Malibu Grand Prix (MGP) was an entertainment company that was popular during the 1970s and 1980s as a franchised miniature Indy car racing track.
It was acquired by Warner Communications in 1976 which in turn sold it in late 1983 to a group of Canadian developers and a local entrepreneur whose background included Chuck E. Cheese’s.
There were a total of 40 locations at the time of acquisition including 32 tracks and 8 family entertainment centers featuring miniature golf, batting cages, bumper boats and more.
5400 Brook Hollow Pkwy, Norcross, GA 30071 Located just south of I-25 and Jefferson, along the west side of the Pan American Freeway.
It was a favorite stop by many touring artists including Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, Aerosmith, Scorpions, Foreigner, and many more.
Originally located on Castleton Street, right next to the Pomona freeway, it featured a large arcade with the latest coin-operated games, 2–3 full-sized pay-per-play pool tables, along with the infamous go cart track.
After closing, the site sat empty until it was used as storage for a materials company, storing slabs of stone and rock on the golf course.
As of December 2012 the property, along with all buildings to either side, has been completely demolished and is now part of the West Loop/US290 managed lanes expansion (the service road runs through the former Malibu Grand Prix compound).
Malibu Grand Prix in Oklahoma City was originally operated as Family Fun Park which was constructed in 1979 and had several water slides.
The America's Grand Prix had an arcade and a new NASCAR themed go-kart track, the mini golf course and water slides were removed.
Columbus, Ohio had a Malibu Grand Prix located on the north side of the city on Schrock Road, visible from Interstate 71.
Cincinnati, Ohio, Malibu Grand Prix was located on Interstate 75 in Sharonville on Dowlin Drive and adjacent to Burbank's Real Bar-B-Q.
The location was briefly renamed "Fresno Grand Prix" after being acquired by an independent investor, though the property owner eventually sold the parcel of land, which included one of the last drive-in movie theaters in California.
The main site is now an office building complex, but remnants of the golf course and race track remain covered under weeds and grass.
which stayed there until the building was demolished to make way for a Sun Super Savings Center Appliance and Computer Store which soon went out of business as well.
The location featured two 1/2-mile virage-style tracks, mid-sized arcade room, birthday party area and concession stand.
[3] A Malibu Grand Prix with a track and arcade, was located north of Denver, Colorado at Interstate 25 exit 215 (58th Ave).
A Malibu Grand Prix with track and arcade was located in Beaverton, Oregon, near the Washington Square Mall opened in the summer of 1979.
A batting cage is also on the property owned and operated by a third party added well after the original launch of the race track and arcade.
The current property was transformed into a used car lot (CarMax) and opened on September 24, 2014,[4] while Malibu Raceway has relocated to the Mt.
A Malibu Grand Prix track and arcade was located in the San Fernando Valley in the county of Los Angeles near the corner of Nordhoff and Corbin, across the street from the then Teledyne Company offices (now Lowes Home Improvement).
The track was very popular in the late 1970s and was frequented by several child stars like Scott Baio, Adam Rich, and Kristy McNichol.
The sites greatest claim to fame was when the Canadian rock band "Rush" rented the track for recreation after their concert.
Evidently sold and resold, the cars were worn out and in disrepair, the lap timer often didn't work, and the quality of the time you spent there went down badly.
That brought some life back to the place, but eventually the Malibu portion (building) was razed and the track remains to this today (September 2015).
MGP opened for business in the spring of 1980 at 11150 Malibu Drive in northwest Dallas, Texas, on a tract of land near the intersection of I-35E and Walnut Hill Lane, with a freestanding "Castle" featuring many video games, pinball machines, and four miniature golf courses in addition to the main MGP building, which also offered video games in addition to the race track with its "Virage" cars.
In spring 1998, the site was completely renovated and reopened as the then new SpeedZone, which remained open for nearly 22 years before closing its doors on February 18, 2020.
This track was somewhat unique, featuring a sequence of double "esses" leading to a decreasing radius right-hander that ended with a 45-yard long "straightaway" to the timing/finish line.
In late 1985, the franchiser had financial difficulties and MGP pulled all its corporate property (cars, games) from the facility, which promptly closed.
The company had numerous other Laserdisc games planned, stating that they were negotiating with Lucasfilm and other major studios,[7] though none of these came to fruition and the division was shut down shortly after Freedom Fighter's release.