Toy company Hasbro is launching NERF-themed action parks, starting with two upcoming locations in Tennessee and New Jersey. The NERF Action Xperience is billed as an “active play center” for families, kids, young adults, and those hosting corporate events and parties.
The indoor venues will include blaster battle zones using NERF’s foam-based toy weapons, sports challenges such as basketball shooting games, an obstacle course, a retail store, and food and beverage.
NERF’s first location is planned to open at the Westfield Garden State Plaza mall in Paramus, New Jersey. A second location coming to Pigeon Forge Parkway in Tennessee will open in the fall of 2024 and span more than 29,000 square feet.
“For over 50 years, NERF has been committed to encouraging social active play, and we can’t think of a better way to bring this to life for our fans than opening this new NERF Action Xperience location,” Matt Proulx, VP of Location Based Entertainment at Hasbro, said in a statement. “With this brand-new family entertainment center, we’re proud to be executing our promise of bringing unique, innovative experiences to our NERF players in Pigeon Forge.”
Hasbro is opening the NERF venues in partnership with location-based entertainment company Kingsmen Xperience. The association was initially announced in 2019, but the construction of the venues was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.The NFL announced a deal with Hasbro in 2021 to use NERF-branded footballs and flag belts in NFL Flag, the licensed flag football league operator of the NFL.