Sector 815 plans to bring laser tag back to the former Laser Quest, 293 Executive Parkway, in Rockford. The goal is to open in March. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A laser tag business that ran for nearly three decades is being revamped to reopen under new ownership and with new technology that brings the game into the modern era.

Sector 815 is preparing to take over the former Laser Quest, 293 Executive Parkway, which operated for 27 years until it closed in September 2020 largely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The new company plans to reuse much of the Laser Quest setup, but you’ll play with updated equipment that doesn’t require the bulky vest: just your weapon and a headband.

“It’s going to be using a lot of what they already have. They built out a great maze and a great arena,” said Mike Greer, owner of Sector 815. “Some of it will be adding some cool lighting effects … to add some wow effects to the arena itself.”

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Greer hopes to open Sector 815 in early March after cleaning and preparing the property. The opening date depends on when the shipment arrives from Battle Company, which makes the laser tag equipment he ordered for the business.

Greer is also the man behind MindGames Escape Rooms, which has nine locations including one at 3214 S. Alpine Road in Rockford. He’s run that business for six years.

“We’re excited to get open and bring a large-format style game back to Rockford,” he said.

Laser Quest initially closed in April 2020 as a temporary measure to help “flatten the curve” during the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, but it decided about five months later that the closure would be permanent.

Greer said it was the last Laser Quest in Illinois that was still built out. Other landlords had demolished the interior space.

“It just looked like they had walked away from it,” Greer said of the Rockford space. “Everything was still in there. It was still set up. It wasn’t a big empty space.”

What to expect from the tech

Greer said the technology has come a long way from what you may remember from Laser Quest, both in its wireless functionality and its look.

“We have realistic military-style weapons that have a great look, a great feel to them,” he said. “We have an upgraded option that will have recoil with it. It has a magazine on it that you can pull out to reload your gun.”

There are also foam grenades that pair with the gun to register damage from a predetermined radius. For adults looking for a little extra incentive not to get hit, there’s a shock band option.

“When you get hit it will send a slight shock through the bracelet,” Greer said. “It gives you a little zap. It’s kind of a cool add-on for those grown adult groups to kind of make them chuckle at each other a little bit.”

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There is also a kid option that doesn’t resemble a real rifle for parents who don’t want their child playing with something that looks like an actual weapon.

There is also back-end software that allows the company to customize games on the fly to level the playing field or switch teams as necessary. There are multiple game options including zombie infection, capture the flag, and domination, to name a few.

Greer also plans to run competitive leagues. He said the goal is to open as quickly as possible, but further improvements and game modes will come in the future so that the business continues to evolve.

Fast facts | Sector 815

Laser Quest, 293 Executive Parkway, closed in September 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. It has operated for 27 years in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

Where: 293 Executive Parkway, Rockford

On the web: facebook.com/sector815

Opening day: March 2023. Exact date will depend on equipment arrival


This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas.

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