Aurora, CO (12293 E Iliff Ave)
The exterior before closure.
12293 E Iliff Ave was a Showbiz Pizza Place which opened on January 28, 1981 with a Rock-afire Explosion, and closed on April 20, 1994, as a Chuck E. Cheese's with a 3-Stage.
This location is widely recognized as the location of the 1993 Aurora, Colorado shooting[1], which ultimately led to the location's closure in 1994.
Stages
The location opened with a Rock-afire Explosion show; it is unknown if the location received the Showbiz Pizza Campground upgrade in the late '80s.
The stage show was converted into the Concept Unification Stage between 1991 and 1992, and remained intact until the store's closure.
History
Aurora opened on January 28, 1981 as the 10th Showbiz Pizza Place location and the first location in Colorado.
Between 1991 and 1992, the location underwent Concept Unification and was updated as part of the SPT 1988 Remodel Program.
1993 Aurora Shooting
On December 14, 1993, disgruntled kitchen worker Nathan Dunlap shot and killed four people and injured one other after being fired from the location days before. Immediately following the shooting, Showbiz Pizza Time offered assistance to the families of the victims, who were all employees, while also announcing the location would close indefinitely [2].
1994 Reopening Plans & Closure
On March 4, 1994, Showbiz Pizza Time announced their intent to reopen the Aurora location in April 1994. The reopening would follow a full remodel of the location [3][4].
"We have gone through intense soul-searching because we are committed to the greater Denver community and want to do what's right," said ShowBiz Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard M. Frank. "In the end, we were taken by the overwhelming number of calls and letters we received from Aurora families asking us to reopen."
The announcement was met with mixed perception from the immediate families of the victims, with some agreeing the restaurant should reopen and others dismayed as to how the reopening plan was treated as a "media event" [5].
The company ultimately did not reopen the location as relatives of the victims objected to it; a family resource center was proposed by parents in Aurora hoping that Showbiz would transfer the remaining two years on its lease [6].
Current Day
The location was eventually split into multiple retail outlets, including Panera Bread.
Nathan Dunlap was found guilty of the murders and received a death sentence. Colorado abolished the death penalty in 2020, so Dunlap now faces life to prison without parole [7].
Gallery
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The exterior after the shooting
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A close up look at the exterior after the shooting
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An image showing part of Aurora's prize counter, gameroom, and showroom
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The store's kitchen
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Guests posing in front of the 3-Stage (1990s)
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The front entrance of the store with a “Gone With The Wing” poster (1993)
Animatronics
| Animatronic | Serial Number | Whereabouts |
|---|---|---|
| Chuck E. Cheese / Rolfe DeWolfe | 10-80 1-3 | Unknown |
| Pasqually / Dook Larue | 10-80 2-3 | Unknown |
| Mr. Munch / Fatz Geronimo | 10-80 3-3 | Unknown |
| Jasper T. Jowls / Beach Bear | 10-80 4-3 | Unknown |
| Helen Henny / Mitzi Mozzarella | 10-80 5-3 | Unknown |
| Billy Bob | 10-80 6-3 | Unknown |
| Pizzacam / Looney Bird | 10-80 7-3 | Unknown |
| Munch Jr. / Choo Choo | 10-80 8-3 | Unknown |
| Building / Sun | 10-80 10-3 | Unknown |
| Moon | 10-80 11-3 | Unknown |
| Antioch | N/A | Unknown |
| Wink | N/A | Unknown |
References
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993_Aurora,_Colorado_shooting
- ↑ https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-aurora-cec-dec-93/141331280/
- ↑ https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-sentinel/141331868/
- ↑ https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram/141331751/
- ↑ https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-sentinel/141331868/
- ↑ https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-sentinel/141331549/
- ↑ https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-sentinel/141333739/