The Secret Grotto is a groundbreaking location-based entertainment (LBE) concept offering two distinct programs: a public market and food hall, known as the Grotto Outpost, with a ticketed sandbox-style immersive art exhibit, the Depths of Wonder – a unique experience showcasing stunning digital media and water-based special effects. Both programs are woven into a captivating narrative adventure enriched by meticulous placemaking. As a prototype for a new kind of immersive experience, this “Story Market” offers an open-access town square where real local vendors can operate within a thematic framework. Adjacent to this dynamic market is a separate ticketed immersive exhibit, of which both the market and exhibit are seamlessly connected by a larger, overarching narrative: an underground expedition and an expanding mining settlement disrupted by the unexpected discovery of a series of magical caves. Guests are invited to explore the community of those who seek to study, protect, and harness the mystical forces residing in these cavernous depths. This experience and subsequent “Story Markets” will target vacant or underutilized big-box retail spaces located in outer urban markets. This approach focuses on adaptive reuse, leveraging affordable, large-scale retail spaces near major tourist destinations. Combining local, bespoke retail and dining options with an accessible public space and an innovative water-based immersive art exhibit, the Secret Grotto serves as a captivating “third place” for tourists and locals of all kinds to gather, relax, and enjoy themselves.

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Team members: John Craig, Ryotaro Okada, Dillon Pinholster