LAKEWOOD, Colo. -- This weekend, the online gaming community is welcoming a new space to Lakewood that's a first of its kind in Colorado. The Esports arena called Localhost Denver held its grand opening on Friday.
“Being able to come here and play on professional equipment is something that I think the community is really hungry for,” said James Love, Director of Communications for N3rd Street Gamers.
Love said the 18,000-square foot space off S. Wadsworth Blvd. went through quite the transformation over the last eight weeks.
“It was an old indoor batting cage,” said Love. “There were ropes hanging from the ceiling, nets were up, there was astro turf all over the floor.”
The team replaced the batting cage equipment with soon to be 125 high end PC gaming monitors. The space has the technology for around 200 people to play at the same time and to watch gaming streams from all over.
“You walk in and it takes your breath away,” said Love.
Gamers can play individually, in groups or organize tournaments. Events ahead at the space in 2019 will include teams playing for pool money ranging anywhere from $5,000 - $50,000.
There's no age requirement to get into the Esports arena, but the games people can play have to be linked back home.
“If the individual is under the age of 14 and his or her mother decided 'no you can't play Counter-strike until you are this age' then that game would not be accessible to them because it would be tied to their own account,” said Love.
Right now Localhost Denver is offering a drop in fee to play:
-$10 for four hours
-$15 for eight hours
-$20 for an all day pass.
Hours: 12 p.m. – 12 a.m. daily
The arena is working on incorporating monthly memberships into the system.