Holiday Sports Venue Gainesville Alachua County

Holiday Party at O'Connell Center at University of Florida

The holiday party everyone actually shows up to.

O'Connell Center at University of Florida is already booking its December slots — and the question every HR team faces is how to make this year's holiday party different from last year's. A full-motion racing simulator inside O'Connell Center at University of Florida's event space in Gainesville does exactly that: gives every guest something fun to actually do, keeps the room energized through cocktail hour and dinner, and produces the kind of photos that fill the internal newsletter for weeks.

Why sim racing works for holiday parties at O'Connell Center at University of Florida

Reason 1

An activity that works for every guest — no awkward dance floors or forced icebreakers.

Reason 2

Live leaderboard and branded overlays with a seasonal theme for every team.

Reason 3

Fixed-price packages that fit inside predictable holiday event budgets.

How this event plays at O'Connell Center at University of Florida

Corporate holiday parties at O'Connell Center at University of Florida share a common problem: the first hour is awkward, the second is dinner, and the third is whoever's still around dancing to 2014 pop hits. SimsForHire solves the activity gap with a professional racing setup positioned as the entertainment hub. Guests drift in and out of the simulator throughout the night, leaderboards update in real time, and by dessert everyone's arguing over whose boss actually has a fastest lap worth bragging about. We bring the equipment, run the experience, and strike everything down before the close of event — your team at O'Connell Center at University of Florida focuses on hosting while we focus on making the evening memorable.

What we bring to your holiday

Full-Motion Platform

Sigma Integrale motion rig — tilts, rolls, pitches

Triple 39" Displays

Wraparound immersion for every driver

Direct Drive Steering

Simucube 2 force feedback wheel

Load-Cell Pedals

Heusinkveld professional brake & throttle

300+ Cars

Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, McLaren, and more

Live Leaderboard

Real-time rankings on a separate display

Featured cars for this event

GT3 Street Drift

Planning details

Typical Audience

40–250

Budget Range

$3,000 – $15,000

Decision Maker

HR director, EA, or office manager

Holiday slots at O'Connell Center at University of Florida book out fast — confirm your date 6–8 weeks ahead for the best pricing and our full crew availability.

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Frequently asked questions

How far in advance should we book a holiday party at O'Connell Center at University of Florida?

Lock your date at O'Connell Center at University of Florida 6–8 weeks out for peak December. The last 3 weeks before Christmas typically sell out by mid-October. Off-peak dates in early December or January 1st-quarter parties have more flexibility.

What does a holiday party simulator package cost?

Holiday packages at O'Connell Center at University of Florida run $3,000–$15,000 depending on guest count and rig count. A typical 80–120-guest evening party uses 2 rigs and lands around $6,500 all-in with branded overlays, operators, and 5 hours of coverage.

Can the simulator be themed for the holidays?

Yes. We build holiday-themed screen overlays, leaderboard graphics, and operator-led mini-competitions ("fastest lap in the ugly sweater", "secret Santa champion"). Makes the activation feel native to the party, not imported.

Will one rig be enough for our holiday party at O'Connell Center at University of Florida?

For parties under 80 guests, one rig handles the full evening comfortably. For 80–200 guests, 2 rigs keep queues under 10 minutes. For 200+ guests, we recommend 3 rigs with a tournament format to keep the room engaged from open to close.

Does the simulator work for a plated dinner format at O'Connell Center at University of Florida?

Yes — we position the rigs for visibility during dinner and run them during cocktails and post-dinner dessert, when guests are actually available to play. The leaderboard stays visible throughout, building anticipation through the meal.

Lock in a holiday date at O'Connell Center at University of Florida

December fills fast. Tell us your date and headcount.

(754) 228-5654 Send Inquiry