Las Vegas business taps into the video gaming frenzy

Flat-screen, high-definition TVs that line the dimly lit The Gamerz Garage are wired to modern gaming consoles loaded with some of the most popular current titles out, including Fortnite, Roblox and NBA 2K.

The event space, the brainchild of Trey Turley, mostly resembles a modest-sized lounge coupled with a pool table and framed artwork of iconic video game characters.

During any given day, it’s a gamer’s haven.

The Gamerz Garage hosts all-ages tournaments for aficionados of Super Smash Bros. and a variety of other fighting games. It’s also available to rent for parties.

“The kids love it,” said Turley, 40. “They love the music, they love just playing the games.”

“It’s not too often that 30, 40 kids can be in one space and all game at the same time,” he added. “You can’t go over to your friend’s house and take 30 friends with you.”

Turley’s west valley business taps into a mammoth industry with about $55 billion in U.S. market revenue, according to most recent figures provided by Statista.com.

The data-gathering service also surmised that there are about 190 million video gamers in the country, and that about one in five of them play at least six hours a week.

It wasn’t clear how those numbers break down by state, but Las Vegas might be onto something.

The Strip earlier this year hosted the TwitchCon convention put on by the streaming giant.

The Luxor is also home to the HyperX Arena Las Vegas, a prominent esports venue. And the Esports & Gaming Business Summit (EBS) was recently held at the MGM Grand.

“Las Vegas is the mecca,” Turley said, “the capital of esports.”

Video gaming hardly looks anything like it did when consoles first hit the market decades ago, now allowing interactions with fellow gamers from around the world.

For Turley, gaming continues to serve the same purpose it did when he first got a Nintendo “forever” ago.

“The focus is just on the game, or whatever is going on in the game,” he said. “All your problems and everything that you’re going through, they just go away.”

Initially imagined as a mobile trailer equipped with video game setups, The Gamerz Garage opened in February at 8221 W. Charleston Blvd.

“I kind of just came to the realization that it would be better to have a brick and mortar business instead of driving from house to house,” Turley said.

Starting in 2024, Turley plans to begin organizing regular NBA 2K and Madden tournaments, and he hopes to be operating a handful of The Gamerz Garage locations within the next few years.

“I think it’s just going to get better,” he said about his business and the local gaming community.

Former Las Vegas resident Corey Smith, 30, who streams himself playing live under the moniker “Kinglightskin5,” echoed the sentiment of gaming as an escape.

He said that playing video games has helped him reinforce his social and even mechanical skills..

Smith became hooked the day he first played the original PlayStation. The portable Game Boy Advance, expanded his passion, allowing him to play “all the time,” from anywhere.

Along the way, he’s bought other consoles, enlisted in the Navy, moved to Texas, retired from the military branch and fathered children.

He said he doesn’t expect his love for video games to ever end.

Smith began streaming Twitch during the pandemic, and has amassed just over 600 followers. Yet while he briefly considered turning streaming into a new career, he said, “I’m fine with the side hobby.”

Still, he’s found a community that’s even participated on his stream fundraisers for veteran causes, playing a variety of games.

He cherishes his time online, playing with friends and chatting with his followers, he said. His older daughter has also picked up his hobby.

“It’s really nice to have games to connect,” Smith said.

He recommended people who’ve never tried video gaming should give it a chance.

“Try it out out and see how you feel,” he said.

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @rickytwrites.