I’m an expert on lasers, no matter what people tell you about that unfortunate incident when I borrowed a laser pointer for a Rotary presentation. So trust me when I say that a new laser tag business is coming to Lawrence, and I’m almost certain that no one will lose their eyebrows this time.

Plans have been filed for a new family fun center called Epic to open in The Malls Shopping Center at 23rd and Louisiana streets. The fun center will open in the former Family Dollar space. Co-owner Travis Jacobsen told me work has begun to renovate about 4,000 square feet of the building into a massive laser tag area. The building also will include a 3,000 square foot video arcade, although it will operate a bit differently from many arcades.

“Instead of tokens or quarters, you buy access to all the arcade,and then it is unlimited game play,” Jacobsen said. “It is like when you go to the carnival and you buy a wristband to ride all the rides.”

Jacobsen, a recent business school graduate from KU, is opening the business with his father, Terry Jacobsen of rural Lawrence. Travis said he hopes to have the business open by early July, but no later than early September. He said response from people who have heard about the concept has been great.

“We believe Lawrence needs more things to do,” Travis said. “It needs wholesome things that can entertain an entire family. It has been an overwhelmingly positive message we’ve gotten back from the community.”

In addition to the laser tag and the arcade, the center also will include about 1,200 square feet of party room space that can be divided into three separate rooms. Lawrence has had a laser tag business before, but it has been awhile. The bowling alley at Ninth and Iowa used to have a laser tag space years ago before the space was converted into Wayne & Larry’s sports bar.

“Lawrence is as big as it has ever been, and KU is big,” Travis said. “With the right marketing plan, we think it will work very well in Lawrence. I remember going to these type of places with my family when I was a kid. It was a blast. This has been a longtime dream of ours.”

Travis and his wife, Ellen, also hope the business has a secret weapon. Travis and Ellen, as we reported on Tuesday, were first in line to adopt one of the puppies of Penny, the Lawrence dog who gained fame on social media when she ran away, pregnant, from her foster home in midwinter. The couple plan on the puppy becoming a fixture at the fun center.

The first of Penny's Puppies "Quarter" is adopted. pic.twitter.com/WJHnBTp4l0 — Mike Yoder (@mikeyoderljw) May 19, 2015

In other news and notes from around town:

• The U.S. Census Bureau has released its 2014 population estimates for cities across the country, and they show that Lawrence may be getting some of its growth mojo back. The latest numbers estimate Lawrence’s population stood at 92,763 people in 2014. That’s up by 1,587 people from 2013. That’s good for a growth rate of 1.7 percent. Lawrence’s growth rate had slowed to less than a half percent a year in 2010, but has been on the rise since then. The 2014 numbers are the strongest showing for Lawrence this decade, and is near Lawrence’s historic average of the last 20 years or so.

Here’s a look at how the city’s population growth compares with some other Kansas communities.

• Baldwin City: 4,585 up 0.5 percent

• De Soto: 6,038 up 1.8 percent

• Eudora: 6,303 up 0.9 percent

• Gardner: 20,667 up 0.6 percent

• Kansas City: 149,636 up 0.6 percent

• Leavenworth: 36,000 up 0.2 percent

• Leawood: 34,395 up 4.2 percent

• Lecompton: 637 up 0.6 percent

• Lenexa: 51,042 up 1.3 percent

• Olathe: 133,062 up 0.8 percent

• Ottawa: 12,403 down 0.8 percent

• Overland Park: 184,525 up 1.7 percent

• Tonganoxie: 5,192 up 0.6 percent

• Topeka: 127,215 down 0.2 percent

• Wichita: 388,413 up 0.3 percent

• There’s another good sign that is a bit of a blast from the past. I’ve gotten word that Lawrence has landed a new manufacturer. I’m still working to get details, but I’ve gotten word than an Iowa-based company that manufactures foam insulation and other foam products has reached a deal to take about 60,000 square feet of space in the former E&E Display building near 29th and Haskell. I don’t yet have word on how many jobs the new enterprise may create for Lawrence. I’m working to get in touch with the company, Iowa EPS Products, and I’ll report back when I have more information.