High Tech Game Room Planned for New Highland Recreation Complex

The proposed new Highland Recreation Complex will have a special electronic-exercise gameroom for children and adults.

The Largo City Commission approved the purchase of the equipment for $89,711 from The Active Gaming Company on Dec. 4. The new recreation complex on Highland Avenue is on track for completion in May.

"The room will be filled with equipment that is fun and gets people exercising," said Recreation, Parks and Arts Director Joan Byrne.

"The whole point is getting people moving and forgetting that they're exercising," Byrne said.

The new interactive gameroom will be the first one like it in Pinellas County, city officials said. The exercise room will include  Lightspace floor and wall equipment. The pressure-sensitive displays offer a variety games and interactive programs that can be used at the same time by a group.

Other equipment planned for the room includes an Xbox and Kinect video game system, display screens and other interactive games. The equipment is commercial quality and intended for public use, Byrne said.

The Active Gaming Company is based near Boston but has done lab testing with the University of South Florida. The company was the only one to respond to the city's bid. The city park staff reached out to five or six companies, but only Active Gaming responded by the city's deadline, Byrne said.