By establishing the Spy Ninjas universe, Chad Wild Clay and Vy Qwaint created a world in which mild-mannered YouTubers join a team of high-flying crime fighters. Now, the husband-and-wife duo is launching a facility that will welcome visitors to their squad. Spy Ninjas HQ, set to open in the spring, will bring a new YouTube-inspired theme park to the Las Vegas area.
Spy Ninjas videos, which feature high-flying stunts and fantasy themes, resemble action-packed video games. To maintain that feel, Spy Ninjas HQ will let visitors “be the game.” Upon entry, guests will be given wristbands that they can use to track their progress across all of the attractions that will be available within the theme park. That system is an example of “IRL Gamification,” which is brought to Spy Ninjas HQ by family entertainment consulting firm Fallout Zones.
Clay and Qwaint hope to get Spy Ninjas fans through the door of their new HQ by stocking it will all sorts of thrilling experiences. Two of the big draws — an indoor zipline and an arcade with more than 100 machines — are planned as the largest attractions of their kind in Las Vegas. According to a recent job posting, the Spy Ninjas team is hunting for prop artists who can create extravagant scenery to match the tone of the rides.
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Other installations within Spy Ninjas HQ will fit the theme of the park’s namesake channel. Clay and Qwaint had already established themselves on YouTube before launching their acrobatic brand, but they struck a chord with viewers after pivoting to the universe they currently inhabit. Spy Ninjas HQ visitors will be able to feel like skilled warriors when they visit a real-life fruit-smashing room or try their hand at an in-house Ninja Warrior course.
As Clay prepares for the springtime opening of Spy Ninjas HQ, he is fighting a battle that has nothing to do with nunchucks. On YouTube, he has documented his fight against a form of cancer called Myxopapillary Ependymoma. While he recovers from a major spinal surgery, he has continued to design his new HQ from his bed. Meanwhile, Qwaint has donned her “Lady Vy” hardhat and overseen construction.
“We’re not going to let this slow us down one bit,” Clay said in a statement. “Ependymoma is far more common in young children, and there are millions of kids facing cancer and other life-threatening diseases every day. They need to see that anything is possible when they believe in themselves and never give up. Vy and I are fully committed to opening our epic theme park on schedule, so families around the world can come visit us and be a part of this adventure.”
When Spy Ninjas HQ does open, it will join a growing list of theme parks with ties to prominent YouTube channels. An unrelated ninja adventure park inspired by the Ninja Kidz hub is set to open in the Dallas area. That’s also the location of a play park opened by the star of the Unspeakable channel.
