COMPANYHISTORIES
NAIC 71399

All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

21companies1856–1994founding years21still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedThe Orvis Company, Inc.
1856
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedOdakyu Electric Railway Co., Ltd.
1923
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedPPB Group Berhad
1948
FoundedVillage Roadshow Ltd.
1954
1955
EconomyDisneyland opens and invents the modern theme park.
FoundedStanley Leisure plc
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedKampgrounds of America, Inc.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedTurner Broadcasting System, Inc.
1965
FoundedImax Corporation
1967
FoundedAmerican Golf CorporationFoundedNicklaus Companies
1970
FoundedThe Trump Organization
1974
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedJazzercise, Inc.
1979
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
Founded24 Hour Fitness Worldwide, Inc.
1983
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedCablevision Systems Corporation
1985
FoundedJillian's Entertainment Holdings, Inc.
1988
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
FoundedBerjaya Group Bhd.
1990
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
FoundedEmpire Resorts, Inc.FoundedMonarch Casino & Resort, Inc.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

The Orvis Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1856
Founded in 1856, The Orvis Company, Inc.
Odakyu Electric Railway Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1923 · Japan
Odakyu Electric Railway Co., Ltd.
PPB Group Berhad →
Active · founded 1948 · Malaysia
One of Malaysia's largest companies, and one of the largest conglomerates in the ASEAN market region, PPB Group Berhad…
Village Roadshow Ltd. →
Active · founded 1954 · Australia
Village Roadshow Ltd.
Stanley Leisure plc →
Active · founded 1958 · United Kingdom
Based in Liverpool, Stanley Leisure plc is the United Kingdom's largest casino operator and fourth-largest operator of…
Kampgrounds of America, Inc. →
Active · founded 1962
Kampgrounds of America, Inc.
Genting Bhd. →
Active · founded 1965 · Malaysia
Genting Bhd.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. →
Active · founded 1965
As a subsidiary of media giant Time Warner Inc., Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
Imax Corporation →
Active · founded 1967 · Canada
Imax Corporation, founded in 1967 and headquartered in Mississauga, Canada, is the pioneer and leader of giant-screen,…
American Golf Corporation →
Active · founded 1970
American Golf Corporation is the world's largest golf course management company.
Nicklaus Companies →
Active · founded 1970
Nicklaus Companies is a conglomerate of golf-related businesses run and owned by golfer Jack Nicklaus and his family.
The Trump Organization →
Active · founded 1974
The Trump Organization presides over the assets of the Trump family and serves as the umbrella for the many business…
Jazzercise, Inc. →
Active · founded 1979
Jazzercise, Inc.
Scientific Games Corporation →
Active · founded 1979
Scientific Games Corporation, formerly known as Autotote, operates as the global leader in lottery and pari-mutuel…
24 Hour Fitness Worldwide, Inc. →
Active · founded 1983
Based in San Ramon, California, 24 Hour Fitness Worldwide, Inc.
Cablevision Systems Corporation →
Active · founded 1985
Cablevision Systems Corporation is one of the largest cable systems operators in the United States, providing service…
Jillian's Entertainment Holdings, Inc. →
Active · founded 1988
Jillian's Entertainment Holdings, Inc.
Berjaya Group Bhd. →
Active · founded 1990 · Malaysia
Berjaya Group Bhd.
Empire Resorts, Inc. →
Active · founded 1993
Maintaining its headquarters at the Monticello Raceway in New York State's Catskills region, Empire Resorts, Inc.,…
Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc. →
Active · founded 1993
Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc.
Family Golf Centers, Inc. →
Active · founded 1994
Only six years after its founding in 1992, Family Golf Centers, Inc.
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