COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. — AJ's Family Fun Center will soon see some upgrades and have a new name after being acquired by the West Michigan Whitecaps.
The Whitecaps announced the acquisition on Wednesday. AJ's Family Fun Center is located directly next to the ballpark and features an 18-hole mini golf course, batting cages, an arcade and go-kart racing.
Now, the center will be seeing some renovations, though officials haven't specified those plans. It will also be rebranded as the Game Time Fun Park. These changes are expected to be made over the winter and ready for the season to begin on April 4.
Whitecaps staff are hoping Game Time Fun Park will be an option for families to visit either before or after a game—but it will stay open on non-game days too.
"AJ's has been a great neighbor and partner of ours for a long, long time, but with the work that we've been doing at the ballpark and the reinvestment that we've been making in the stadium, this was a fantastic add-on to to our offering, and something we're really excited about rolling out in 2025," said Joe Chamberlin, CEO of the West Michigan Whitecaps.
While big changes are coming, Chamberlin said families can expect improvements and a better experience as a Whitecaps fan.
"AJ's right now is one of the largest outdoor go-kart tracks in the state of Michigan. They have outdoor batting cages. It's one of the only remaining 18-hole mini golf courses around. And we're going to apply the Whitecaps brand and the Whitecaps experience to all those items," Chamberlin said. "We're going to elevate the experience and level of fun. And you know, who doesn't love go karts and mini golf in the summertime and what could be better before a baseball game?"
More details on the acquisition and the changes being made will be announced in the coming months.
The acquisition comes as the Whitecaps are in the process of renovating LMCU Ballpark. The most recent phase of the project aims to improve the fan experience. Those improvements are expected to be completed by the start of the season.