Maricopa Ventures into Entertainment with Its Own Fat Cats Recreation Center

Maricopa is set to welcome a new “mecca of family entertainment.” Former resident Scott Bartle has proposed an indoor-outdoor family entertainment center near Copper Sky Regional Park, as revealed in public records this week.

The proposed 2.5-acre center aims to address what Bartle describes as a decades-long need for family-friendly activities in the area. Initial plans include features like miniature golf, duckpin bowling, an arcade, a ropes course, and a café. Future phases will introduce bumper boats and go-karts.

Currently, families in Maricopa often travel to nearby cities such as Tempe, Chandler, or Mesa to access similar entertainment options. Bartle expressed a desire to change that dynamic as he moves forward with the project.

“Maricopa needs this,” Bartle stated in an interview. “We need safe, fun activities for kids and families in town. We need entertainment that doesn’t require yet another roundtrip on State Route 347.”

While there is another development on the horizon—the Elevate Trampoline Park—this project has seen no progress since its announcement in July. Thus, the proposed family entertainment center will stand out as a pivotal addition for local families.

A preliminary site plan suggests an exciting layout for the entertainment center, but details on the timeline for construction and opening remain unclear. Despite the uncertainties, Bartle is optimistic about what the center will bring to the community.

“Smiles, lots and lots of smiles,” he remarked enthusiastically. “Maricopa’s family entertainment center will be a place people go to make bad days good, good days great, and great days epic.”

Scott Bartle is the publisher of InMaricopa, where updates on this project are expected as it develops.