Dunedin virtual reality arcade Sim Center to hold a grand reopening

Peter Repak's 737 airplane simulator. Photo: Courtesy of the Sim Center

Clad in a green flight jacket, Peter Repak leans over, his voice cutting through the roaring skies above I-75. In the cockpit of a Boeing 737 commercial airliner, he guides a 20-year-old pilot toward Miami.

What's happening: That flight took place inside Repak's homemade replica of the aircraft at his virtual reality arcade in Dunedin called Sim Center, where customers can also fly a fighter jet or drive a Formula One car.

Why it matters: The arcade's been around for more than a decade, but Repak said it's on the brink of extinction. Between the pandemic and hurricanes, the foot traffic Sim Center once drew — mostly from tourists — is all but gone.

What he's saying: Repak said he's tens of thousands of dollars in debt. He's begun likening himself to the biblical character Job — a man who watched virtually every aspect of his life wither away.

Flashback: He got evicted last November from the arcade's previous location in Clearwater after struggling to make his rent. Now, Sim Center is tucked away in a strip mall, half the size of its last site.

Between the lines: Repak has built his livelihood around a broken dream. He wanted to be a commercial airline pilot for most of his life. He still smiles when remembering his first flight at age six in Hungary.

The idea behind Sim Center came to Repak when he realized he'd never become a commercial airline pilot — for which he blamed communist rule in Hungary and his limited English when he arrived in the U.S. at age 23.

Editor's note: This story is part of our series, Untold Tampa Bay, which aims to give a glimpse into the lives of the people who make up our diverse community and whose stories often go unheard.

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