Owensboro residents will get their first chance to step inside Maui’s Indoor Theme Park this weekend, as the highly anticipated attraction opens its doors for a two-day “Sneak Peek Weekend.”
According to a social media post from Maui’s on Friday night, the preview event runs Saturday and Sunday from noon to 9 p.m., giving visitors an early look at the facility before its official launch.
The park will then close Monday through Thursday before reopening for its grand opening on May 8.
The indoor attraction — located on Frederica Street in the former Towne Square Mall — has been taking shape for months, transforming a large commercial space into a family-focused entertainment venue.
As previously reported, plans for Maui’s include an indoor roller coaster, go-karts, laser tag, a 3D simulator, mini golf, arcades, duckpin bowling, and a concessions area. Early details shared by the owners also highlighted features such as inflatables, climbing structures, and other activity zones, along with space for parties and group events.
The Owensboro location marks a significant milestone for the Hatton family, who founded Malibu Jack’s in Lexington in 2013 and now operate 10 indoor theme park locations. While many of the attractions will be familiar to Malibu Jack’s guests, the Owensboro project pushed the company toward a broader vision — and ultimately, a rebrand.
“This future we envisioned with this whole property was bigger than just Malibu Jack’s. We really felt it was the time for us give it a rebranding for something newer and bigger, because that’s what we would like to grow into even more,” Steve Hatton, vice president of Jester FEC, the family entertainment company behind Maui’s and Malibu Jack’s, said previously. “While Malibu Jack’s is a great, big, large building location, in our mind, Maui’s is even a bigger project.”
The Maui’s name reflects a shift toward a more immersive, resort-style atmosphere, inspired by destinations like Pigeon Forge and designed with long-term expansion in mind. The Owensboro facility will serve as the flagship for the Maui’s brand.
“We want this to be more than just an indoor theme park,” Hatton said previously. “We hope there may be an outdoor aspect at some point. Right now, those ideas are mostly in our heads.”
