Fusion 314 draws teens and families to Florissant’s Eagan Center with tournaments, camps and free play

Fusion 314, the City of Florissant’s esports arena at the Eagan Center, has become a steady community attraction for teenagers and families, manager Evan Hedrick told Mayor Tim Lowry on the City of Florissant podcast. Hedrick said Fusion is open seven days a week, typically afternoons into the evening, and offers free entry to maximize access for young people and newcomers.

Hedrick described Fusion’s typical schedule and programs: weekday hours are roughly 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., weekends about 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with open play, weekly tournaments, private rentals and birthday parties. He said the center hosts school teams — specifically citing a partnership with McLuhan North’s esports program, which brings about 25 to 30 students into the space several times per week — and that Fusion recently hosted an event with St. Louis Community College (STLCC).

The arena’s model emphasizes outreach and cost control. Hedrick said the city converted an existing rental room at the Eagan Center into Fusion 314 after a brief planning period and that the conversion cost was significantly less than what an outside vendor would have charged. "We did it in less than half of that," he said, referring to a cited outside minimum of roughly $500. Hedrick said the city subsequently secured ongoing funding and invested in high-quality equipment to attract repeat users.

Hedrick highlighted how Fusion markets to passersby: during the city’s Valley of Flowers celebration the program will show Super Smash Brothers on a big outdoor screen with bleachers and live commentary to raise awareness. He also said Fusion broadcasts events to venue TVs and posts clips online for promotion.

On programming, Hedrick listed popular titles (Fortnite, sports games, Super Smash Brothers, Mario Kart), noted intergenerational play and an extensive board-game collection, and said birthday parties are among the venue’s busiest offerings — priced well below many local competitors. "Lots of other places ... are gonna be $600 to $800 for your two-hour birthday party. You know, we're coming in at half that," he said.

Looking ahead, Hedrick previewed several events: an STLCC-hosted Midwest regional college tournament expected to bring eight to 12 colleges, a Trackmania racing event next month, and plans to run a summer camp again after a successful first year. For schedules and sign-ups, he directed listeners to Fusion314.com and the center’s Facebook and Discord pages.

Mayor Lowry closed the interview by thanking Hedrick for his work establishing and promoting Fusion 314. The mayor’s podcast ended with the city sign-off, "We are Florissant Strong."