including Joypolis Sport X and what “live park” might mean • Crossbar soft opening concerns and why a missing web presence is a red flag • Sandbox VR clustering strategy and what franchise operators gain from proximity • Zero Latency expansion notes plus hardware updates and licensed IP content plans • Infinity Experiences in Montreal launching a Black Mirror walkthrough and the rotating exhibition model • Dave & Buster’s and Main Event updates including design choices and new attraction mix • Qatar’s cluster of new LBEs plus a warning sign on closures and “holding on” through summer • Influencer marketing steps: finding creators, vetting engagement, bartering, collaboration posts, and converting content into ads Subscribe and visit LBX Collective [https://www.lbxcollective.com] for more!

Sound Off #122 - AAA Expo Review, Exec Shakeups, Hasbro Transmedia & more!

Sponsored by Intercard [https://www.intercardinc.com/]! On this week's show we argue that private parties are not a side hustle for location-based entertainment, but a core profit engine that many operators still underprice and underpackage. We also track the management shakeups and tech trends shaping competitive socializing, XR attractions, and the global supply chain from the US to China.  • Private hire as the hidden revenue driver in entertainment venues  • Raising per-head spend with VIP rooms, branded drinks, themed food, and merch  • What new executive hires at Paramount signal for experiences and licensing  • Why the F1 Arcade CEO switch hints at restaurant-first strategy risk  • Area15 operations, branding churn, and the need to keep moving  • Boom Battle Bar performance snapshot and escape room resilience  • Topgolf leadership rebuild, new roles, and gaps in entertainment focus  • United Parks attendance and revenue declines plus the per-cap questions  • Dave & Buster’s Australia launch missing competitive socializing  • VR arena and mixed reality expansion challenges, especially energy off-peak  • IP in XR and live touring entertainment plus the repeatability problem  • Productization shift toward self-service XR enclosures and modular installs  • Museums using VR as temporary revenue-positive exhibitions  • Hasbro transmedia experiments like Monopoly Steakhouse and what it might preview  • China AAA Expo takeaways: LED theaters, wet 4D, robots, projection-mapped karting, buying direct pressure Subscribe and visit LBX Collective [https://www.lbxcollective.com] for more!

The LBX Show #78 - Captain Cacao, Immersive Fever, Summer Passes, & more!

Sponsored by Intercard [https://www.intercardinc.com/]! On this week's show we run through the LBE headlines that matter, from where to meet the Intercard team at upcoming events to what Universal’s Epic Universe teaches about building original characters that drive merch and loyalty. Then Kevin Williams joins us for Open & Shut to unpack a wave of new venue openings and why the lack of reported closures might be a warning sign. • Intercard’s 2026 event lineup for operators  • Universal Orlando Epic Universe using Captain Cacao to turn story into merchandise and guest connection  • How creating simple lore can deepen your venue experience and unlock new revenue  • Popstroke’s $50 unlimited Summer Pass as a pricing, cash flow, and repeat visitation strategy  • Why food and beverage becomes the profit lever when play is prepaid  • Open And Shut’s openings scan and what “no shuts” could signal about the market  • Dave and Buster’s Australia launch and what to watch in its format and mix  • Rush Funplex and Thrillz as examples of broad attraction mixes and wristband-enabled access  • Sandbox VR, Smithsonian immersive VR, and the growing role of ticketing platforms like Fever  • Laser Limbo’s mixed reality laser tag moving from product pitch to operating a venue  • Toca Social’s rapid rollout and the risk of weak secondary spend Subscribe and visit LBX Collective [https://www.lbxcollective.com] for more!