Laser tag venue in north Modesto, open 27 years, falls victim to coronavirus pandemic
Laser Quest in north Modesto has closed as part of its parent company’s decision to withdraw from the laser tag business.
The location at 2100 Standiford Ave. has been off-limits since March as part of the effort to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some of the locations will reopen under new ownership, said a Facebook post Tuesday by the parent company, Versent Corp. in Ontario, Canada. It did not specify the sites, nor when this would happen.
Survival is ‘next to impossible’ amid pandemic
Versent blamed the pandemic and economic downturn for the closures.
“Over the past 27 years, Laser Quest has brought fun to life with countless birthday parties, day camps and youth group events, plus numerous corporate and educational outings,” the post said. It added that the conditions of 2020 made survival “next to impossible.”
The Laser Quest website does not list the Modesto venue. Its other California locations are San Jose, San Carlos, Mission Viejo and Fullerton. Others are in Spokane, Nashville, Virginia Beach and Richmond, Va.
Especially tough rules
Indoor entertainment centers such as Laser Quest are under especially strict rules during the pandemic because the close quarters could spread the virus.
Stanislaus County has seen some reopenings in other sectors, such as dining if done outdoors. It nonetheless remains in the lowest tier, purple, under the state’s ranking system. That will limit further loosening for now.
This story was originally published September 23, 2020 at 2:15 PM.
