Entertainment Center Receives Common Council Approval

Despite not knowing how late at night it might be open, the Greenfield Common Council approved the special use request from the owner of Halloween Express, 4251 S. 27th St., to .

John Majdoch's Greenfield location will soon be home to Lightspeed - High Energy Entertainment, which will feature indoor electric go-karts and lasar tag course after a 3-2 vote Tuesday night at .

The council, however, learned of Majdoch's proposed hours of operation of noon to midnight seven days a week at the meeting, a cause for concern for Alderperson Linda Lubotsky, who said she’d hate to take action without consulting with the .

“I think it’s a great idea,” she said. “We need more entertainment opportunities for families and teens, I just think we need more input.”

Chuck Erickson, the city’s community development manager, said he would share the proposed hours with Interim Police Chief Brad Wentlandt in the coming days and share the results of that conversation with the alderpersons and Mayor Michael Neitzke. Should the police department be opposed to a midnight closing, the council could reconsider the agenda item at its next meeting and, in essence, reverse Tuesday’s decision.

The entertainment center, which received a favorable recommendation from the city’s planning commission, did face opposition from at least one resident. Andrea Dillon, who lives nearby the proposed center on Cold Spring Road, spoke against it during a public hearing.

“Changing that over to entertainment would, I think, ruin the environment in the area,” Dillon said. “It’s on a main bus route. I don’t want to happen in my area. Kids don’t respect property anymore.”

Majdoch said his business would be catered more to families, birthday parties and cooperate events and not for people just looking to “hang out.”

He said laser tag and go-kart activities will be scheduled on 20-minute intervals with an available reservation system.

“This allows patrons to come right in for their game,” Majdoch said. “You’ll have a time when you need to be there as opposed to just hanging out while waiting for your game.”