{"id":5363,"date":"2026-06-04T12:53:33","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T12:53:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrateidea.com\/?p=5363"},"modified":"2026-06-04T12:53:33","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T12:53:33","slug":"josh-rossmeisl-on-engineering-escapism-and-immersive-high-touch-hospitality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrateidea.com\/?p=5363","title":{"rendered":"Josh Rossmeisl on Engineering Escapism and Immersive, High-Touch Hospitality"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Josh Rossmeisl is preparing to bring his most ambitious concept yet to downtown Atlanta. The founder and chief vision officer of AMP Up1 Hospitality—the force behind award-winning social destination Your 3rd Spot—has dubbed the new concept The Looking Glass, an immersive social playground designed to accommodate more than 1,000 guests and evoke a sense of wonder and discovery.<\/p>\n

Guests will use a signature “Curiosity Card†to unlock experiences throughout the venue, from elevated games and immersive art installations to hidden surprises and a venue-wide scavenger hunt called “The Curiosity Quest.†With construction expected to begin after the 2026 FIFA World Cup and an anticipated opening in the second quarter of 2027, the project exemplifies Rossmeisl’s latest effort to create the kind of transportive, connection-driven experiences modern consumers are craving.<\/p>\n

In this exclusive Q&A, Rossmeisl unpacks why this moment and location is right for his new concept, what modern guests are really buying when they go out, how Your 3rd Spot shaped the blueprint for flexible events and convention-scale hospitality, and how concepts like Tea Time and Ember Market help the venue flow from daytime family visits to a 21+ nightlife energy. Rossmeisl also gets candid about the operational math behind premium design, and the patience—and perseverance—required to build something meant to last.<\/p>\n

You’ve called this your “most ambitious concept to date.†What makes the CNN Center the right stage for this specific evolution of the AMP Up1 brand?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The CTR is one of the most recognizable buildings in Atlanta, and it sits in the heart (Center) of downtown, which is really the heart of the city. The building is tied to one of Atlanta’s most globally recognized stories through CNN and the rise of 24 hour news. There is history there, energy there, and a real opportunity to help people see it in a new way.<\/p>\n

CP Group has been very intentional about the transformation of The CTR. They are investing in the property, curating a strong mix of local businesses, and building toward a vision that aligns with what we believe in: food, culture, entertainment, work, community, and connection all living together in one place.<\/p>\n

Downtown Atlanta is also going through a major transformation. Between the convention district, State Farm Arena, Centennial Olympic Park, Mercedes Benz Stadium, new development, hotels, tourism, and major events, there is already tremendous demand. We wanted The Looking Glass to be part of that next chapter in a way that feels meaningful, memorable, and worthy of the location.<\/p>\n

And why is this the right moment in time for a concept like The Looking Glass? How does it meet modern consumer trends and behaviors?<\/strong><\/p>\n

People are being more selective about where they spend money. They are protecting the experiences they can get excited about: concerts, sports, travel, celebrations, and nights out that feel memorable. We are building The Looking Glass for that kind of decision.<\/p>\n

At the same time, people are craving more real world, analog experiences. They want to be with other people, feel present, explore, laugh, play, and discover something unexpected. Technology can support that, but the human connection has to remain the point.<\/p>\n

The Looking Glass is a modern adult interpretation of the idea of stepping into another world. It is inspired by curiosity, inversion, discovery, and the feeling that the deeper you look, the more there is to find. It is not meant to be a literal retelling. It is an original world built around modern social connection, where guests are rewarded for looking closer and being open to the experience.<\/p>\n

\"Josh<\/figure>\n
\"The
The Looking Glass will welcome locals, visitors, families, and groups during the day, with guests under 18 accompanied by a parent or guardian.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How did Your 3rd Spot influence the way you designed The Looking Glass, including the flexible event spaces to capture both corporate conventions and social celebrations?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Your 3rd Spot taught us a lot about what Atlanta wants and needs from a social experience. Since opening almost four years ago, we have seen demand from date nights, birthdays, corporate events, team outings, celebrations, private parties, and adults simply looking for a more interesting way to spend time together.<\/p>\n

One of the biggest lessons is that people want flexibility. A venue like this has to work for a couple on a date, a group of friends celebrating a birthday, a company hosting a team event, and a full venue corporate buyout. The Looking Glass takes that learning and builds it into a much larger, more immersive environment.<\/p>\n

Being steps from the Georgia World Congress Center gives us a major opportunity. Convention guests and corporate groups need places that can handle scale without feeling generic. Our goal is to offer high quality food, beverage, hospitality, and experiences that make corporate events feel less predictable and more memorable.<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Why Your 3rd Spot is Betting the Future of Hospitality on Employee Ownership<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Josh Rossmeisl Named to<\/em><\/strong> FSR’s 2026 NextGen Council of Restaurant Brand Leaders<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Your 3rd Spot and a Journey of Culture and Connection<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

You’re introducing a modern “Tea Time†and the “Ember Market.†How do these culinary programs support the venue’s transition from a daytime family spot to a 21 and older evening environment?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The food and beverage program is designed to support the whole day without feeling like two separate concepts. Ember Market gives guests access to quality food, craft beverages, handcrafted sodas, sweets, and quick bites in a format that works well for movement through the venue.<\/p>\n

Tea Time gives us a more ritualized experience. It is designed for groups of two to 20 and brings together savory and sweet items, tea, playful flavors, add ons, and a sense of occasion. It gives people another reason to visit, especially for celebrations, daytime gatherings, date nights, birthdays, and private events.<\/p>\n

\"Josh<\/figure>\n

The shift from day to night is more about energy, lighting, music, pace, beverage, and guest mix. During the day, the venue can welcome families with minors accompanied by adults. In the evening, it becomes a 21 and older environment built for adults who want something immersive, social, and elevated.<\/p>\n

\"The
Rooted in an immersive modern storyline, The Looking Glass invites guests to move through a living world of games, illusion, sound, light, food, drink, and hidden discovery, with curiosity serving as the throughline of the experience.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From an ROI perspective, how do you balance the high cost of premium design and illusion with the operational realities of a 1,000 guest capacity venue?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Premium design has to earn its keep operationally. A venue this large cannot be designed only for photos or first impressions. It has to move well, staff well, sell well, clean well, and still feel magical when there are hundreds of people in the building.<\/p>\n

We are fortunate to have incredible architects, creative partners, designers, artists, operations leaders, and a team that understands large format hospitality. We are very focused on impact areas. Some spaces need to be major visual moments. Some spaces need to support throughput. Some need to be flexible for events. Some need to invite discovery without slowing down the entire operation.<\/p>\n

The balance comes from knowing where to spend, where to simplify, and where one design choice can serve multiple purposes. The illusion and design are important, but they have to work inside a real hospitality business.<\/p>\n

This is years in the making, with undoubtedly delays and hiccups along the way. What has this process taught you about perseverance, as well as any other life lessons?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Delayed gratification is real. With the success of Your 3rd Spot, we probably could have tried to open a lot of venues quickly over the last four years. We chose a different path. We studied, built systems, strengthened the team, improved the model, and focused on building the bench of leaders who will carry these brands forward.<\/p>\n

That patience has made The Looking Glass better. The project has taken longer than expected, and there have absolutely been delays and hiccups. Every delay forced us to sharpen the concept, improve the plan, and ask harder questions. Ultimately the time it took will make the end product that much better. <\/p>\n

The biggest lesson is that big ideas need more than excitement. They need culture, systems, people, capital discipline, operational discipline, and a team that understands why the wait is worth it. These are not easy places to build or run, but when you invest in the people and the foundation first, you give yourself a real chance to do something special.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Josh Rossmeisl is preparing to bring his most ambitious concept yet to downtown Atlanta. The founder and chief vision officer of AMP Up1 Hospitality—the force behind award-winning social destination Your 3rd Spot—has dubbed the new concept The Looking Glass, an immersive social playground designed to accommodate more than 1,000 guests and evoke a sense of wonder and discovery. Guests will use a signature “Curiosity Card†to unlock experiences throughout the venue, from elevated games and immersive art installations to hidden surprises and a venue-wide scavenger hunt called “The Curiosity Quest. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":5362,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[3,17,18,5,20,4,19,15,16,6,21],"class_list":["post-5363","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hospitality-and-catering","tag-catering","tag-engineering","tag-escapism","tag-food","tag-high","tag-hospitality","tag-immersive","tag-josh","tag-rossmeisl","tag-service","tag-touch"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrateidea.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5363","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrateidea.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrateidea.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrateidea.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/27"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrateidea.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5363"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/celebrateidea.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5363\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrateidea.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5362"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrateidea.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5363"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrateidea.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5363"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrateidea.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5363"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}