‘Classic Arcade’ Plans Approved by Fairview Heights

by Randy Pierce

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Plans calling for the filling of a tenant space in what was once an almost completely empty shopping center in Fairview Heights have been approved after being reviewed and supported through the three necessary steps of the city’s review and consideration process.

A special use permit authorizing the pending opening of what the business’ owners are referring to as a classic arcade and video gaming center at 525 Lincoln Highway was recently approved by a majority of the Fairview Heights City Council with one dissenting vote coming from Alderman Bill Poletti.

This facility is to be situated in the retail center located just to the west of the Schnucks grocery store on Lincoln Highway, a group of tenant spaces that were filled as recently as 20 years ago but, by the time the coronavirus pandemic had resulted in a tremendous negative impact on numerous business operations, was largely vacant up until things began to turn around there the past couple of years.

To be operated by a group calling itself ZZEMMSS, LLC, which is based in Swansea, in the center known formally as Plaza St. Clair which is owned by a development group called “Location. Commercial Real Estate,” headquartered in the Clayton area of St. Louis County under a parent company in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the approved plans for Suite 28 indicate the business will have a main area featuring what its representatives characterize as “classic arcade games” plus a separate room for up to six video gaming machines, a kitchen for the serving of snack type foods, an office, restrooms, including Americans with Disabilities Act compliance fixtures and access, storage, seating area and service counters, all filling 2476 square feet of space.

The video gaming area would be closed off from the rest of the interior along with having a separate entrance and exit.

Representatives of the new business who met with the city planning commission, aldermanic planning committee and council, Steve Burkharth, Chris McGinnis and Steve Tyler, stated in the information they presented that a “passion for classic arcade games” united them in pursuing this effort with their vision for it enhanced by what they said was 75 years of cumulative experience in construction, software development and law enforcement.

Their goals include presenting a selection of games like Donkey Kong, Galaga, Pacman, Atari and more so patrons can “relive the nostalgia of” this form of entertainment while bridging generations in promoting new interest in them among younger customers.

Also planned by the trio for the arcade are pinball machines which would be the focus of weekly leagues, tournaments with winners advancing to higher levels and “family friendly” events on the weekends. Tyler, who is a resident of Fairview Heights, estimated there would be 50 to 60 different types of arcade games and pinball machines.

He further explained to the planning commission the business group’s research led to the conclusion that most customer traffic would consist of people ages 25 to 50 with all entrants required to pay an admission fee before being allowed inside. Game and pinball machine play would be permitted on the basis of hourly customer fees being paid.

Additionally, regarding the ages of patrons at the arcade, Tyler said anyone under 16 would have to be accompanied by a parent. When Alderman Barbara Brumfield asked him about the number of people to be permitted inside the arcade at any one time, he said the local fire department would be providing the business operators with that maximum number.

The specific location of the arcade finds it within the northernmost leg of Plaza St. Clair toward the rear of the tenant spaces directly across from what is the back area of the west side of the Schnucks store near an entrance road which goes from Lincoln Highway into rear parking area at St. Clair Square.

Approval of the business’ plans by the city came about following objections from one of the operators of an existing business at Plaza St. Clair, Vicki Stasko, manager of the Merle Norman Cosmetics store there.

She provided written comments and spoke about her feelings at a meeting of the planning commission during a public hearing on the development plan, saying her business has operated at this location for over 35 years after relocating from downtown Belleville, while also addressing the city council planning committee when it considered the permit request.

Stasko, after mentioning her business survived the pandemic when others in the same center were unable to, said she and proprietors operating in that center do not want the arcade and video gaming nearby because it is not compatible with what else exists in Plaza St. Clair – what she referred to as physical, health, personal services and medical care establishments like hers along with Affordable Dentures, Metro Infusion, Once Upon A Child and Banging Body Bootcamp among them.   

Saying she feels the arcade would be better suited to operating out of its own building, while not objecting to its entertainment offerings concept per se, Stasko expressed concern that it would attract the “same type of clientele” that frequents places like Sky Zone or St. Clair Bowl.

Stasko further stated she felt the arcade was the not right for the “environment” existing at Plaza St. Clair while adding it is her feeling that her older customers will not want something like that nearby.

When Stasko and others questioned the city’s distance requirements between existing video gaming businesses, Fairview Heights Director of Land Use and Development Dallas Alley responded that those restrictions only apply to locations which offer such gambling as an exclusive attraction while adding this arcade will feature it only as a supplement to its primary use at Plaza St. Clair.

The arcade representatives stated their closing time for the “Zzemss Gaming Hub” would be 1 a.m. which is a matter of concern for planning commission member Pat Herrington who remarked he would be less “bothered” by that if the operating hours were to cease at 10 p.m. Tyler told the planning commission the hours were necessary to stay competitive with other gaming establishments in the community. When the planning commission voted to approve the arcade special use permit, Herrington’s comment was “yes, with reservations.”

Planning Commission Chairman Greg Moats said he was aware of video gaming places currently in operation where there have been no incidents similar to the disturbances resulting in police being called to Sky Zone and St. Clair Bowl in recent years.

Alley said he consulted with Fairview Heights Chief of Police Steve Johnson and learned also there have not been instances of any criminal activity or disruption at local video gaming businesses.

Alderman Brenda Wagner offered further support to that idea by saying she had worked at a bank in a center which also had a video gaming business and there was never any need for police to be called to the latter location nor were there any adverse incidents related to on-site alcohol consumption, a concern expressed by resident Frank Watson, at the gaming place.

Also explained by Alley to the planning commission was that an arcade and video gaming would be allowed, per city regulations, at the location in question but the permit was needed because there are significant changes to be incorporated into this site compared to what existed there previously.

Tyler had explained, when meeting with the city groups, the business’ video gaming machines would be isolated from the remainder of the interior and no one under the age of 21 could be permitted to go where they are located which will be enhanced with video surveillance.

He added that the food to be served would be the kind easily held in the hands like hot dogs, pretzels, pizza and smaller offerings as opposed to anything like full sit-down meals. It is state law, according to Mayor Mark Kupsky, that any establishment which has video gaming must also offer food and drink of some sort.