There are "Cyber Cafes" in several states, but very few "Cyber Gaming
Arcades".  I am extremely serious about starting one, but I need help
in researching some information.  This may not be an easy assigment
for you.  I will attempt to give you as much info as I can right here
to start.  This falls in the category of computers and entertainment. 
Ok. Imagine a facility of about 3000 square feet, arcade subdued
lighting, 32 gaming computers each "maxed" out for premium gaming
performance.  Each computer with a 15 or 17 inch flat panel monitor,
great sound, etc.  There is an area for console games as well (X-Box,
Game Cube, etc.) All computers and consoles are internet/on-line
capable.  You will be able to play in teams with your good friends and
new friends against others in fun competition on-line and within the
complex (Local Area Networks).  Prizes, Tournaments, action, fun, and
all with the human comraderie that makes it tick!  Sounds good, huh? 
Well now I need the research, facts and figures to help me put
together a basic business plan. I know what hardware to buy, I know
basic hourly rates to charge for online gaming time (probably $6 to $8
per hour).  What I need is to find a few of these places that are up
and running in the country right now.  I saw a report on CNN a couple
of months ago on this.  I called them, but they haven't located the
story yet.  Can you find them?  I need to pick their brains on this. 
I need statistics of how well these "Arcades" are doing.  I need stats
like the $9.4 billion Video Gaming grossed for 2001.  News articles,
the Cyberathletic Professional Leaugue, computer training classes (in
the daytime?), etc. etc.  I hope this is enough "ammo" for you to go
on.  If not let me know

---

Request for Question Clarification by leep-ga on 08 Nov 2002 02:24 PST

Greetings arturo-ga!

I was unable to uncover statistics for yearly revenues of cyber gaming
places and so I'm not posting this as answer.  But I thought you be
interested in the following links:

I wasn't able to locate a CNN article that was purely about gaming
cafes, but they did have a TV segment on LAN parties last month. 
Unfortunately, CNN now charges to view video clips:
"Party LAN":
http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/science/10/03/lan.party/

Here are links to some various news articles pertaining to gaming
cafes:

"Cybercafes serve an explosive brew":
http://www.almenconi.com/news/feb02/022502.html

"Violence Hits Cybercafes":
http://www.techtv.com/news/culture/story/0,24195,3369420,00.html

"Cyber café has Anderson wired":
http://www.andersonsc.com/stories/story_page.asp?id=69101

"Cyber cafes face regulation":
(requires registration)
http://www.pe.com/localnews/sanbernardino/stories/PE_NEWS_nbcyber18.a1200.html

"Testing the Nerve: Gaming Cafes through the Metaphor of
Retribalization":
http://www.game-research.com/art_gaming_cafes.asp

"Man Dies After Marathon Gaming Session":
http://www.avault.com/news/displaynews.asp?story=10102002-85151


Here are some links to some specific gaming centers:

The Stomping Grounds (Minnesota):
http://www.stomped.com

Cybergate Internet Game Bang  (Seattle, WA):
(warning - their site is pretty terrible) 
http://www.maccybergate.com/

ICE — Internet Cafe Entertainment:
http://www.icecafe.net/

The following page has a list of LAN gaming centers.  They vary in
type.  Some of the centers offer gaming all of the time in a cafe
setting, some of the places occasionally have a LAN tournament, etc.

LAN Gaming Centers:
http://www.lanparty.com/centers/

In your question you mentioned the Cyberathlete Professional League so
you might already have the link to them, but here it is just to be
complete:

The Cyberathlete Professional League:
http://www.cyberathlete.com/

news articles about the Cyberathlete tournaments:
http://www.cyberathlete.com/index.html?p=media-print

I hope this information is helpful.   If you feel that the information
may be enough to count as an answer, please let me know and I will
post it as an answer.  If you require more statistics, please let us
know what all types of data/statistics you are looking for.  Thanks!

leep-ga

---

Request for Question Clarification by tox-ga on 08 Nov 2002 19:24 PST

I can offer advise/insight/suggestions to specific/general questions
about starting a cyber cafe as I am running one myself and by
association, am personally close to several other cyber cafe owners
each with a different magnitude of success.  If this is what you want,
please let me know.

---

Clarification of Question by arturo-ga on 08 Nov 2002 21:23 PST

Wow! I like the responses I'm getting! First, Leep-ga, thanks for all
the links.  I haven't had time to check them all, but I will. Second,
Tox-ga, I am VERY interested in talking to you about your experiences
and your fellow cafe owners.   By the way, how do I answer the great
people who have posted comments?  Do I just put in a comment as well
to answer them? I'll try to clarify for you guys: It's tough because
this is some new ground I (and my partner) are trying to break.  The
reason I call this a "Cyber Gaming Arcade" as opposed to "Cafe" is for
a couple of reasons.  First, with the exception of vending machine
food, I do not plan to serve food.  This involves a lot more money,
health inspections, etc.  I don't think I want to run a restaurant.
Second, the Cyber Cafes I've seen and talked to are nothing more than
computers of convenience in a "Starbucks" type setting.  There is
nothing wrong with this setup at all, but it is not where I'm going. 
I want this to be a fun experience for serious and novice gamers
alike.  It's not just to sit down and cruise the Internet.  The people
that visit here will come for the gaming, in a "friends with friends"
environment.  The online gaming world is too much of a loner type
activity.  Again, there is nothing really wrong with that, but my (and
my partner's) idea is to bring back the human comraderie to the video
gaming world.  It is very much like bowling leagues.  The Bowling
alleys have most of their lanes occupied my leagues.  I bowled in
leagues for years and loved being with my friends and people we met. 
This concept and "good feeling" can be done with my proposed Cyber
Gaming Arcade.  I've been to lanparty.com and LAN party people are
crucial to my success, BUT not the only way to success.  If things go
right, my Cyber Gaming Arcade will be themed with gaming.  Colors,
posters, etc. from the gaming world.  I'll fly in special guests like
creators of the hottest games, etc.  Are there any stats on gamers in
a given area that would frequent a proposed place like mine?  I'm not
sure.  Again this is new territory.  Do you have any other ideas on
the information I would need?

---

Request for Question Clarification by leep-ga on 10 Nov 2002 21:37 PST

Hello again.  You wrote "I will close this question and give Leep the
$$.  He/she did a good job."  

Please let me know if I can post my previous comments as as answer.  Thank you.  

leep-ga

Greetings again arturo-ga! 
 
Per your earlier comment, I am posting my earlier comment as an
answer.  If you would like for me to clarify any part of my answer or
further research your question, please let me know before issuing a
rating.  Thanks!

leep-ga

-------------------------------------
I was unable to uncover statistics for yearly revenues of cyber gaming
places and so I'm not posting this as answer.  But I thought you be
interested in the following links:
 
I wasn't able to locate a CNN article that was purely about gaming
cafes, but they did have a TV segment on LAN parties last month. 
Unfortunately, CNN now charges to view video clips:
"Party LAN": 
http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/science/10/03/lan.party/ 
 
Here are links to some various news articles pertaining to gaming
cafes:
 
"Cybercafes serve an explosive brew": 
http://www.almenconi.com/news/feb02/022502.html 
 
"Violence Hits Cybercafes": 
http://www.techtv.com/news/culture/story/0,24195,3369420,00.html 
 
"Cyber café has Anderson wired": 
http://www.andersonsc.com/stories/story_page.asp?id=69101 
 
"Cyber cafes face regulation": 
(requires registration) 
http://www.pe.com/localnews/sanbernardino/stories/PE_NEWS_nbcyber18.a1200.html
 
"Testing the Nerve: Gaming Cafes through the Metaphor of
Retribalization":
http://www.game-research.com/art_gaming_cafes.asp 
 
"Man Dies After Marathon Gaming Session": 
http://www.avault.com/news/displaynews.asp?story=10102002-85151 
 
 
Here are some links to some specific gaming centers: 
 
The Stomping Grounds (Minnesota): 
http://www.stomped.com 
 
Cybergate Internet Game Bang  (Seattle, WA): 
(warning - their site is pretty terrible)  
http://www.maccybergate.com/ 
 
ICE — Internet Cafe Entertainment: 
http://www.icecafe.net/ 
 
The following page has a list of LAN gaming centers.  They vary in
type.  Some of the centers offer gaming all of the time in a cafe
setting, some of the places occasionally have a LAN tournament, etc.
 
LAN Gaming Centers: 
http://www.lanparty.com/centers/ 
 
In your question you mentioned the Cyberathlete Professional League so
you might already have the link to them, but here it is just to be
complete:
 
The Cyberathlete Professional League: 
http://www.cyberathlete.com/ 
 
news articles about the Cyberathlete tournaments: 
http://www.cyberathlete.com/index.html?p=media-print 
 
I hope this information is helpful.   If you feel that the information
may be enough to count as an answer, please let me know and I will
post it as an answer.  If you require more statistics, please let us
know what all types of data/statistics you are looking for.  Thanks!
 
leep-ga
-------------------------------------

Another fine job by the GA team!

arturo, have been thinking the same thing lately, not on such a scale,
one smaller, 4 to 8 pc's, then integrating under license into an
existing entertainment venue, a large hotel for example. In Australia
we have many of these who I think would like to offer alternative
non-core trading activities to bring people to the hotel, perhaps also
to entertain younger guests whilst their parents are otherwise
occupied. I shall be watching the official answer, indeed if such data
is available, with great interest. Good luck!

I would like to say that this sounds like a great idea and a lot of fun; good luck.

A friend of mine did this about a year ago.  She has an upstairs store
selling games and hardware, and a downstairs divided into two rooms to
allow group play.  She got some VC money to start this up, and they
get some sort of consideration (I don't know what).  She also has ties
to some game distributors who provide new games to demo on a sort of
opening weekend nationwide bash type thing (there's some term for
this; I forget what it is).

I can ask her if I can give you her email address if you would like;
in any event, the company's website is at http://www.ping-time.com/

First off, thank you guys/gals for the great comments.  Flashv, great
idea on the hotel angle.  I may "borrow" it one day.  Rbnn, thanks for
the kind thoughts.  Haversian, I would be very interested in talking
to you and your friend.  How can I get your email address?  Do we post
it here?  Can we somehow exchange email addresses more privately?  Let
me know what to do.

It occurs to me that it might be best for you to try emailing
questions to questions@ping-time.com, the email address listed on
their website - Google's pretty keen on the anonymity of both
Researchers and questioners.  If you don't get much of a response, I
can ask if she would answer some questions, but we'd probably have to
relay everything through this site.

Haversian,  Ok I will try to email her.  Let her know I will be doing
this soon if you can.  I will close this question and give Leep the
$$.  He/she did a good job.

Ok, Leep-ga, go ahead and post your previous comments as an answer. 
How can I get a hold of Tox-ga?  He/She wrote above "I can offer
advice/insight/suggestions to specific/general questions
about starting a cyber cafe as I am running one myself and by
association, am personally close to several other cyber cafe owners
each with a different magnitude of success.  If this is what you want,
please let me know."

I would like to talk to him/her.  Can you help?