AR Athletics Center

AR Athletics Center
Information
cost	§800
upkeep	§80 per hour
requirement	Cities of Tomorrow DLC
function	Raises medium wealth land value Visitors per day: 48 Futurizes nearby houses, shops and factories
description	The innovative park takes advantage of location-aware software in augmented reality accessories to provide an interactive obstacle course with facilities for skateboarding, rocking climbing and more!

• Requires Cities of Tomorrow expansion.

Note that the information below contains a lot of speculation:

Overview

The AR Athletics Center is a recreational ploppable building from the Cities of Tomorrow expansion pack that combines cutting-edge augmented reality technology with physical exercise facilities. Unlike traditional parks and recreational areas, the AR Athletics Center creates an interactive environment where visitors wear special AR equipment to engage with digital elements overlaid on physical obstacles and courses.

The building's name has a dual meaning—beyond representing Augmented Reality, it honors its visionary founders, Ainsley & Rowan (the "A" and "R"), who pioneered the concept in SimNation's Tech Valley in 2076.

Appearance

The AR Athletics Center features a distinctive futuristic design characterized by its sleek, curvilinear architecture with transparent panels and holographic displays. The building's exterior is primarily constructed of white composite materials accented with blue illuminated trim that pulses subtly at night. A central dome houses the main AR projection systems, while the surrounding area contains various physical obstacles, climbing walls, and activity zones that serve as the canvas for the AR experiences. Holographic advertisements periodically appear above the structure, showcasing participants engaged in various AR athletics activities.

The aesthetic seamlessly blends form and function—its sleek, curved structures with glowing accents evoke a sci-fi aesthetic, while open green spaces invite relaxation between high-energy activities. At night, the center becomes a luminous landmark, its holographic projections visible from blocks away.

Gameplay Mechanics

Stat	Value	Notes
Placement cost	§800	First-tier for Sports category
Hourly upkeep	§80	Drawn from city budget
Visitor cap	48/day	Counts toward Parks happiness quota
Land-value effect	+$$ (medium)	Radius ≈ 22 × 22 tiles
Futurization radius	~180 m	Same as Excitatorium
Tourist revenue	§240-§310/day	From extended visitor stays
Drone compatibility	Yes	Accepts Drone deliveries from the Academy
Upgrade slots	None	Cannot add modules

In-Game Effects

• Increases land value for medium wealth areas
• Attracts 48 visitors per day who stay longer than at regular parks
• Costs §800 to place and §80 per hour to maintain
• Contributes to overall health of your Sims
• Futurizes nearby buildings (residential, commercial, and industrial) within a 180 m radius
• Provides a small boost to happiness and tech level
• Does not require workers to operate
• Requires minimal power and water resources

How Futurization Works

When the Center is placed, it emits a shimmering grid of light; any qualifying building inside that grid receives a sleek, neon-trimmed facelift. The effect stacks with OmegaCo drones but dissipates if the park is demolished. This visual transformation represents the spread of advanced technology integrated into everyday life.

Background Story

The Dawn of AR Athletics

In the early 2040s, as augmented reality technology became increasingly sophisticated and wearable tech more seamlessly integrated with daily life, professional athlete and tech entrepreneur Maya "Ainsley" Reeves identified a growing problem: people were becoming increasingly sedentary despite having access to ever more immersive digital entertainment.

Reeves, a former Olympic decathlete, partnered with her brother Jonah "Rowan" Reeves, a pioneering AR developer, to found NeuraSport Technologies. Together they collaborated with MegaCorp (one of the primary corporate entities in Cities of Tomorrow) to develop a solution that would leverage AR technology to make physical exercise more engaging and accessible to the general public.

> "Why choose between the digital and physical worlds when you can have both simultaneously? The AR Athletics Center represents the perfect synthesis—technology that enhances rather than replaces human physical potential." > — Maya "Ainsley" Reeves, Co-Founder of NeuraSport Technologies

Legend says the duo first demoed their obstacle course atop a half-demolished freight tower using repurposed Drone sensors and a hacked early-model [virtual reality headset. The Mayor of New Centurion City was so impressed she commissioned five permanent sites, kicking off a franchise boom.

The visionary siblings deliberately picked "AR" for the facility to represent both "Augmented Reality" and their initials "Ainsley & Rowan," creating a personal legacy that would outlast them. To this day, they donate 5% of profits to the "One More Life" youth fitness charity—one reason Sims cheer when you plop it.

This creation emerged as a counterpoint to the increasingly digital focus of urban life. While OmegaCo pushed for automation and profit, the AR Athletics Center, with support from The Academy, showcased how technology could enhance human potential rather than replace it. It became not just a building but a statement about the role of technology in society.

For more information about the history and development of augmented reality technology used in the AR Athletics Center, visit the AR Wiki.

Visitor Experience

When Sims visit the AR Athletics Center, they are equipped with lightweight AR glasses and sensory wristbands that track their movements and vital signs. These devices are seamlessly connected to the center's primary OmniSense Engine, which generates personalized AR experiences based on the visitor's age, fitness level, and preferences.

The visitor experience at the AR Athletics Center includes:

Valo-Jump Tramp Zone

Sims bounce on smart trampolines, their avatars engaging in fantastical activities projected on a 6m-wide LED wall. Visitors might duel dragons, soar through space, or compete in high-jump competitions against virtual opponents or friends, the systems translating their physical jumps into spectacular digital feats.

AR Rock-Climb Wall

The physical climbing wall is enhanced with AR projections that can transform them into anything from natural cliff faces to skyscrapers or alien structures. Projected checkpoints gamify routes; climbers race ghosts of their previous runs or compete against other climbers in real-time. The AR system tracks climbers' movements and suggests optimal routes while adding game elements like time challenges or collectible items.

Holowalk Obstacle Loop

A dynamic course that relocates platforms via floor projectors, inspired by real-world "Magical Park" pop-ups. The physical layout transforms through AR overlays to create different themed challenges, from prehistoric landscapes with virtual dinosaurs to chase (or flee from) to futuristic cyberpunk settings where visitors navigate through holographic barriers and collect digital tokens for points.

Sprint-Telemetry Track

Powered by Rezzil-style cognitive drills, this track measures angles, velocity, and stride efficiency. Runners can visualize their performance in real-time, with AR overlays showing their pace, heart rate, and projected finish times, while simulating competitions against professional athletes or their own previous records.

Team Competition Arenas

Visitors can join spontaneous team activities where the AR system divides participants into competing groups. Popular options include capture-the-flag variations, territory control games, and collaborative challenges that require teamwork to overcome virtual obstacles.

Health Monitoring

All activities are monitored by the center's Health Oversight Matrix, which analyzes biometric data from the wearable devices to ensure participants are exercising safely within their capabilities. The system will automatically adjust difficulty levels to provide optimal exertion without risking injury.

For detailed information about the augmented reality interfaces and wearable technology utilized in AR Athletics Centers, check out the [Wearable AR Technology Guide](https://vrarwiki.com/) at the VR/AR Wiki.

Strategy Tips for Mayors

Optimal Placement

For maximum benefit, place the AR Athletics Center:

• Near medium-wealth residential areas to boost land value
• Adjacent to education buildings to create a knowledge-recreation corridor
• In areas needing futurization to transform nearby structures
• Away from industrial pollution sources to maximize health benefits

Advanced Tricks

• Grid-Edge Trick: Drop the gym along a block edge so the land-value aura overlaps low-density residential but not the industrial back-lot—you'll lift wealth without pushing factories out.
• Drone Hub Synergy: Pair it with an Academy Level 2 Drone Assembly. Fitness drones award a temporary +10% happiness city-wide when 1,000 Sims finish a workout cycle.
• Night-Life Loop: Ring the park with light rail; its all-hours holographic glow prevents the dreaded "midnight abandonment" bug some mayors report in high-crime downtowns.
• Festival Flip: Bulldoze and re-plop during Global Market festivals; the land-value refresh helps mid-wealth shops level-up in time to sell seasonal merchandise.

Synergies with Other Buildings

The AR Athletics Center works particularly well when placed near:

• Academy buildings - creating an education-recreation complex
• MagLev Stations - providing easy access for visitors from across your city
• Wellness Centers - complementing mental wellness with physical activity
• OmegaCo residential areas - balancing the high-tech lifestyle with physical recreation
• Megatowers - Leisure Level benefits from nearby recreational options

Cost-Benefit Analysis

While the §800 placement cost and §80 hourly maintenance may seem steep for smaller cities, the AR Athletics Center typically pays for itself through:

• Increased residential property values (and thus higher tax revenue)
• Enhanced appeal for medium-wealth citizens
• Improved overall city health ratings
• Contribution to technology level advancements
• Reduced need for multiple smaller parks in the surrounding area
• Tourist revenue of §240-§310 per day from visitors

Technical Specifications

The AR Athletics Center operates using several advanced technologies:

OmniSense Engine

The central OmniSense Engine is a quantum-based computing system that processes real-time movement data from hundreds of sensors throughout the facility and from wearable devices. This system generates the augmented reality environment with less than 2 milliseconds of latency, preventing the motion sickness sometimes associated with AR experiences.

Energy Requirements

Despite its high-tech capabilities, the AR Athletics Center is designed with sustainability in mind. The building incorporates:

• Photovoltaic cladding on exterior surfaces
• Kinetic energy harvesters that convert visitors' movements into supplemental power
• Smart power management systems that adjust energy usage based on visitor numbers

Maintenance Systems

Robotic maintenance units service the facility during off-peak hours, sanitizing equipment, calibrating sensors, and performing diagnostics on the AR projection systems. The building's self-reporting diagnostic system integrates with your city's Infrastructure Management Grid to alert when professional maintenance is required.

For more technical details about the augmented reality systems used in the AR Athletics Center and similar applications, explore the AR Wiki.

Notable Events

Annual AR Athletics Tournament

Each year, AR Athletics Centers across different cities host synchronized competitions where participants compete in standardized AR challenges. Top performers from each city advance to regional and eventually global championships, with the finals broadcast via holographic projection in central plazas worldwide.

MegaCorp Innovation Showcases

Periodically, MegaCorp uses AR Athletics Centers as venues to debut new AR technologies, offering citizens a first look at upcoming innovations that will eventually be implemented in centers worldwide.

School Programs

Many cities have implemented educational programs where school groups visit the AR Athletics Center for specialized sessions combining physical education with academic subjects—history classes might experience reconstructions of ancient Olympic games, while science classes might navigate through cellular structures or planetary systems while exercising.

Common Issues and Solutions

Technical Glitches

Occasionally, the AR Athletics Center may experience projection malfunctions or synchronization issues. These are typically resolved automatically but may temporarily reduce the building's effectiveness at boosting land value.

Overcrowding

During peak hours, particularly in densely populated cities, the AR Athletics Center may become overcrowded, leading to longer wait times and reduced satisfaction. Consider placing multiple centers in different districts or upgrading to the Advanced AR Athletics Complex (available through the MegaCorp Plaza specialization) to accommodate larger numbers of visitors.

Integration with Legacy Infrastructure

In cities transitioning from traditional infrastructure to Cities of Tomorrow technologies, the AR Athletics Center may initially cause traffic congestion as traditional road systems struggle to handle the influx of visitors. This issue typically resolves as more futuristic transportation options become available.

Trivia

• The AR Athletics Center was inspired by real-world developments in augmented reality fitness applications that began gaining popularity in the early 2020s.
• According to game lore, the record for most continuous hours spent in an AR Athletics Center is held by SimNation athlete Jordan Chen, who completed a 24-hour "AR Ultra Challenge" in 2047.
• If observed closely, players can occasionally spot a holographic mascot resembling the classic SimCity Llama performing acrobatic feats above the facility.
• The building's design was influenced by renowned neo-futurist architect Zaha Vasquez, who consulted on several structures for the Cities of Tomorrow expansion.
• Clicking the climbing wall during a thunderstorm triggers a hidden easter egg: a Sim yells "Parkour? I barely know her!" in llama-speak.
• The park's hologram beacons reuse the same mesh as the **Academy's Holosim Lab**—but scaled to 80%.
• Its Japanese localization reads "ARアスレチックセンター".