BAH The Matrix Highlights
If you have ever wondered what it might be like to fly like Superman, or walk with dinosaurs, or drive a racing car, then The Matrix, Cayman’s new Virtual Reality (VR) sensation at West Shore Plaza is just the place for you. Business After Hours, the Chamber’s networking session invited its members along to experience the latest in VR thrills and spills on Thursday 16 June. It’s the brainchild of owner Ken Moore, who got inspired to start a VR Centre right here in Cayman after finding out firsthand just how exciting it can be.
“Simply put, The Matrix is a great time,” Mr. Moore said. “I was up in Toronto at Christmas with my eight-year-old and my wife, and we tried VR for the first time. It was really cool, so I thought, ‘someone needs to do it in Cayman.’” Mr. Moore is an entrepreneur who likes to make things happen, and the concept had all been worked out by February, with the Matrix opening its doors at the end of April.
“Most people think its designed more for kids,” Mr. Moore continued, “but the average person who comes is between 25 and 40 years old. You can do travel, do science, and you can just have lots of very creative experiences. You can also do gaming, and upstairs we have up to six people playing in the same game at once, so that’s good for corporate or group events.” Like all businesses, it’s the staff who make the customer experience special, and that’s particularly important when its someone’s very first time in a completely new world. “Our manager Ken Forbes has so much experience, he knows the best thing to do, how to run it and how to manage and train the staff,” Mr. Moore explained.
Mr. Forbes was showing some Chamber Members the big gaming room, which can be booked for all kinds of special occasions including children’s birthday parties or anniversaries, or just about any fun time for the whole family. “You become a character in the game,” Mr. Forbes explained, “You could be a hunter, or a nun, or a Jason character from Friday 13.th if I want to give you a high five in the game you would do a high-five in real life, because the character in the game tracks your movements, it’s just like being in a movie where you’re the main character inside it.”