Five Star Parks & Attractions acquires award‐winning Scene75 Entertainment
By News Release | May 13, 2023
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Five Star Parks & Attractions, a leading operator of family entertainment centers (FECs), announced today the acquisition of Scene75 Entertainment, an international award-winning brand of entertainment centers with four locations in Ohio: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, and Dayton; and one in Chicagoland: Romeoville, Illinois.
With this acquisition, Five Star Parks & Attractions expands its portfolio to 25 FEC’s in 12 states. Scene75’s offerings will complement Five Star Parks’ existing portfolio and further strengthen the company’s position as a leader in the family entertainment industry. This acquisition marks the first strategic acquisition since Five Star Parks was acquired by Court Square Capital Partners in March.
“We are pleased to bring together Five Star’s unique platform for value creation with the recognized innovation and award-winning excellence of Scene75,” said Joseph Silvestri, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Court Square.
“We are thrilled to welcome Scene75 to the growing Five Star Parks family,” said John Dunlap, CEO of Five Star Parks & Attractions. “We’ve been so impressed with Scene75’s huge high-quality entertainment centers, and we are excited to continue to innovate and build the brand with their talented team.”
Scene75 has been recognized with numerous industry awards and accolades, including twice being named the #1 family entertainment center in North America by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. The company’s five locations feature a variety of exciting attractions, including electric go-karts, blacklight mini golf, two-story laser tag, arcade, bar, 4D simulators, mini-bowling, and private event space.
“It is an exciting opportunity for Scene75 to join forces with Five Star Parks & Attractions.” said Jonah Sandler, CFA, Founder of Scene75. “We are proud of the experiences we have created for our guests over the years and believe Scene75 has a bright future of innovation and growth as part of Five Star Parks.
The acquisition of Scene75 marks the latest in a series of strategic acquisitions for Five Star Parks & Attractions, which has been rapidly expanding its footprint in the family entertainment industry. Five Star Parks has a strong commitment to providing safe, clean, fun experiences, and the addition of Scene75 is an ideal fit.
The Five Star Parks & Attractions portfolio includes the Track Family Fun Parks, Adventure Ziplines, and Xtreme Racing in Branson, Missouri; LazerPort Fun Center, SpeedZone, and Xtreme Racing in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee; Celebration Station with locations in Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Texas; Craig’s Cruisers with three locations in Michigan; and Malibu Jack’s indoor theme parks with locations in Indiana and Kentucky.
“We continue to be excited to add value to Five Star supporting M&A activities. We’ve known Jonah and his team for nearly two years, and we are excited Scene75 is joining John and the Five Star team,” said Jay Coughlon, co-founder and Managing Partner of Fruition Partners.
Solomon Partners served as financial advisor and Katz Teller as legal counsel to Scene75. Honigman LLP served as legal counsel to Five Star Parks & Attractions.