Bring your skates and favorite people to Suffolk’s newest venue for family fun.
Golden Luxe Arena, a family-focused roller-skating and entertainment venue, opened at 813 W. Constance Road downtown in January. Owner Dwight James said it was built for the kids and the community. He wanted to create a safe place in Suffolk where families could come together and make lasting memories.
James, with a background in real estate, construction and community development, became a local entrepreneur after serving in the Navy as a search and rescue swimmer. He also owns James Home Realty and Bounce Kingdom in Suffolk.
Growing up, James said he spent a lot of time at the skating rink on Airline Boulevard in Portsmouth.
“That rink was more than just a place to skate. It was where kids gathered, friendships were built and memories were made,” he said. “Those experiences stayed with me and played a big role in shaping the vision for Golden Luxe Arena.”
James said the inspiration for the venue came from seeing a “clear gap” in Suffolk.
“I kept hearing parents say there was nothing for kids to do, and kids saying they had nowhere to go,” said James. “The real turning point was reflecting on my own childhood and how impactful places like skating rinks were for us.”
He added that Golden Luxe is now his full-time focus and not a side project. It’s his long-term commitment to the city.
The full entertainment experience, designed for families of all ages, features a large roller-skating rink, a trampoline area and a modern arcade, which includes a mix of newer interactive games along with classic ones for parents to enjoy.
“We wanted to blend nostalgia with modern fun,” James said. “Everything inside the venue was designed to be high energy, family-friendly and safe.”
James said he’s most proud of the venue’s after-school skate program. Kids can be active, socialize and unwind in a positive, structured environment.
“It’s about more than skating,” he said. “It’s about routine, mentorship and giving kids a safe place during those critical after-school hours when parents are still working and kids need supervision.”
Golden Luxe Arena, a family-focused roller-skating and entertainment venue, opened at 813 W. Constance Road in downtown Suffolk in January. (Courtesy/Golden Luxe Arena)
Golden Luxe Arena hosts events such as glow nights, themed skate nights, private events, birthday parties, teen nights and adult skate nights. It plans to add Zumba classes and dodgeball tournaments (not on skates) as well as other fitness and community-based events.
“We have lived here for years. Our child goes to school here, and this is where we are raising our family,” James said. “If we were going to build something meaningful, it had to be here and it had to serve the community in a real way.”
Details: goldenluxearena.com
Lee Belote, jlbelote@verizon.net
