Get in the Game :
A Q & A with Dylan Waters of Vortex Esports Arena
by Elesha Mavrommatis
Dylan Waters
If you think esports are just video games , it ’ s possible you haven ’ t played much since Donkey Kong . Esports – electronic sports -- describes the world of organized , competitive video gaming . And according to Marketing Influencer Hub , the 2021 global esports industry is valued at more than $ 1 billion , which represents a 50 % increase from the year before . And that number is projected to top $ 1.8 billion in 2022 .
One local player in the esports ring is Vortex Esports Arena , which bills itself as “ The gaming center of Port Orange and the Greater Daytona Area , built by and for the local gaming community .”
Dylan Waters , General Manager , took time to answer a few questions . What is Vortex ? Vortex Esports Arena is a gaming center that hosts a variety of activities related to video games such as tournaments , usage of one of our high-end PCs or unique social events to help bring the local scene together .
Our primary focus is to provide a top-of-the-line gaming experience for customers to be able to come and play their favorite games with equipment that they may not have available at home ; we have over 30 computers as well as several gaming consoles set up for anyone to come in and play . In addition , we also host more focused and community-oriented events , such as our esports tournaments , live Dungeons & Dragons sessions and an end-of-the-month 24HR Event . We also can host birthday parties or other types of gatherings . We have a private Party Room - a soundproofed space that also has doubled as a recording area for musicians - for a smaller celebration . Something that we ’ ve noticed
happening is people asking to use our space in unique ways that we didn ’ t initially foresee , and accordingly , our team has learned to be flexible to make these requests a reality .
How long have you been around ? Where did the idea for Vortex come from ?
Vortex Esports Arena opened its doors during the spring of 2020 . There were some Local Area Network ( LAN ) Centers in the Ormond and Holly Hill area that had closed in years prior , and the goal of opening Vortex was to provide a location where the displaced communities could come together and share their interests with like-minded peers . Who is your target audience ? Our clientele consists of many different people with various backgrounds , ages , beliefs and personal talents . From first-time gamers , college and high school students and out-of-town esports competitors to those with more focused interests such as card games , graphic designers and even musicians .
Vortex Leadership Team from left to right , R . Antonio Del Valle - Director of Events , Dylan Waters - General Manager , Thomas Cevallos - Operations Manager & Director of Education , Dalton Herdegen - Director of PR and Marketing .
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