Smashcade Esports Arcade now open in the Boathouse District

By | May 24, 2022

OKLAHOMA CITY — RIVERSPORT and Equinox Sports are partnering to offer Smashcade Esports Arcade in Oklahoma City’s Boathouse District. 

“As every parent knows, esports are exploding,” said Mike Knopp, executive director of RIVERSPORT. “High schools and universities have teams, and kids are getting scholarships to go into esports programming and graphic design. Pro sports from the NBA to the NFL have made esports central to their sports and according to the International Olympic committee, the door is open for esports to debut at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.”

Smashcade has been developed by Oklahoma City entrepreneurs Chad Ford and Austin Hogue. 

“Esports is another outlet of teamwork and competition that is on the precipice of exploding across the nation,” Ford said. “We felt RIVERSPORT’s dedication to competition and the daily exposure were a home run for us when we were looking for a partner.”

Smashcade is located on the second floor of the McClendon Whitewater Center, 800 RIVERSPORT Dr., and is open during the same hours as RIVERSPORT, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. weekends and daily beginning Memorial Day. Hourly and day passes are available and Smashcade is offering summer camps to complement RIVERSPORT’s outdoor Adventure Camps.

“We believe there’s a healthy way for kids to engage in esports when we balance the focus that goes into indoor gaming with robust outdoor activities,” Knopp said. “Kids can spend the day rafting, surfing, biking and kayaking, then come indoors for esports at Smashcade.”

Smashcade offers over 25 games including Minecraft, Fortnite, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Valorant, Call of Duty Vanguard, Halo Infinite, and Apex Legends among others. Tournament play will be scheduled at events throughout the summer and fall; a schedule will be announced soon. 

Smashcade hour passes are $8-9 depending on the day of the week and can be purchased onsite; half day and day passes are also available. 

Smashcade esports camps feature Fortnite and are designed to help e-athletes boost their gaming skills while incorporating safe practices. Sessions include game specific training, gameplay, competition, exploration of careers in esports and a focus on creating healthy lifestyles while enjoying esports. The half-day camps are set for June 13-17, June 20-24 and July 11-15 for ages 10 to 16 (grades 4 to 11). Participants can combine the esports camp with a half-day RIVERSPORT Adventure Camp. Registration for both camps is available online at riversportokc.org/get-involved/camps.