Executives for Orlando-based Falcon’s Beyond Global recently experienced a once-in-a-lifetime Big Apple moment. They rang the bell to open Nasdaq’s trading day and they saw the company logo — and themselves — on the gigantic screen in Times Square.
“The gravity of the experience, it’s Academy Award-winning … step on stage, and the camera lights and the cameras, and it’s just somewhat overwhelming,” said Cecil D. Magpuri, the company’s CEO and co-founder.
“Being there is a moment that we will never, ever forget,” said Simon Philips, company president. “But it is the beginning of the new chapter.”
The Wall Street moment in October wasn’t a typical tourist outing but a gesture tied to the company becoming publicly traded for the first time. In November, Falcon’s announced that it would double its workforce by adding about 200 employees.
Falcon’s is a designer of theme parks and immersive experiences, plus is in the business of resorts, animation, media production and gaming and the ways those industries intersect. Its Katmandu Park opened in the Dominican Republic in March, and it is flanked by Falcon’s Resort in conjunction with Melia Hotels International.
Falcon’s, which opened for business in 2000, has worked on projects for multiple Central Florida attractions.
“We are storytellers, and at the very essence of what we do, we are storytellers. So being able to go public, enables us … to have the capital to then go out and expand our stories,” said Philips, who joined the company in March. His background includes a stint as president of Marvel Entertainment International.
The company develops intellectual property that will have homes in various platforms, creating an “ecosystem,” Philips said.
“Maybe you first engage with our IP, our stories, through a movie or an animation or through a game. Maybe you experience it through one of our parks in the Dominican Republic or in Majorca, [Spain]” he said. “But once you engage with it, we want you to have the opportunity to continue to engage with it in other lanes — movies, animation, music, consumer products, gaming and so on.”
Falcon’s in the early development stages for an animated series with ties to Katmandu Park.
“There will be lots of references back to the park within the content or back to the location-based entertainment within the content,” Philips said. “Being able to expand storytelling is an essential part of what we’re doing and is an important aspect of Falcon’s, in terms of going public but also in terms of our expansion.”
Among other Falcon’s projects that are cooking is a joint venture with K11 Group’s Raging Power Limited.
“They’re one of the largest retail developers in China and based in Hong Kong, and we’re developing a custom intellectual property that will then be realized in location-based entertainment in Hong Kong,” Magpuri said.
They are developing Vquarium, an ocean adventure-themed experience.
“The intent is to roll that out throughout mainland China,” Magpuri said.
At the IAAPA Expo at Orange County Convention Center this month, Falcon’s demonstrated its ON!X Theater, a real-life interactive game experience with choreographed seats.
“The technology that you’re using is intelligent for every seat, so you literally can bend bullets because of your orientation of your gun. You can have the capabilities of actually changing the path of the projectile from your phaser,” Magpuri said.
Falcon’s workforce expansion comes on the heels of the opening of an office in the Philippines. The headquarters will remain in Central Florida.
“This is, obviously, the epicenter for themed entertainment,” Magpuri said.
“When you want to be in this business, you want to be inspired by everything that is around you,” Philips said. “It’s a great place to be.”
