Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) is hoping to open a new gaming-focused Priority Pass lounge where travelers can eat, drink, and play video games on Xbox, Playstation, and PC before their flight.
According to Metropolitan Airports Commission committee meeting documents published last month, airport staff are asking the board for approval to negotiate with Gameway, Inc. to build a $3.1 million, 3,000-square-foot entertainment lounge in the D Concourse at MSP Airport. Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal was the first to spot the public documents.
Gameway's lounges are still new, but the company is expanding to more airports in the United States, already having opened locations in Charlotte (CLT) and Houston-Hobby (HOU) as well as two lounges each in Dallas (DFW) and Los Angeles (LAX).
Additional Gameway lounges are also scheduled to open later this year at John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) terminals four and five along with a location at Chicago-Midway (MDW).
The existing Gameways are all part of Priority Pass, but don't allow unfettered access. In each case, credit card memberships through American Express and Capital One don't give you full access. But there's reason to believe this MSP iteration of a “Gameway” lounge will be different.
Gameway is pitching a brand-new concept for the MSP lounge called “The Portal.” This 3,000-square-foot space will have consoles for Xbox, Playstation, and PC video games and feature a lounge area with a limited bar, small plates of hot and cold food, and private business pods for passengers trying to take meetings or make calls.
The prospective lounge would replace the Xpress Spa which previously inhabited the small concourse area between the D and C gates near the airport's north security checkpoint until January of this year.
Unlike Gameway's other lounges, the MSP lounge would be a part of the Priority Pass lounge network, giving thousands of credit cardholders access to gaming, food, and drinks inside the lounge. It would be MSP's second Priority Pass lounge after the nearby PGA Lounge.
The new lounge will also be accessible through a daily entry fee like the nearby Escape Lounge MSP by American Express. Access to the lounge will include unlimited video gaming, food, and drinks. Some food and drink features will be available for an upgrade at the bar.
Research conducted by MSP staff found the new airport lounge concept would “capture a sizeable customer base through the [Priority Pass] program that is untapped today,” according to the documents.
In their report, staff also said they received support from Delta – the largest airline operating out of MSP – for the idea of a Gameway lounge. Delta operates three competing Delta Sky Clubs at MSP, which often face overcrowding.
Bottom Line
A new, one-of-a-kind gaming lounge called “The Portal” could be coming to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP).
The new lounge would be a boon for travelers with a Priority Pass membership through some popular travel rewards credit cards, who will get free access to the entertainment and gaming-focused space.
This story has been updated with additional information about Priority Pass access.
Featured image courtesy of Gameway
Can someone confirm if this is only available for the cardholder or if you can bring guests as well?
If it follows the rules for other Priority Pass lounges, you should be able to bring up to two guests.
Other Gameway lounges are all part of priority pass.
They are just experiences instead of lounges in the program. As such, American Express and Capitol One issued Priority Pass memberships do not include them.
You are correct. It’s our understanding that this new Gameway concept called “The Portal” will be more of a traditional lounge (with traditional Priority Pass entry requirements) and not an “experience” like the Gameway-labeled lounges in other airports.
We need something (a lounge) in Terminal 2.