THE GLOBAL ESPORTS MARKET, VALUED AT $1.4 BILLION IN 2021, IS EXPECTED TO REACH $1.9 BILLION BY 2025.

THIS INFORMATION UNDERSCORES THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ELITE GAMING IN SYRACUSE, AS THEY AIM TO EXPAND THE ESPORTS ECOSYSTEM, HIGHLIGHTING A MISSION BEYOND MERE FINANCIAL GAINS.

>> ELITE GAMING IS AN IDEA THAT MY CO-FOUNDER AND I CAME UP WITH TO BRING THE GAMING COMMUNITY TOGETHER IN UPSTATE NEW YORK.

WE DECIDED THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS TO BUILD A FACILITY WHERE GAMERS CAN GET TOGETHER, HAVE FUN, COMPETE IN A SAFE PLACE.

WITH ALL THE EQUIPMENT AND EVERYTHING WE HAVE INVESTED HERE, WE ARE WELL OVER A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS TO GET WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

WE ARE ALL SELF FINANCED SO FAR.

SCARY AS WELL.

SO E-SPORTS IS THE COMPETITIVE SIDE OF VIDEO GAMING.

THE GAMING INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE IS A $200 BILLION A YEAR INDUSTRY.

BIGGER THAN THE MOVIE AND MUSIC INDUSTRIES COMBINED.

IF WE CAN BRING A FRACTION OF THAT HERE TO SYRACUSE, BY BRINGING THE GAMING INDUSTRY AND THE GAMING ECOSYSTEM HERE, AND PROVIDING JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE LIVING HERE SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO TRANSPLANT AND GO TO OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A HUGE WIN.

AND WHO KNOWS, MAYBE WE COULD EVEN GET SOME OF THE BIG GAME PUBLISHERS TO SET UP A SMALL SHOP HERE.

THERE IS A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY.

NOT TO MENTION THE TOURISM PIECE, TOO.

HOLDING LARGE SCALE TOURNAMENTS HERE, WHICH WE PLAN ON DOING.

WE PLAN ON MAYBE RENTING THE WAR MEMORIAL OR THE ONN CENTER AND HOLD LARGE TOURNAMENTS HERE WHICH WILL DRAW PEOPLE IN FROM ALL OVER THE NORTHEAST.

SYRACUSE IS DEFINITELY A GREAT PLACE FOR E-SPORTS.

IT'S BRAND NEW TO THE AREA.

IT HAS NOT BEEN DONE BEFORE.

WE ARE THE FIRST FACILITY OF ITS KIND IN UPSTATE NEW YORK.

WE ARE GOING TO PROVIDE A GOOD PRAYS FOR PEOPLE TO GET TOGETHER.

WE WILL HAVE IN OUR FACILITIES SO THEY CAN GET TOGETHER AND GAME TOGETHER.

THERE IS A LOT OF SOFT SKILLS YOU PRACTICE WHAT YOU ARE GAMING.

FOR INSTANCE, YOU ARE WORKING WITH A TEAM SO IT'S TEAM BUILDING, TEAM COMMUNICATION.

CERTAIN GAMES YOU HAVE TO HAVE TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS.

PROBLEM SOLVING, GAMING IS PROBLEM SOLVING, RIGHT?

STRATEGY.

ALL SORTS OF THINGS-LIKE THAT, ALL WRAPPED INTO BEING COMPETITIVE IN GAMING.

VERY MUCH LIKE TRADITIONAL STICK AND BALL SPORTS, SOCCER, LACROSSE, ALL OF THE THE THINGS THAT YOU GET SOFT SKILLS WISE FROM THE SPORTS, YOU ALSO GET WITH E-SPORTS.

>> I AM COLLECTING SKILLS OF NOT ONLY JUST SKILLS IN THE GAMES THAT I AM LEARNING AND BEING COACHED ON, BUT ANYTHING THAT INVOLVES A GROUP SETTING HELPS A LOT.

TO MEET SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND HAVE MORE SOCIAL INTERACTION DURING A TIME LIKE SUMMER WHERE I WOULDN'T BE AROUND PEOPLE IN SCHOOL.

>> 80% OF THE KIDS THAT PARTICIPATE IN E-SPORTS HAVE NEVER PARTICIPATED IN A SCHOOL ACTIVITY BEFORE.

THAT GRABS THE KIDS THAT ARE ON THE FRINGES, THAT DON'T NECESSARILY BELONG TO ANY SCHOOL ACTIVITY.

IT GIVES THEM A SENSE OF BELONGING.

KIDS WANT TO BELONG TO SOMETHING.

AND IF THEY CAN BELONG TO SOMETHING WITH THEIR FRIENDS AND THEY'RE HAVING FUN, AND THEY'RE PART OF A SCHOOL ACTIVITY, SO SCHOOL PRIDE, ATTENDANCE, GRADES, ALL THAT STUFF IS ELEVATED.

HUGE PART OF GAMING IS THE ARTS, GRAPHIC DESIGN, ANIMATION, THINGS LIKE THAT AND GAMERS ARE THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO PURSUE A STEM OR STEAM CAREER.

WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM ON CURRICULUM AND OTHER ASPECTS OF THE PLANNING.

WHAT IS GREAT ABOUT EXAMPLE SPORTS, IT TOUCHES EVERY ONE OF THE ACRONYMS.

A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM.

AS FAR AS FUTURE PLANS GO FOR ELITE GAMING ARENA, WE ARE STILL IN THE GROWING PHASE, WE ARE GROWING VERY RAPIDLY THANKFULLY.

WE HAVE PLANS TO EXPAND HERE IN THE MOST FOR NOW AND THEN WE WILL SEE WHAT THE FUTURE BRINGS BUT WE HAVE EXPANSION PLANS IN THE VERY, VERY NEAR FUTURE.