Could A New Family Entertainment Center Change Missoula's Scene?

Local families in Missoula have long complained about not having enough family-friendly places to take their kids. As a parent, I would wish that a Chuck-E-Cheese would open up in town so that I had a place to take my kid for some skeeball.

Recently, rumors have emerged that the Launch Family Entertainment Center plans to open a location in the former Joann Fabrics store on Brooks Street. And before anyone immediately labels it as "just another trampoline park," that's not really what Launch is.

There are Launch locations all over the country, and they include arcade games, laser tag, bowling, ninja warrior-style obstacle courses, rock climbing facilities, dodgeball courts, VR experience zones, as well as dedicated birthday party spaces. So you can say it has plenty of things to keep the kids busy.

Long winters, plus "fire season" air quality conditions, have parents left cycling between the same handful of indoor activities. Birthday party options can feel limited, and teenagers are constantly looking for places to hang out that don't involve sitting at home staring at their phones.

It sounds like Launch has all the bases covered: birthday parties, youth group events, school group activities, family evening outings, or just something different to do on a Friday night.

The former Joann Fabrics store is huge, and there is plenty of parking. Not to mention their own in-house pizza restaurant called "KRAVE."

Whether they are parents hoping to take their children to burn off excess energy, teenagers looking for a new place to spend time, or adults wanting to meet friends for VR matches, the idea of a large family entertainment center coming to Missoula is easy to get excited about.

For now, we'll have to wait and see what ultimately gets announced.

But if the rumors are true, Missoula may soon have a lot more than a trampoline park.