MIAMI – The world’s first dedicated esports racing arena will be built by Millennial Esports Corp in Miami with the state-of-the-facility scheduled to open in 2020.

The new facility is part of Millennial Esports’ push to professionalise global esports racing competition. The new 12,000 square-foot arena will be located in the prominent entertainment district of Wynwood in Miami — known for restaurants, breweries, retail areas, and outdoor murals. Millennial has secured 2.8 million in private construction financing to complete the build out of the facility.

The esports arena will feature 30 racing simulators which can be raced on individually, linked with the other racing rigs in the building or globally networked to compete against drivers from all over the world.

Professional drivers can also take the next step with the installation of a full-size full-motion simulator — the same type as used by major professional race teams around the world.

The arena build is a continuation of plans hatched by Millennial Esports with its controlling stake in specialist racing simulator constructor, Allinsports in August. Founded in 2008 by ex-Formula One engineer Anton Stipinovich, Allinsports not only manufacture high-end racing simulator systems used by leading race teams across the globe, but also produce the eRacer esports simulator rigs that will be used in Millennial Esports’s upcoming World’s Fastest Gamer competition.

“Creating our first arena is an important step in Millennial Esports’ goal of taking esports racing to an entirely new level,” Millennial Esports President and CEO, Darren Cox said.

“Allinsports already have a driver training simulator facility in Miami, but our new arena will take esports racing to an entirely new level. Esports is the fastest growing sport in the world, but the racing genre of esports is ready to take a massive leap.

“Our goals are for this arena to be the first of many located around the world. These centers will hold major local and international competitions, be used for both amateur and professional driver training and also stage major corporate events.

“Nobody has built anything like this at this level — we want this to be the Formula One of racing esports facilities — and the people of Miami will be the first to enjoy this opportunity to develop their skills.”

Allinsports was founded by South African-born ex-Formula One engineer Anton Stipinovich. His Formula One career included stints at Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull — scoring multiple F-1 world championships and more than 80 race wins.

“Our Miami Arena is going to be quite unique because it’s not only going to be an esports arena, it will be a driver academy and allow young racers to progress through the ranks of esports and real-world racing,” Allinsports President, Anton Stipinovich said.

“Simulators have changed the world in motorsport. Drivers have become a lot more scientific and much better prepared. You can see this in today’s Formula 1 racing where you have young drivers like Lando Norris and Max Verstappen coming up through the ranks very fast thanks to their esports experience.

“US motor racing, South American motor racing, everybody wants to come to Miami. It’s an excellent location, and there are moves to host a Formula 1 race here. It’s really just a showcase for us to show off the first of many different arenas.”

Allinsports existing esports training facility is already a popular spot for prominent races including ex-Formula One World Champion and Indy 500 champion, Emerson Fittipaldi, plus fellow Formula One aces Rubens Barrichello and Juan Pablo Montoya.

“Simulators are extremely important because technically, they are so close to driving the real thing,” said Fittipaldi

“You learn the track before you even arrive – where to brake, where to turn, even before arriving at any track in the world. And the feedback for the driver, the reaction, the reflex, the coordination, it’s a mental test and mental development for a young driver. I wish, in my time, we had simulators. My life would be much easier!”

Fittipaldi has high hopes for simulators and esports racing,

“There are so many top talents in simulators that went directly into real racing and are doing well. They are very competitive, and I’m sure a top simulator driver can be a potential world champion,” he said.

“There’s so much competition in esports racing, so many championships to enter and it’s so much fun to be an esports driver. It really is the future for our sport; in fact, it’s not the future; the future is already here.”