Excel World under major refurbishment

Sanjeevi Jayasuriya

Excel World, one of the country's prime family entertainment venues owned and managed by the Browns Group, is undergoing a major refurbishment to becomea key recreation attraction in the city.

The initial facelift will cost over Rs 100 million and the second stage will also input substantial investments for the development. With plans to complete overall modernization by 2013, Excel World will be the most happening venue, Excel World General Manager and CEO Ranjana Ariyaratne told Daily News Business.

This will be a major project for Excel World where upgrading and adding facilities will support to attract different market segments. The renovation will enable it to cater to a niche market and will become a regular venue for corporate as well as family functions, he said.

The focus will be on creating a venue for entertaining the entire family and the corporates as well. There will be a well equipped kiddies corner, young adult entertainment park, family celebration centres, banquet halls and corporate lounge for conferences and corporate gatherings. Billiard table, pool parlour, table tennis and indoor soccer courts will be among the other facilities. There will be a state-of-the art virtual golf club to boost the membership drive and this will supplement the large crowds to the very popular Excel World's Bowling centre. The special feature of the ongoing development activities will be the large car park to facilitate the expected increase in the patronage.

The food court will be revamped at a cost of Rs 30 to 40 million. There will be new menus turned out by the best chefs in town. The classy corporate lounge will be a novel concept in attracting more corporate clients and comprehensive packages to meet the family and corporate sector requirements.

We will be offering a total new product to meet the modern day demand and the tranquil atmosphere will be a plus point where star class hospitality will be available away from a hotel set up. The high-end leisure and recreation activities to be provided by the Excel World at the completion of the upgrading will be of international standard giving a total new look, he said.

Excel World will offer a total corporate package along with the entertainment facilities apart from the family packages. There will be a new entrance to accommodate the new vehicle park.

We envisage a growth in the revenue by Rs 100 million over the last year and with the completion of the modernization process we anticipate an upward movement in revenue generation. We will strategize promotional activities adding novel entertainment avenues including events under different themes in becoming the city entertainment centre, Ariyaratne said.

Millennium Development under Browns Group leisure arm which has 35 percent market share in the country's leisure sector acquired the Excel World property in the recent past and at present it manages and operates all the facilities including the restaurants.