Esports racing ready to take ‘massive leap’ by building an arena in Miami
Move over Dolphins, Marlins and Heat. There’s a new sport coming to town.
The world’s first esports arena dedicated solely to simulated auto racing is being built in Wynwood, according to Canadian-based gaming company Millennial Esports. Slated to open in 2020, the arena will seat 300 and feature 30 racing simulators.
“Creating our first arena is an important step in Millennial Esports’ goal of taking esports racing to an entirely new level,” Millennial Esports President and CEO, Darren Cox said in a statement.
The beauty of securing a 12,000 square-foot space on Northwest 25th Street will be its ability to perform a variety of functions. Simulators can be raced on individually, linked with any of the other rigs or networked to race against competition from across the globe.
“Nobody has built anything like this at this level — we want this to be the ‘Formula 1’ of racing esports facilities — and the people of Miami will be the first to enjoy this opportunity to develop their skills,” Cox said.
Additionally, the $2.8 million complex will serve as a training grounds for professional drivers. It will also include a full-motion simulator similar to the ones used by professional race teams.
“Simulators are extremely important because technically, they are so close to driving the real thing,” said Emerson Fittipaldi, who won both an Indianapolis 500 and Formula 1 World Championship. “You learn the track before you even arrive — where to brake, where to turn, even before arriving at any track in the world.”
Esports — specifically racing — already has roots in Miami. Simulator manufacturer Allinsports, which is owned by the Millennial Esports, already has a driver training facility in Coral Gables. Building the arena was just the next step.
“Our new arena will take esports racing to an entirely new level,” Cox said. “Esports is the fastest growing sport in the world, but the racing genre of esports is ready to take a massive leap.”
This story was originally published October 4, 2019 at 3:16 PM.
