If you remember playing the classic Atari videogames of the 70s and 80s, you may be surprised to learn that while the company is long gone, the name’s been revived for a themed hotel in Phoenix—and it just might be the destination you’re looking for.
The hotel is expected to start construction later this year; its architect says that Atari Hotel “is conceived as a glowing monolith of light and motion, rising from Downtown Phoenix’s Roosevelt Row Arts District like a digital beacon and a symbol of a new era for the city.” It takes some of its design features from the “visual language of Tron and Blade Runner, with energy, color, and architecture of those imagined futures.”
Pixel grids will highlight the exterior, with interior design full of lights that mimic arcade circuitry. The 90,000+ square feet of ‘experience-driven spaces’ include a concert and event center, an esports arena and gambling areas, as well as multiple restaurants and an oversized pool.
While there will be references to Atari games such as Asteroids and Pong, and the room count (19 suites, 72 rooms) refers to Atari’s founding year, there’s no real connection to that history. Atari was sold off in parts in the 1980s, and a French holding company, Atari SA, owns the name and has licensed it to the hotel operators.
