The Rehoboth Beach Board of Adjustment delayed action April 27, on a use variance request for an escape room at 50 Wilmington Ave.

Shaun Bauer and Sharusan Uthayakumar of Captive Industries Inc. would like to open an escape room in the space that was the longtime home to Gallery 50. Prior to that, it was a Subway restaurant.

That section of the city is zoned C-3, secondary commercial. There are some businesses such as restaurants that are allowed by right in the zone. However, entertainment venues, which an escape room falls under, are not.

Corey Shinko, director of the city’s Planning, Zoning and Development Department, said an escape room is permitted in Rehoboth Beach, but not in that zoning district, so the applicants need a variance.

The structure is mixed-use, with condominiums above. This prompted a line of questions about noise from board members.

Bauer said their businesses don’t contribute to surrounding noise much because the escape rooms themselves are soundproofed so the groups can’t be heard discussing the clues. It’s more like a board game café, he said.

Bauer said the company’s original escape room began in Toronto before COVID, and there are now nearly 20 venues in places like Ocean City, Md.; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; and Fenwick Island.

Bauer said there’s no desire to run a restaurant because it doesn’t work for their business model. He’d be happy to point customers in the direction of any of the restaurants nearby, he said.

There were questions about how many people would be in the business at once.

Between employees and customers, Bauer said there might be 20 people in the business at one time. The plan is for three escape rooms, with a maximum of six people playing in a room at one time, he said, adding there isn’t much extra foot traffic because bookings are made almost entirely online.

Ultimately, the board decided to delay a decision on the request to provide members time to try and draft appropriate conditions that are strict enough to protect the condominium owners above, while also permitting a business that, on its face, appears to be significantly less obtrusive than a restaurant.

As of press deadline May 4, the next board of adjustment meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, but an agenda has not been issued.