An old office building in downtown Los Angeles might seem like an unassuming event venue at first glance, but inside is Escape Room LA, an intriguing new teambuilding experience for groups.
Created by John Hennessy, whose other company, Race/LA, has operated scavenger hunts and adventure races throughout Southern California for more than 10 years, Escape Room seemed like a natural fit, and he was drawn to the concept after hearing about the success of similar activities around the world, from Budapest to New York City. “I knew that we needed to create one in Los Angeles,” he says.
Groups with around 12 participants are comfortable, and after a quick introduction and explanation of the rules, groups are locked inside a room for an hour and must use communication, cleverness and problem-solving to find the key and escape. The room is styled like a 1940s detective office, and attendees must use hints, puzzles and secrets to solve the mystery.
There are several regularly scheduled sessions each week, or planners can arrange special times for a private group.
According to Hennessy, the escape rate so far has been about 10 percent, so it’s a big accomplishment if your group actually finds the key before the 60-minute time limit runs out. However, even groups that don’t succeed still have fun and improve their communication skills.