The $1.8 billion Grow Financial Federal Credit Union of Tampa Fla. keeps growingwith the recent grand opening of its 19^th branch indowntown Tampa.

The new branch features an alternative to traditional bank lobbydesign with contemporary color schemes and innovativeinteractive augmented reality technology that projects a virtualmoney machine on a six-screen HD video wall on the branch'sexterior wall.

Augmented reality is similar to an electronic billboard withtouch screens and motion reactive video, or sophisticatedgesture-based technology, which enables pedestrians to interactwith what they are looking at such as graphics, images or videothat appears on the HD wall.

During the Sept. 27 grand opening event, dignitaries includingTampa Mayor Bob Buckham played a game to catch falling-from the-skydollars created by the virtual money machine's technology.

The money “caught” by Buckham and others who attended the grandopening raised nearly $3,000 for The American Heart Association ofTampa Bay, Susan G. Komen for The Cure and The Children's Home ofTampa.

Grow Financial will use the virtual money machine as a newgamification marketing tool by enticing non-members and members toplay a video game on it and open new accounts.

Consumers can choose to either play for $25 to open a checkingaccount, $100 for a new auto loan, and $300 for a new mortgage.Once a selection is made, money floats from the sky and theconsumer catches as much as he or she can. Once the game is over,the money machine collects the consumer's email address and printsout a voucher to open a checking account or to apply for an autoloan or mortgage.

In addition to the new downtown branch, Grow Financial alsoplans to open new branches in Lakeland and Wesley Chapel. Next year, the credit union plans to expand in South Carolina.