Allied Esports to open esports venue in Mall of Georgia in 2020

An esports venue is coming to the Mall of Georgia. 

Located in Gwinnett County, Georgia, this mall is the first location to house Allied Esports and Simon Property Group’s joint esports venue. Esports fans in the area can expect a retail store in the first half of 2020, although no dates were included with the press release. 

In the second half of the year, the 13,000 square foot facility will have a grand opening to reveal the rest of the space. This esports space will be home to amateur and professional events. The arena will also have broadcast and streaming capabilities. 

“We’ve long felt that the gaming and esports communities in the Southeast, especially the greater Atlanta metropolitan area, are vibrant and growing and believe we have a location at Mall of Georgia that will serve as a dynamic hub for esports experiences in the region,” Allied Esports CEO Jud Hannigan said. “We’re excited to launch this first-of-its-kind on-mall venue and continue to develop and expand on this new concept for additional Simon destinations.”

Allied Esports is an esports entertainment company with the mission to “connect players, streamers, and fans” through arenas, mobile esports trucks, and other unique events focused on competitive gaming. They currently have 11 properties, including Esports Arenas in Las Vegas, Oakland, and the HyperX Studio in Germany. 

Simon Cup coming in 2020

The Mall of Georgia facility will be the location of part of the 2020 Simon Cup, an amateur Fortnite tournament with its finals set to be held in Las Vegas in November. There will also be gaming festivals in New York and Los Angeles with weekly prizes. The Grand Prize is a $50,000 shopping spree at a Simon location.

“The Simon Cup delivers the thrill of authentic esports competition, from online qualifiers to a pressure-packed final in Las Vegas, to the entire community from coast to coast,” David Moon, chief operating officer of Allied Esports said. “With a growing network across the globe, Allied Esports will continue to create exciting, innovative esports programming that uniquely integrates online and in-person experiences for fans and partners alike.”

Simon’s chief marketing officer Mikael Thygesen called Simon centers “community gathering spaces” that make for the perfect location for these types of tournaments and events for gamers.

“Allied Esports’ new esports facility is a perfect complement to the mix of shopping, dining and entertainment options at Mall of Georgia. Guests enjoy experiential offerings, and this new concept is certain to become a fast favorite among those who visit the center,” Mall of Georgia’s general manager John DiCioccio said in a press release. 

Simon has shopping, dining, and entertainment destinations across North America, Europe, and Asia.