Whether It’s Family Night Or Date Night, Surge Entertainment Center By Drew Brees Offers Fun

A new entertainment concept by Drew Brees is set to open in Lafayette this weekend.

The Surge Entertainment Center by Drew Brees is a "first-of-its-kind premier destination for family or friends" boasting 43,000 sq ft. of attractions including bowling, karaoke rooms, batting cages, golf simulators, arcade games, jump courses, a full restaurant, and bar—plus so much more.

Brees is the co-owner of the business along with Darren Balsamo—and while the two have plans to open similar layouts later in West Monroe, Shreveport, and Lake Charles, Lafayette is the first market to see the new concept within the Surge company.

The 2723 W. Pinhook location was the original home to a Winn-Dixie, but most recently housed the Hope Alive Church. It has since been sectioned off into three major areas with bowling in one section, a massive ninja course lining the right side of the building and a simulator area with a karaoke room and VIP bowling lanes in the back of the building.

I managed to get a sneak peek last night and the first thing I saw when I rounded the corner was one of the Brees boys blazing past me at lightning speed while another kid in his dad's jersey gave chase.

The atmosphere was vibrant and the glow of the arcade took me back to my childhood. As I walk toward the buzzing sounds of kids playing in the ninja course area I see another familiar face. It was Brittany Brees, warning her running son to slow down and reminding another one of Brees boys that "he has to eat" before playing on the golf simulator.

One of the hidden gems was a dedicated toddler area that allowed the little kids to have just as much fun as the big kids, conveniently located next to an elevated lounge area and one of the facility's perfectly centered bathroom options.

Immediately it was clear to me that the Brees family literally created a concept that they would want to see their kids playing and engaging in. They created a place that they would enjoy hanging out—whether it was with the kids or on a date night.

It was also clear to see that Drew was a lot more hands-on with this concept than some of his other partnerships and endorsements. As opposed to most "media day" photo ops, Drew didn't just come out to deliver a rehearsed press release of cliche "happy to be here" bullet points—but instead roamed attentively throughout different areas of the entertainment center throughout the night, personally thanking people for coming out, asking for feedback, enjoying the food, and even initiating selfies with those who were there to enjoy a preview of the entertainment center.

Including this one with yours truly.

Personally, I think Surge will be something that Lafayette will enjoy because of the unique way they managed to combine multiple concepts into one entertainment space with attention to quality and detail.

Surge opens its doors to the public this Saturday and will have hours that run until 11 p.m. on weekdays and until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 10 p.m. on Sundays.

Best of luck to the Brees and Balsamo families and welcome to Lafayette.