Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center, home of the Flyers of the National Hockey League, has created what management calls the “Disassembly Room” for fired-up fans to use in moments of stress or frustration. Upon arriving at the room on the arena’s lower level, fans pay a small fee and put on protective gloves, a face shield, and a thick smock. Then, armed with a large mallet, they have a few minutes to smash old TV monitors, vases, dishes, and other items that are deeply satisfying to shatter into pieces.
For convention and trade-show planners (with enough liability insurance), this idea could be morphed to work inside a convention facility with items that are perhaps a bit softer or break into larger pieces—pumpkins, pinatas, and the like—while attendees’ usage fees can go to a local charity. Planners could also survey attendees who partake to see if the activity makes them feel more relaxed once they get back to business.
