STATE COLLEGE — Families in the region looking for fun entertainment for all ages will have a new option next month as Nittany Valley Sports Centre opens The Clubhouse Family Fun Centre.
Located at 177 Champion Drive in State College, The Clubhouse is a new entertainment space designed to give families, teams, companies and groups a place to play, gather, and build memories. It was designed to complement Nittany Sports Centre, a year-round sports and recreation facility that offers youth and adult programs like basketball, soccer, volleyball, flag football, speed training, camps, leagues and special events.
A grand opening of the new addition is scheduled for March 7 at noon.
The Clubhouse will offer 70 arcade games and virtual reality experiences including first-of-its-kind VR Starship in North America, a six-person adventure that takes players on flights throughout the cosmos.
As Nittany Valley Sports Centre has grown, staff there have studied what similar facilities across the country were doing well to see how they could improve the experience for families. They identified a growing trend of adding family entertainment components alongside sports programming.
“When you look at our day-to-day reality — parents waiting during practices, siblings tagging along, teams sitting around between tournament games — it became clear there was an opportunity to enhance what we offer,” said Jaimie Confer, Director of Marketing and Sales at Nittany Valley Sports Centre.
“The Clubhouse grew naturally from that observation. Families are already here, spending time together in our building. We wanted to create a fun, energetic space that gives them even more ways to connect, celebrate, and enjoy time together whether they’re here for sports or just for fun.”
Confer said the idea behind The Clubhouse has been in the works for several years because they knew existing space in the building would become available when one of the tenants finished their lease.
“We began researching and evaluating options well in advance. During that planning phase, we worked with consultants, conducted a feasibility analysis, and carefully defined what we felt would best serve our community,” Confer said. “Once the space became available at the end of November, the physical buildout has moved quickly. It wasn’t a ground-up construction project — it was more about reimagining and repurposing the space. We removed a few walls, refreshed the finishes, and completed significant electrical upgrades to support the arcade and entertainment elements.”
One of the new offerings at The Clubhouse is space for birthday parties and group events.
“The Clubhouse itself is designed to comfortably handle a strong crowd. We can host multiple birthday parties or group events simultaneously while still welcoming families who simply want to walk in and play,” Confer explained. “The Clubhouse is just one part of a much larger facility. The Centre can accommodate significant activity across multiple areas at once — practices on the
turf, games on the courts, training sessions, and now entertainment in The Clubhouse — all without the building feeling overwhelmed.”
The Clubhouse boasts dedicated private party rooms that can host up to 40 guests, along with semi-private gathering areas that can accommodate large groups as well. Those spaces connect naturally to The Clubhouse experience, so groups have room to gather, celebrate, and then move back into the arcade and activity areas seamlessly.
“Our goal with The Clubhouse was to create energy without congestion — a space that feels lively and exciting, but still comfortable,” Confer said. ‘Whether it’s a team celebrating after a tournament game, a large birthday party, or a family coming in on a Saturday night, the building is designed to handle it smoothly.”
Additional details regarding hours, pricing and party options will be announced closer to the opening day, Confer said. Information can be obtained at www.thecentrepa.com.
