Stratagem Laser Missions: New Laser Tag Venue to Open Soon

With a target opening date of Sept. 30, hopes to hit the mark with a new option for interactive entertainment in Frankfort. Village resident and parent Don Bragiel has been interested in bringing this type of team-based recreation to the area for quite a while now, said Stratagem's manager Sherri Zimmerman.

The facility will offer open play and party packages for youth or corporate outings. And it's more than just play time, Zimmerman said.

"The goal is team collaboration," she added. "(You) have to all work together and not fight or not argue so you can achieve the mission." 

All sessions run 90 minutes with a maximum of 14 players on the field. A refereee gathers the players and provides a debriefing in which he explains all the rules, how to work the laser guns and how to play the various games. The ref stays on the field, facilitating six or seven different missions during the 90 minutes and providing follow up discussions after each one.

Stratagem Laser Missions is housed in the former baseball training facility on Vans Road, just east of LaGrange Road. Braigel has built three large party rooms off the main entry way, which also will include a seating area with a big screen TV and a viewing window into the arena. Snacks will be available, too.

The arena itself is divided in half with a home base on each side and is filled with one- and two-story structures built specifically for the games. The floor is covered with a sturdy turf-like carpet and will soon be filled with barrels, boxes and tires to provide additional hiding places for players.

Laser tag is less expensive than paintball, Zimmerman said, since you don't have to buy ammunition. Stratagem open-play prices are $25per person for 90 minutes.

In addition, Zimmerman said the equipment Braigel selected is high quality, weighing several pounds and emitting realistic sounds. Players simply wear a velcro headband containing the small laser sensor. When the sensor light indicates the player has been hit, the "dead man" must return to base to reactivate his gun, she added.

Zimmerman described the games as being similar to Capture the Flag, but each mission will vary slightly to keep the players engaged. While she said that initially she had concerns about a gun-based activity, she has come to embrace the experience because of its ability to foster teamwork with people of all ages.

Stratagem will have a soft opening over the next weeks, using Braigel's sons' youth football teams to test out the equipment and games while also training the staff. The facility plans to be fully open for business on Friday, Sept. 30, but Zimmerman says calling ahead to check on the start time of the next open-play session that day, as missions may be in progress. People can also contact her to reserve a party package, which comes with pizza and/or ice cream.