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On April 20, 1999, Discovery Zone, Inc. re-entered
Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Discovery Zone abruptly closed 106 of its locations on June 25, unable to alert visitors with reserved parties, while its remaining 22 locations closed throughout 1999. Twenty of the latter locations (thirteen owned
502:
Wellspring
Associates invested $ 20 million towards improving Discovery Zone's fun centers starting in 1998. The size of the "Mega Zone" play structure and toddler play area were decreased to make room for a sports challenge area and laser tag area themed to third-party properties and a karaoke
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for $ 111 million in stock and 57 franchised stores from
Blockbuster Video for $ 91 million in stock bringing the total stores to almost 300. At the same time, Blockbuster bought more shares of Discovery Zone giving it 50.1% of the stock.
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488:, which was dubbed “Metro Zone”. The new complexes would have included dining, drinking, mini golf and VR games in addition to the indoor playground equipment that Discovery Zone is known for.
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invested $ 10.3 million (~$ 19.6 million in 2023) into
Discovery Zone to purchase 20% of the company with an option to increase its stake to 50.1 percent in June 1994.
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Stretched thin by expansion, changes in management tried to save the company; however, Discovery Zone filed for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on March 26, 1996, in
462:
Blockbuster took total management control of
Discovery Zone in April 1995. Viacom had plans to cross market Discovery Zone with its other businesses, such as
761:"Viacom Toys With Discovery Zone Strategy : Entertainment: The new owner of the indoor-playground centers seeks to boost profit through repeat business"
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television series at the play centers. Discovery Zone had also planned a new family entertainment center to compete against
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and seven leased) and the company's intellectual properties and trade names were sold to CEC Entertainment, Inc., owner of
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368:. It also featured arcade games. A talking robot character named Z-Bop served as mascot to the chain. Ronald Matsch,
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judge ruled that there was no feasible way for the company to be profitable, and their bankruptcy was converted into
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Founded in 1989, Discovery Zone grew quickly, opening 15 stores in 18 months. In April 1993,
376:, in October 1989. An early investor in and vocal supporter of the company was tennis player
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and Dr. David
Schoenstadt founded Discovery Zone in 1989, with the first location opening in
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featuring games and elaborate indoor mazes designed for young children, including roller
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Under the leadership of then CEO Don Flynn, in July 1994, Discovery Zone bought 45
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stage, while arts & crafts activities were placed in the former Quiet Zone.
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534:"DZ it's Discovery Zone, Where Kids Can Be Kids On Their Own" (TV commercials)
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918:(Press release). CEC Entertainment, Inc. July 29, 1999. Archived from
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exchange, raising $ 55 million (~$ 105 million in 2023) on the
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934:"Discovery Zone, Inc.: Private Company Information - Businessweek"
892:"Discovery Zone Abruptly Closes 100 Centers - The Washington Post"
400:
In 2020, a new center using the
Discovery Zone name opened in the
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397:, breaking the show's 30-year-long sponsor-free status in 1998.
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662:"COMPANY NEWS; BLOCKBUSTER TO BUY 20% STAKE IN DISCOVERY ZONE"
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Nintendo of
America, Inc. v. Blockbuster Entertainment Corp.
694:"DISCOVERY ZONE SHARES RISE 61.4% IN FIRST-DAY TRADING"
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Companies that filed for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1999
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Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1996
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Companies that filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2000
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916:"CEC COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF DISCOVERY ZONE ASSETS"
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49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
1282:Companies that have filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy
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714:"McDonalds To Unite Play Unit With Discovery Zone"
447:. The stock rose 61% in the first day of trading.
738:"VIACOM'S BLOCKBUSTER UNIT TO RUN DISCOVERY ZONE"
439:In June 1993, Discovery Zone went public on the
610:. Associated Press. October 7, 1998. p. 2.
1252:Entertainment companies disestablished in 2001
1307:Defunct retail companies of the United States
1014:
602:"Sesame Street ad plan draws fire from Nader"
8:
121:
1287:Defunct companies based in New York (state)
1247:Entertainment companies established in 1989
573:Anderson, Susan Heller (January 23, 1991).
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1007:
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846:"Zap intruders at revamped Discovery Zone"
543:"You're Either In The Zone, Or You're Not"
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120:
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
1312:Defunct restaurants in the United States
983:
565:
854:. May 8, 1998. p. 65 – via
642:Grousbeck, Harold; Mukherjee, Pratap.
540:"I'm Goin' DZ" / "Where Kids Wanna Be"
531:"It's Fun-believable Fitness For Kids"
343:Wellspring Associates LLC (1997–2001)
7:
755:
753:
648:Graduate School of Stanford Business
47:adding citations to reliable sources
726:from the original on April 2, 2015.
1262:Restaurants disestablished in 2001
890:Stockwell, Jamie (June 26, 1999).
14:
16:Family entertainment center chain
1091:Blockbuster Entertainment Awards
1080:
986:
813:POUNDS, MARCIA H. (1997-07-30).
785:Mills, Joshua (March 31, 1996).
364:, climbing play structures, and
23:
1257:Restaurants established in 1989
549:"Are You Ready For The New DZ?"
514:In June 2000, Discovery Zone's
478:to include characters from the
34:needs additional citations for
1123:Former brands and acquisitions
1:
1292:1990 establishments in Kansas
815:"DISCOVERY ZONE BOUNCES BACK"
383:Discovery Zone was the first
940:. 2016-03-07. Archived from
481:Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
328:Family entertainment centers
1194:Harris v. Blockbuster, Inc.
356:) was an American chain of
233:; 25 years ago
189:; 34 years ago
1328:
1302:Former Viacom subsidiaries
1046:Blockbuster (Bend, Oregon)
555:"DZ! Where kids wanna be!"
552:"Never The Same Fun Twice"
1226:"A Nightmare on FaceTime"
1078:
1036:
497:Wellspring Associates LLC
126:
358:entertainment facilities
336:Independent (1989–1995)
972:Discovery Zone website
873:"Discovery Zones out"
546:"Exercise Your Right"
374:Kansas City, Missouri
223:Dr. David Schoenstadt
1212:The Last Blockbuster
966:BusinessWeek profile
493:Wilmington, Delaware
242:(general operations)
43:improve this article
897:The Washington Post
486:Dave & Buster’s
476:Saban Entertainment
391:children’s program
302:Number of locations
123:
938:Bloomberg Business
792:The New York Times
743:The New York Times
699:The New York Times
666:The New York Times
580:The New York Times
468:Paramount Pictures
424:on July 23, 2021.
418:Florence, Kentucky
1234:
1233:
1150:KPS Video Express
765:Los Angeles Times
746:. April 18, 1995.
722:. July 19, 1994.
509:Chuck E. Cheese's
434:Blockbuster Video
385:corporate sponsor
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339:Blockbuster Video
187:October 1989
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922:on 2001-01-24.
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414:Eastgate Mall
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394:Sesame Street
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370:Jim Jorgensen
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252:(dissolution)
248:December 2001
244:December 2001
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220:Jim Jorgensen
217:Ronald Matsch
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60: –
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54:Find sources:
48:
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38:
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32:This article
30:
26:
21:
20:
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1134:
1067:John Antioco
946:. Retrieved
942:the original
937:
928:
920:the original
910:
902:the original
895:
885:
849:
840:
829:. Retrieved
824:the original
819:Sun Sentinel
818:
808:
796:. Retrieved
790:
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769:. Retrieved
767:. 1995-07-05
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677:. Retrieved
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625:. Retrieved
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584:. Retrieved
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454:stores from
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281:Headquarters
139:Company type
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99:January 2017
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41:Please help
36:verification
33:
1221:(TV series)
1219:Blockbuster
1170:Xtra-vision
1145:Gamestation
575:"Chronicle"
520:liquidation
464:Nickelodeon
341:(1995–1997)
320:Puerto Rico
312:Area served
265:liquidation
200:Kansas City
150:(1997-2001)
145:(1993-1997)
1241:Categories
1160:Record Bar
968:(archived)
948:2019-10-24
831:2023-07-24
771:2024-07-28
679:2024-07-28
622:"About Us"
560:References
537:"Zoned In"
456:McDonald's
404:suburb of
402:Cincinnati
286:Wilmington
261:Bankruptcy
69:newspapers
1155:Movielink
993:Companies
798:April 28,
674:0362-4331
586:April 28,
420:, at the
366:ball pits
271:Successor
174:Fast food
165:: DZ
157:Traded as
1179:Lawsuits
1041:EchoStar
724:Archived
472:Showtime
325:Products
290:Delaware
204:Missouri
170:Industry
787:"Diary"
627:5 March
526:Slogans
428:History
412:at the
387:of the
246: (
236: (
228:Defunct
214:Founder
194:1989-10
192: (
184:Founded
148:Private
83:scholar
1140:Erol's
979:Portal
672:
470:, and
441:NASDAQ
362:slides
318:Canada
163:Nasdaq
143:Public
85:
78:
71:
64:
56:
333:Owner
90:JSTOR
76:books
800:2012
670:ISSN
629:2021
588:2012
410:Ohio
295:U.S.
263:and
257:Fate
238:1999
231:1999
208:U.S.
176:and
62:news
1114:7th
1109:6th
1104:4th
1099:1st
877:CNN
445:IPO
389:PBS
45:by
1243::
936:.
894:.
875:.
864:^
848:.
817:.
789:.
763:.
752:^
740:.
716:.
696:.
664:.
646:.
604:.
577:.
499:.
466:,
408:,
380:.
354:DZ
293:,
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879:.
858:.
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631:.
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352:(
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112:)
106:(
101:)
97:(
87:·
80:·
73:·
66:·
39:.
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