Gaming LAN/Internet Cafe Advice

[Link Antilles]

My Small Business class is centered on a large project. This project entails writing a detailed ten or so paged Business plan. Granted, a real business plan is 30 pages, I still say detailed because my teacher is very thorough. Seeing how I don't have long left to finish this, I a *little* stressed.

Anyway, I need some advice and opinions to aid my research to strengthen my persuasiveness. So, without any further ado, here are the details (or highlights to keep it short) of my plan....

To open a Gaming Cafe in my location (if you couldn’t guess)

The store would be divided into three sections-

1. LAN Arenas (Number of computers, rooms, system, not decided)
-One part consisting of 10 PCs
-One part consisting of 4 X-box (360s if LAN will work for Halo 2)

2. Video Game Retail Outlet
-Of course, to sell the games they have been playing in the LAN Arena
-Offer free passes to the LAN Arena for buying a certain number of games or preordering

3. Starbucks-like Soda stand
- Only allow food/drinks from my place

As for ideas on cost and pulling in business…
-I'm thinking a $4 per hour rate
-Have 4 or 3 months memberships that would rate cut costs
-Hold contests and tournament - Win Prizes and Money



All questions, advice, and opinions are welcomed. Thanks.

[Locke]

Lost and found section. You cant imagine all the cds I left inside the pc after 4+ hours of CS.

And what do you mean by "Starbucks like"? Like a bar where you can special order drinks like ( a gamers fuel) Mountain Dew mixed with BAWLS?

Sounds like your on the right track though, you'll get this gamers money any day

[Arnobius]

I think what you charge/hr will need to be based on your costs... especially utilities, though not more than what people are willing to pay. This may be outside of the scope of your proposal, but it might win you points with the teacher if you acknowledge it

[LorentzForce]

1) Not big enough. 10 PCs is a very small number of people. For comparison, a well full CS server can easily hold 20 people. Not everyone will want to play on the same server.
2) Costs too much. $2 sounds more like it, considering electricty bills and whatnot. $4 only if it's really, really good.

That's about it from me...

[TurkishMonky]

what about wireless gamers who want to bring their own notebooks? is there a charge for them?

[glitch1501]

here check this site out, this is a very popular lan cafe where i live, i have been there, it is awesome

http://www.lanminez.com/index.php

[Warrior4Christ]

You will probably need some kind of system that only allows them to play for the time they've paid for, then logs them off.
(ie. user management software.)

[ClosetOtaku]

For what it is worth, the best Internet cafes I've been to have been in Japan -- you can get private stations (with a closing door) for Internet, Play Station, DVD-TV, or a combination; there are showers, refreshments, DVDs and games for rent, magazines, manga...

Here's a link (in Japanese): http://www.media-cafe.net/. That's Media Cafe Popeye, one of many chains.

Just some ideas for what is successful in other areas of the world (but may not work as well here)...

[Arnobius]

For what it is worth, the best Internet cafes I've been to have been in Japan -- you can get private stations (with a closing door) for Internet, Play Station, DVD-TV, or a combination]http://www.media-cafe.net/[/url]. That's Media Cafe Popeye, one of many chains.

Just some ideas for what is successful in other areas of the world (but may not work as well here)...

Looks like they charge you differently on your options: General seating in the manga area starts at $3.50/hr (discounts for buying 4 or 6 hr blocks of time)

General seating in other areas starts at $4/hr

Private booths start at $5.05/hr
All of these options round to the next 10 minutes if you go over.

Seems nice enough, but it adds up real quick

[Sync]

tanning booths: to make it look like you've been outside