Iceland's new FEC

FEC ProfileSBF’s Midi Dance Partydominantes this viewA Midi Dance Party 360° bySBF-Visa is one of theheadline attractions atIceland’s newest andbrightest familyentertainment centre (FEC)FEC owners IngibjörgGuðmundsdóttir and EythorGudjonssonEythor Gudjonsson with YannickMaes from KCCRides andattractionsKCC tailored the attraction mixat Skemmtigardurinn for thelocal market, with an eye tosomething for everyone, fromtoddler and kids to teenagersand adults. The lower floorincludes eye-catching attractionssuch as SBF/Visa’s Midi DanceParty 360° and kids’ drop tower,a soft play area, Comfylandexperience, IE Park bumper cars,and a“7D” XD Theater from TrioTech, the venue’s highest earningattraction. Upstairs, guests canenjoy games galore including alaser tag area, video andredemption games, billiardtables, darts and Highway 66mini bowling.SkemmtigardurinnBig news in IcelandSpanning two floors of Reykjavik’s largestshopping mall, Skemmtigardurinn opened aftera very tight design and construction period.According to KCC Entertainment Design, the Belgiancompany that specialises in FECs, the initial designwas only started back in April 2011, with constructionbeginning on site in June.Enjoying a strong co-operation with KCC was theSBF-Visa group, which supplied two rides including theMidi Dance Party 360°, which occupies a prominentposition in the FEC. This beautifully lit 13-metre-tallattraction narrowly misses the shopping mall’s roof,providing an exciting experience for both rides andspectators. “At first view it always makes visitors gasp,”notes SBF-Visa’s Tommy Frison.Located in an empty part of the Smaralind mallpreviously used for events, large crowds gathered forthe opening of Skemmtigardurinn back in Novemberas owners Ingibjörg Guðmundsdóttir and EythorGudjonsson, former actor and national handballchampion, were joined by the Icelandic minister oftourism and industry.“We live in a rather cold climate so we thought itwould be great to open an indoor FEC,” Gudjonssontells Park World. “There are not many other parks orFECs in Iceland and most of them are small.”Covering 2,300 square metres, the new FECfeatures a family-orientated mix of attractionsimmersed in a jungle theme. Inside this tropical, airconditionedenvironment visitors may even forget theyare in one of the world’s most northerly countries!“We themed the FEC as a jungle because wewanted our customers to experience something totallydifferent when they walk in,” notes Gudjonsson.Iceland has gone through some tough times in the lastthree years so and we wanted to create the ambitious,exotic venue that Icelanders deserve to have.”“We are aiming at attracting two-thirds of theIcelandic nation,” continues the FEC’s owner. “It is aquite small market since there are only 320,000people living in the country, however Icelanders tendto be high spending consumers and we are rankednumber one in the world for cinema per capita. Sofar the FEC has been very successful.skemmtigardur.isJungle-themed playBumper cars28FEBRUARY 2012