A new activity center has entered the battlefield.
Next Gen Combat Arena, 1001 E. Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 201, Killeen, is a new activity and recreation center offering indoor sports, fun games and activities for all ages.
The family-run business offers multi-day passes, monthly memberships and party packages ranging in price from $250 to $550. The facility offers Bubble Ball Football, Laser Tag, Carts, Nerf Wars, Combat Archery, Virtual Reality Stations and more.
The Benavides moved to the area from Brownsville in 2010 after Jesus joined the army and was stationed at Fort Hood.
“When we moved here, our kids didn’t have much to do here. We had to drive to Waco or Austin to play,” says owner Laura Benavides.
Her husband, Jesus Benavides, agreed with her.
“That’s what helped create the idea of bringing something like this closer to the Killeen area,” said Jesus Benavides.
The event center officially opened on April 12, and will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Killeen Chamber of Commerce on September 1.
“Traffic traffic has been slower than we’d like, but it’s been picking up. Our customers have been pushing us towards communities that really help,” said Jesus Benavides.
The company currently has eight employees and is accepting applications.
“Before we can hire someone, we have to train them. Training takes a few weeks, so we train one person, then look at the application and train the other,” says Jesus Benavides. “It’s not difficult, but it’s more about our customers than knowing how to take care of a computer or device,” he said.
The center is open Monday-Thursday 3pm-9pm, Friday noon-10pm, Saturday 10am-10pm, Sunday 1pm-9pm
