Anyone ever run a LAN center in a small town?

[OgreVorbis]

So I used to have a lot of fun with friends having LAN parties, but now most of them have moved away. I am located in a relatively small town (about 7k people). I was wondering if anyone here has ever setup a LAN party zone. More than just something in someones basement, but like an actual center that has PCs with the games installed so anyone can come in and use them. I am wondering if I would have any success with this or not. I mean, I think even most average people would enjoy it, it's just that not a lot of people even know what a LAN party is at this point.

I might charge a small monthly fee to be a member and maybe make the first month free so people can decide if they like it or not.

So what's you're opinion? Anyone tried this?

[glenalz81]

I also live in a small town of around 7k, there was a place that opened, not a LAN centre more a PC based VR shop with a few rigs and different games to play. Paid by the hour.

 

Initially was quite busy due to the novelty but had to close the doors after around 4 months. Just not a big enough catchment area. I think a 10k base would be needed to sustain viability.

[OgreVorbis]

Yeah, you may be right. I am not really interested in making money on this as long as I don't loose money.

The cost for setup should be pretty cheap cause I would just use old recycled PCs (like Pentium 4s/Core 2s). Most new games don't have LAN anyway, so I'd just install older games that had LAN support. So it would be more of a retro center I guess. The only major cost is the rent for the facility. I own the games, but I'd probably just copy them to each PC instead of paying for each one. I know that's kinda illegitimate, but whatever and I can get windows licenses very cheap. Even if I do loose a little money, I am not really concerned cause it wouldn't be my source of income.

[Letgomyleghoe]

Just run linux instead of windows, or download windows and don't activate it, or an oem copy of windows works too, you can get them on eBay for ~10$

 

Core 2's probably won't run very well a 1600af and a rx 580/590 would be better suited 

[myselfolli]

Sorry to pop your bubble, but I think you're really underestimating how much money it'd actually cost you and how little you stand to make.

You have about 7k people that could potentioally visit your LAN center, about 70% of which aren't gonna be interested from the get go, since you'll only have older games (on very old machines), you reduce that even further - and quite significantly at that. So at the end of the day it'll be you and a few friends and at that point you're better off hosting LAN parties in your basement again.