Family-fun arcade coming to Jefferson City this March
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
A family-fun arcade and bowling alley, called Strikers, is coming to Jefferson City on March 1, with help from a tax break.
Last night the Jefferson City council voted to hold off on collecting 75% of strikers property taxes for a 10 year period, and 50% of real estate taxes for a 15-year period.
After a tornado hit Jefferson City in 2019, Capitol Bowl on Christy Drive, closed its doors for good due to the damage.
Now, three years later, bowling, video games, arcade, food and drinks and more are all coming to Jefferson City for the first time.
Strikers has several virtual reality games, a sports simulator, bowling alley, VIP bowling alley room, full bar, restaurant and much more.
The four owners of Strikers are Mark Gerlach, Brian Bloomer, Brad Harrison and Scot Drinkard.
Scot Drinkard, who runs the food and beverage and event center at Strikers, said they had to build the new arcade from the ground up.
"We gutted the whole thing there was not one thing in here other than the skeleton of it, that was it so everything is brand new," Drinkard said.
Drinkard has been in the food and beverage business for 24 years and owns around 14 businesses.
"I have a landscape company I've been involved in for 25 years, I have bars and restaurants in this area, I'm involved in a hemp company, I have an ATM company, gaming company, a boutique company out of Mississippi," Drinkard said.
Drinkard is hopeful the arcade will have a positive impact on the community.
"Everybody you talk to, especially people my age or older always say there's nothing to do in Jeff City, you either gotta go to Columbia or the lake, once you come into this facility you can't say that anymore," Drinkard said.
Strikers will create several full-time and part-time jobs for the community.
"We are looking to hire approximately 90-100 people," Drinkard said.
Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin said she is excited about what the arcade will bring to the city.
"We are definitely happy about bringing more jobs to the city, it will also bring people here and keep people here," Tergin said.
On Tuesday, one council member, Mike Lester, said he supported the project but didn't think it needed a tax break.
Anyone interested in the business can check out their website.
