Amusement Park News

Pacific Park, located on the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California, is home to a variety of amusement rides, including a Ferris wheel with sweeping coastal views, bumper cars, and a roller coaster. It is also home to one of the few remaining boardwalk arcades, Playland Arcade, which recently celebrated its 71st year.

Throughout the fall, visitors enjoyed a newly installed display of vintage tokens and memorabilia, along with family photos spanning the arcade's long history. The milestone was also marked by an invite-only anniversary party held mid-month and a Locals' Night celebration.

The classic arcade was founded in 1954 by two brothers and their father, George and Eugene Gordon and Morris “Pops” Gordon. Still family owned and now in its fourth generation, Playland Arcade is currently a fully woman-owned business. Marlene and Joanie Gordon, Dana Picore, and Monique Giroux continue the family legacy. The arcade is certified as a women-owned business by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council.



According to Marlene Gordon, George, Eugene, and Morris Gordon built the arcade with a simple mission: to make people smile. She notes that seeing the joy the arcade continues to bring to families means everything to the quartet of co-owners.

The Gordon girls grew up in the arcade, helping with games and ticketing. Nearly every family member across four generations has worked there, reinforcing the family's commitment to preserving the business and keeping it in the family.

As the oldest continuously operating, family-owned business on the Santa Monica Pier, Playland offers a mix of modern and traditional games, from claw machines to Skeeball and air hockey. This year brought a large-scale revamp of the facility that honored its iconic past while introducing a more modern look aimed at attracting younger gamers.

The renovation included new lighting and updated décor, all while maintaining the boardwalk charm that has drawn visitors for decades. The arcade now features nearly 200 games spanning multiple eras, from pinball to virtual reality and video games that appeal to both nostalgia seekers and contemporary players. Video games were first introduced in the 1980s, with updated prizes and skill games added throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.



Among the most recent additions are Slush Rush, a competitive game where players race to fill on-screen ICEE cups to earn redemption tickets; NBA Smash and Win, a mini basketball game; and the racing game Zombies: Ready, Deady, Go!, complete with glowing targets. Other new offerings include the competitive surfing game Surf League, a Godzilla vs. Kong game, Tundra Toss, and new air hockey tables.

While the 2025 refurbishment focused on the arcade's interior, the original building was rebuilt in the 1990s as part of a larger pier restoration project. The Gordon family persisted throughout the construction, operating their games from a tent in the adjacent pier parking lot. The arcade also endured the COVID-19 pandemic, surviving a 15-month shutdown due to California public health orders.

When Playland first opened, it featured both coin-operated games and attractions such as a shooting gallery and archery range, which are now part of its past. Coins and tokens have also been phased out. Just before the 2020 COVID closures, the Gordon family installed a digital card system to replace traditional payment methods.

Dana Picore says the co-owners hope the “sound of laughter and games” will continue for decades to come.

Although the arcade's future now looks bright, it faced serious challenges in the past. In the 1970s, the Santa Monica Pier was threatened with demolition, which would have erased both the arcade and the amusement pier. The Gordon family helped lead the Save Our Pier movement, supported by community advocates and figures such as Robert Redford, who filmed scenes from The Sting at the location.

Those efforts paid off, and both Playland and the pier remain beloved gathering places. Giroux says the arcade represents “tradition, connection, and joy,” adding that her family views Playland Arcade as a multigenerational family treasure.

Many members of Playland's staff, like the Gordon family, have been part of the business for decades. Their dedication to both the arcade and its guests contributes to the welcoming atmosphere that draws visitors as much as the games themselves.



From locals-only events like Mario Kart tournaments to the installation of a selfie-ready oversized deck chair, Playland continues to offer attractions and friendly service that make it an icon in the amusement industry and a standout within Pacific Park.

Beyond its appeal to gamers, the arcade has appeared in numerous film and television productions, including The Sting, Forrest Gump, Beverly Hills Cop II, and Three's Company.

As Giroux puts it, “Playland Arcade has always been about more than just games. We're honored to carry this torch into a new era.”