Location-based entertainment specialists form turnkey operator Spider Entertainment

Industry leaders Rob Hetherington, Kevin Williams and a consortium of founding partners have established Spider Entertainment – a Full Turnkey Operator and provider of strategy, design, project management and operations services to the retail property market and to entertainment brands.

Founder and CEO Rob Hetherington comes from a background with influential Lappset Creative, working on key entertainment accounts, said “Retail destinations are turning to entertainment to drive footfall and enhance the customer experience. They need experienced operators to help them operate successful, profitable attractions. Spider helps brands access retail destinations and provides landlords with turnkey attraction operation”

International Immersive Out of Home expert Kevin Williams, speaker, and publisher of The Stinger Report, joins as Co-Founder and Technology Director. Known previously as a Walt Disney Imagineer, executive with Infogrames, and on the creative team for London Paramount, he now consults with leading developers, operators, and investors. Speaking on his new role Williams said “The vision combined in this new operation offers an amazing opportunity, and I am honored to play a part in shaping its direction. I feel many across the industry will be surprised by what Spider Entertainment represents, in driving a new direction for the industry.”

Spider launches with a global team, opening offices in London, LA and Hong Kong. The founders have secured multiple experts from the Out of Home Entertainment industry including;

• Tracy Balsz, Director, Business Development, USA – Balsz is a Board member of the Themed Entertainment Association and brings 25 years in the Location Based Entertainment industry
• Kevin Smith, Operations Director – formerly Director of Attractions at Continuum Attractions in the UK
• James Orchard, Director of Projects and Programming – formerly lead Project Manager on the International roll-out of Kidzania
• Ashley Lynch, Director of Design – formerly Head of Design at Lappset Creative on FEC projects such as Mattel Play and Peppa Pig World of Play
• Sean Curtis, Group Marketing Director and Retail Strategy – Curtis held the position of Marketing Director for retail developers LandSec, Lendlease, Westfield and M&S

Kevin Smith said: “Operations is at the heart of everything we do. Retail destinations want to quickly introduce new entertainment attractions to drive footfall, increase dwell time and enhance the guest experience and we help landlords, developers, IP brands and attraction owners achieve this at pace by offering a turnkey operations solution”.

Hetherington concluded: “Our aim is to become the industry leader in Out of Home Entertainment. We have assembled a truly stellar line-up and I am delighted with the talent and experience Spider is now offering to clients, the team have unrivalled expertise in running profitable, pop-up and permanent attractions for IP owners, investors and landlords”.