COD opens Garage: a VR zone and food park in one
WHAT WAS formerly a car park located inside the 6.2-acre City of Dreams Manila (COD) is now Southeast Asia’s first VR (virtual reality) zone-cum-food park. The integrated resort and casino property recently opened the Garage, featuring 10 food outlets and four VR attractions ensconced in a 2,714-square meter space.
“This was a car park, that’s why we called this The Garage, because it’s literally parking spaces,” Kevin Benning, COO of City of Dreams Manila, told reporters during the preview of the space on Oct. 9.
The attraction, which was done in partnership with Bandai Namco Amusement from Japan, was fashioned after Bandai’s 3,500-square meter VR Zone in Shinjuku, said to be the largest in the world.
“They (Bandai Namco) wanted to expand outside Japan and when we said we wanted to bring it to Manila, they jumped at it because their intellectual properties are famous worldwide including [in] the Philippines,” Mr. Benning said.
Bandai Namco is responsible from releasing games such as Mario Kart Arcade GP2, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Dragon Ball (including 2018’s Dragon Ball Fighter Z), and Pac-Man Party, among many others.
The Garage, which formally opened on Oct. 14, features three VR attractions: a fourplayer Mario Kart Arcade GP VR, a horror-escape room called Hospital Escape Terror (also for up to four players), and Ski Rodeo, a two-minute steep, downhill ski simulator.
Mr. Benning said that the current VR zone — which cost P350 million to build — is part of a larger, multi-phase plan scheduled for the first 12 months of operations.
“We have plans for some additional Bandai Namco attractions and, depending on the reception, there could be more,” he said before adding that they will soon be adding a VR version of the 1981 arcade game, Galaga.
Mr. Benning said they have more space “to grow into” and if everything goes to plan, The Garage will occupy an estimated 3,500-sq.m. space.
THE FOOD PARK
Aside from the VR Zone, the Garage also features a 10-restaurant food park which can seat 563 people, born by the need of COD Manila’s patrons to have more food options. But in true COD Manila fashion, Mr. Benning said they “didn’t want this to become just another food park.”
“We chose brands that are unique and different [and are not usually seen] inside malls in Metro Manila. [These are] brands that are unique and still meets our vision from a luxury standpoint,” he said.
In the food park are restaurants such as Little Flour (a smaller Wildflour) which serves Filipino cuisine; Farmacy which serves desserts; Pink’s Hot Dogs which serves American dishes such as the aforementioned hot dog alongside burgers and fries; Katsu Sora and Hokkaido Ramen Santouka which both serve Japanese food; El Chupacabra which serves Mexican-influenced dishes; and Pizza Grigliata which serves freshly made artisanal pizza.
Aside from these food merchants, COD Manila also introduced into the food park their own food concepts such as The Roaster, a coffee nook, Chocol8 which specializes in artisanal chocolates, and Juiced for fruit and vegetable-based beverages.
The Garage is located at the upper ground floor of City of Dreams Manila and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Entrance is free, though VR Zone activities cost P450 per activity or P1,200 for three people. A Mario Kart or Horror Room bundle for four people is P1,600, while Ski Rodeo for two people is P800.
It is open to people of all ages though guests under the age of seven must have parental consent to experience certain VR activities, and some activities are not open to children below 13 years old regardless of parental consent. —