Internal planning document · October 2026

Palisades Center
Family Entertainment & Marketing Strategy

Proposed Level 4 family entertainment development, commercial discussion, mall-wide initiatives, and pre-opening plan.

Working draftApprox. 29,000 SFLeo&Loona · ZamaniaSubject to landlord approval
01

Executive summary

Proposed 29,000 SF family entertainment destination in the former Barnes & Noble premises on Level 4 of Palisades Center. The plan combines Leo&Loona (ages 1–8), Zamania (ages 7–14), digital interactive attractions, a curated arcade, parent facilities, parties, and recurring programs.

  • Two planned entrances: mall gallery and parking level.
  • Both age-oriented areas should be visible from the gallery-facing glass storefront.
  • Avoid slide-based attractions to complement rather than duplicate Slick City.
  • Operate as one destination with shared household registration, memberships, party sales, and support functions.

Concept stage. Final layout, infrastructure requirements, premises conditions, and commercial terms require confirmation.

02

Mall and location

29,000 SFProposed premises
12.1MAnnual mall visits
2.36M SFMall gross leasable area
87 minAverage mall dwell time
$152,542Headline average household income

Market indicators reflect figures published in Palisades Center leasing materials. Confirm current figures with property management before making investment decisions.

The site offers access to regional visitors, storefront visibility on the mall gallery, and direct parking-level entry. The operating model addresses local repeat households and regional day-trip families.

Ownership and management: Black Diamond Capital Management (owner); Spinoso Real Estate Group (property management and leasing).

03

Proposed space allocation

ComponentWorking shareApprox. areaPurpose
Zamania29%8,400 SFOlder-child active and challenge area
Leo&Loona27%7,800 SFYounger-child active and imaginative play
Digital interactive9%2,600 SFProjection, motion, collaborative games
Arcade7%2,000 SFSupplementary skill and social games
Parent zone / café6%1,700 SFSeating, food, Wi-Fi and family meeting point
Party / multipurpose6%1,700 SFBirthdays, school groups and workshops
Arrival / circulation8%2,400 SFCheck-in, lockers, transitions
Back-of-house8%2,400 SFStorage, maintenance, kitchen support and staff

Strategy-level test fit only. Working percentages are approximate; measured plans and an architectural test fit control final allocation.

04

Site design and access

  • Gallery entrance: Walk-ins, immediate concept explanation, clear check-in and visible activity.
  • Parking entrance: Members, parties, school and camp groups, subject to operating rules.
  • Separate visual identity for the younger-child and older-child areas, with shared guest services.
  • Confirm field dimensions, columns, ceiling heights, egress, accessibility, utilities, loading, restrooms, HVAC and kitchen feasibility.
  • Manage acoustics, sightlines, capacity, queuing and stroller flow.
05

Experience and programming

AreaProposed content
Leo&Loona, ages 1–8Movement, imaginative and sensory play, tunnels/nets where appropriate, exploration and parent-child activities.
Zamania, ages 7–14Agility, climbing and balance, scored missions, challenges, teamwork and recurring competitions.
Shared digital zoneInteractive floors/walls, projection games, motion sports, collaborative and rotating software content.
ArcadeSelective skill, social and family games; subordinate to the main park.
Parent environmentComfortable seating, coffee/food, charging, Wi-Fi, acoustical relief and visibility.

The proposed 7–8 age overlap is deliberate; permitted access ultimately follows attraction-specific height, safety and supervision requirements.

06

Products and revenue

ProductPurpose
Single-area admissionSimple initial visit for one age group
Household / combined admissionMixed-age siblings and larger families
MembershipsFrequent visits and recurring value
Digital / arcade creditsOptional supplementary spending
BirthdaysDirect revenue and new household acquisition
Schools, camps and scoutsWeekday utilization
Corporate / community family daysGroup sales and partnerships
Food and beverageGuest convenience and party support

Maintain household-level customer records and communications. Measure conversion from first visit to membership, birthday booking, and repeat visitation alongside admission revenue.

07

Mall-wide initiatives

InitiativeProposed approachDependency
Existing ropes courseEvaluate refurbishment and potential operationInspection, insurance, licensing, economics and mall approval
Free play islandsInstall two or more small complimentary children’s play areas in visible common spacesLocation, life-safety, maintenance, insurance, staffing
Cross-tenant cooperationDevelop family-day itineraries and promotions with dining, cinema and complementary tenantsPartner agreements and data access
Wayfinding and signageSupport both mall-gallery and parking-level arrivalsLandlord permissions and signage rules
Mall mediaUse mall website, digital screens, email, social and event calendarMarketing team agreement
08

Construction and TI discussion

$200/SFIndicative construction cost
$100/SFRequested TI allowance
$2.9MIndicative TI request at 29,000 SF

Request an initial tenant improvement allowance of $100 per square foot against an indicative construction budget of approximately $200 per square foot. The proposed TI amount is a request, not an agreed landlord commitment.

  • Determine whether funding is a nonrepayable landlord contribution or amortized through rent.
  • Agree the scope of landlord-performed improvements separately from TI reimbursement.
  • Confirm eligible expenses, particularly infrastructure, code work, design, permits and specialist installations.
  • Discuss advance funding versus milestones or reimbursement, documentation and retainage.
  • Confirm restoration obligations, early-termination treatment and any repayment conditions.
  • Involve facilities, tenant coordination and local contractors in site diligence.

Figures are planning assumptions only; final budget requires contractor bids, structural and building-system assessments, and lease negotiations.

09

Temporary specialty-leasing preview

Subject to a suitable smaller available unit, establish a temporary presence at Palisades Center before the permanent park opens.

  • Display a model of the proposed venue and selected attractions.
  • Invite families to review and help shape proposed attractions and programs.
  • Collect structured parent feedback and child-interest data.
  • Test marketing, price structures, membership benefits and customer acquisition.
  • Build opt-in contacts and measure conversions to the planned permanent venue.

Seek availability, minimum term, rent, permitted activities, insurance and technical conditions from Specialty Leasing.

10

Palisades Family Expo

The Palisades Family Expo is proposed approximately three months before opening as the primary public preview, market test, partner platform, audience-building event and beginning of pre-sales. It should be developed as a family event with live activities, not simply a conventional vendor fair. The event timing and locations require mall approval.

Proposed experience areas

AreaProposed program
Leo&Loona previewMini activities for ages 1–8, parent–child play and birthday introductions.
Zamania challengesShort physical and skill challenges, competitions, leaderboards and tournament registration.
Digital interactive labProjection, motion and collaborative game demonstrations.
Arcade challengeCompact skill games and supervised competitions.
Children’s Business FairYouth entrepreneurship participation where suitable.
Family programsLocal educators, camps, workshops, community groups and creators.
Birthday marketplaceParty concepts, consultations, room previews and food samples where feasible.
Schools and campsDedicated teacher, PTA, scout, school and group information desk.
Stage and food partnersScheduled demonstrations, short shows, partners, announcements and selected food offerings.

Registrations and follow-up

Use permission-based household registration. Where appropriate and with consent, collect ZIP code, children’s age bands, interest by program, birthday planning window, school or camp involvement, membership interest, and the acquisition source. Use one household record for families with multiple children.

Measures of success

MetricPurpose
Verified attendanceActual visitors rather than impressions or registrations alone.
Registered householdsQualified, consent-based audience for the future center.
Age and ZIP distributionTest local versus regional demand and mixed-age households.
Birthday and school leadsMonitor the pipeline for high-value bookings.
Pre-sales conversionMeasure genuine interest in memberships and reservations.
Mall contributionAssess incremental Level 4 traffic and cross-tenant participation.
Acquisition efficiencyCost per registered and converted household.

The strategy suggests 1,000+ verified Expo attendees as an initial working target if operations and available space permit. This is not a commitment or forecast. The wider proposal discussed with Spinoso allows organizing the event roughly 3–5 months before move-in, subject to agreement.

11

Marketing strategy and customer acquisition

Marketing begins well before construction completion. The objective is to enter opening month with a permission-based audience, memberships and booking interest, institutional partnerships, and measurable acquisition channels. The former Barnes & Noble transformation and glass frontage can support ongoing communication.

Marketing objectives

  • Explain the Leo&Loona and Zamania offers by age group and type of experience, without relying on a promotional slogan.
  • Build a qualified household database ahead of opening.
  • Use the Family Expo as a public preview, market test and pre-sales event.
  • Document construction, attraction testing, safety preparation and program development.
  • Generate founding-membership, birthday, school and group inquiries before launch.
  • Coordinate with Palisades Center’s email, social, website, events, screens and signage.
  • Separate local repeat audiences from regional day-trip audiences.
  • Move trial guests toward repeat visits, memberships, parties and referrals.

Campaigns by customer intent

AudienceMessage / offer
Local householdMembership, weekly and monthly programming, after-school activities, birthday and referral offers.
Regional day-trip familyDay admission, family bundles, destination and dining itineraries, weekend/holiday activities.
Parents of ages 1–8Leo&Loona play, social interaction, party products and parent convenience.
Parents of ages 7–14Zamania agility, challenge, skill, competition and recurring missions.
Mixed-age householdsOne booking account, appropriate activities for both ages, shared parent base.
Schools, PTAs, camps, scoutsField trips, guided challenges, weekday usage, teacher preview visits.
Birthday plannersParty product pages, consultation bookings, preview tours, guest follow-up.
Interested visitors and past guestsConsent-based reminders, unfinished reservations, repeat programs and membership offers.

Acquisition and conversion pathway

Discovery → program understanding → household registration → Expo or preview → booking or pre-sale → first visit → repeat visit / referral. Every channel should connect to an actionable next step, such as preview registration, founding-family interest, a birthday appointment, or school booking.

Channels and coordination with the mall

  • Palisades website, newsletter, social accounts, property events and media screens, subject to agreement.
  • Wayfinding from parking approaches, escalators, elevators and major family gathering points to Level 4.
  • Cross-promotions with dining, cinema and complementary entertainment tenants.
  • Search and location-driven landing pages, local creators, PR and school/community partners.
  • Gallery-facing glass: visible activity, schedule information and staged reveals where permitted.
  • Track each source with identifiable campaigns and consent-based CRM records.

Pre-opening content calendar

  • Former bookstore conversion and construction milestones.
  • Clear explanation of age-appropriate experiences and the reason for a no-slide design.
  • Interactive installations, sample challenges and safe testing processes.
  • Parent seating, guest circulation, food options and party rooms.
  • Staff recruitment and training, operating standards and preview sessions.

CRM and measurement

The household is the primary relationship record. Track origin ZIP, age ranges, interests, birthday timing, source attribution, participation, reservations, membership, repeat usage and opt-in status. Review acquisition cost, registration quality, bookings, 30/60/90-day return behavior and contribution from mall channels.

12

Birthdays, schools and groups

SegmentOffer
Younger-child birthdaysAge-appropriate guided play, simple parent experience and party support
Older-child birthdaysChallenges, team missions and scoring
Mixed-age family partiesAccess appropriate to different ages
Digital / arcade partiesInteractive and skill-game sessions
Schools / camps / scoutsField trips, collaborative missions and weekday programs
Regional employersStaff family days and group offers

Measure party inquiry-to-booking, referred families, school conversions and weekday occupancy.

13

Programming cadence

CadenceExamples
AnnualFamily Expo and major family festival
SeasonalChallenge series, school-break and holiday programming
MonthlyBirthday open house, Kids Business Fair, family game night, maker event
WeeklyFamily mornings, team challenges, parent-child and school sessions
Daily / hourlyShort missions, timed challenges, digital competitions
14

Pre-opening timeline

T–9 to –6 mo
Foundation

Concept, website/CRM, partner outreach, school and birthday pipeline.

T–6 to –4 mo
Audience development

Local awareness, preview-site option, content, partner and creator recruitment.

T–5 to –3 mo
Expo preparation and delivery

Family Expo proposed 3–5 months before opening; T–90 is the primary campaign milestone.

T–3 to –1 mo
Pre-sales and development communications

Founding memberships, birthdays, school reservations and progress updates.

Final 30 days
Opening preparation

Operational readiness, wayfinding, previews and mall communications.

Opening to +30 days
Opening phase

Managed capacity, guest feedback, conversion measurement and service recovery.

+30 to +180 days
Retention

Programs, return visits, birthdays, memberships and referral measurement.

Pre-sales and grand opening

Pre-sales should begin with the Family Expo and other preview experiences rather than waiting until the final month.

Pre-sale productPurpose
Founding-family membershipSecure repeat local households and establish early demand.
Opening-week sessionsDistribute attendance and manage opening capacity.
Birthday bookingBuild a party pipeline for the first 8–12 weeks.
School / camp reservationsSecure weekday use early.
VIP / partner previewsFamiliarize institutional partners and local creators with the project.
Zamania opening challengesEstablish older-child positioning through participation and results.

Launch sequence

  • Preview week for invited families, staff training, educators, partners and creators.
  • Opening weekend with timed admissions and structured programming.
  • Older-child challenge event and separate younger-child activity introductions.
  • Birthday and school/camp open houses.
  • Founding-member activities that support future attendance.
15

Research and development

The proposed concept is supported by ongoing Future Experience Park research, including studies on parental entertainment priorities, ideal park configuration and repeat-visit programming. The research should inform hypotheses and pilot designs rather than be treated as final proof of demand.

  • Test proposed attractions and activity mixes with real families.
  • Separate parents’ stated interest from observed usage and willingness to pay.
  • Use prototype zones, pilot programs and event demonstrations to measure engagement and conversion.
  • Compare investment, capacity and repeat participation by attraction type.

Future Experience Research · Current studies · Research library

16

Partners and community development

Partnerships are intended to contribute real audiences, expertise, visits and participation, rather than only financial sponsorship.

PartnerProposed contribution
Palisades CenterEvent space, property communication channels, signage, PR, tenant introductions, traffic measurement.
Schools, PTAs, districtsTeacher previews, field trips, educational programs, parent reach.
Camps, scouts, youth organizationsGroup bookings, seasonal programs, physical and digital challenges.
Regional employersEmployee family days, group tickets and organization partnerships.
Community organizationsTrust, inclusive activities, outreach and repeat programming.
Technology and game partnersDemonstrations, interactive content, competitions and equipment.
Restaurants and other mall tenantsFamily itineraries, joint offers and guest referrals.
Local creators and mediaReviews, explanatory coverage, visual storytelling and awareness.
17

Reference materials and site plans

Property reference materials for architectural test-fit, access planning, technical due diligence, and negotiations.

Full strategy document (Word)

Shopping center presentation (PDF)Palisades Center leasing and property information.
Level 4 floor planArchitectural reference for the proposed premises and Level 4 connections.
Exterior / outside planSite-access reference for parking-level entrance, arrivals, and outdoor areas.
18

Performance measurement

CategorySuggested measures
AcquisitionQualified reach, source, first visits, cost per acquired household
Expo / previewVerified visitors, lead quality, age mix, ZIP code, pre-sales conversion
On-site operationsCapacity, queues, dwell time, satisfaction, safety and cleanliness
CommercialAdmissions, memberships, parties, group sales, digital/arcade and food
Retention30/60/90-day household returns, membership frequency and churn
Mall contributionLevel 4 traffic, cross-tenant offers and event participation

Track Expo, temporary preview, free play islands and ropes-course initiatives separately. No marketing or conversion uplift should be assumed without measurement.

19

Meetings and next decisions

TopicMeeting / action
Site and operationsMeet GM, facilities/technical management and tenant coordination; assess building systems.
Design and build-outMeet recommended contractors; inspect the unit and prepare costed test fit.
CommercialReview rent, TI terms, lease conditions and improvement responsibilities with leasing/asset management.
Marketing and partnershipsReview Expo, free-play islands, ropes course, wayfinding and media with mall marketing and operations.
Specialty leasingRequest availability and terms for a smaller temporary preview site.
Portfolio-level opportunityExplore a potential discussion with Spinoso leadership in Syracuse.