Trampoline parks are the fastest-growing segment of the out-of-home entertainment industry. But today, there are still just under 600 parks in the United States. There is plenty of room in the market to get jumping on the trampoline park trend if you know how to find your ideal clients and the right amount of capital.
What is a trampoline park?
A trampoline park is an indoor recreational facility filled with large trampolines, padded walls, foam pits, and more for high-flying adventure. Each trampoline park may provide a different level of service. For example, some may serve refreshments and cater to large birthday parties and events for children. Others may be focused on adults who want to flex their skills or fit in some creative cardio.
The profit for indoor trampoline parks is found in the jump time fee. Each guest pays the price for a set amount of jump time within the park. Some trampoline parks may offer equipment for rent or an upcharge to access to more advanced obstacles.
Where should you open a trampoline park?
In 2011, there were only about 40 trampoline parks in the entire US. Since then, that number has grown by the hundreds, but there is still plenty of room in the market. If there isn’t already a trampoline park in your city, there might be a niche for you.
Trampoline parks thrive in areas flush with active families with discretionary income. Parents are looking for new, creative ways to get their children of all sizes out of the house to burn a little energy. Many are even willing to make the drive for a new, memorable family experience. That makes trampoline parks the ideal fit for rural areas that may not have other recreational facilities for miles.
How much does it cost to open a trampoline park?
Like with all indoor recreational facilities, startup costs can be high. The average trampoline park may start in the low seven figures because they often need to be custom-built. Many investors try to save money by looking for an existing building with wide-open interiors -this makes prefabricated metal buildings an obvious choice – Clearspan Technology allows a building up to 200 feet in width to be designed and built without interior columns, leaving the maximum amount of space open for jumping areas. You can start with a brand new building without the added cost of the customized structural design.
When planning the interior design of your space, keep in mind that just over 50% of the space should be used for the trampolines themselves. The rest of your prefabricated metal building can be designed to include spacious welcome areas, locker rooms, party rooms, and other gathering places for your guests.
Once you have the building itself in place, the main expense comes with the purchase of equipment. Business owners often take a more hands-on role within the everyday processes to save money. Trampoline parks are no exception. By becoming a certified service technician, business owners can perform a lot of the safety maintenance and upkeep the trampolines require year around.
How many employees does it take to operate a trampoline park?
Again, this will depend on the level of service you choose to provide to your customers. Will your local clientele expect trained professionals to enforce rules for safety? Will you need entry-level employees to complete tasks like serving refreshments? If your trampoline park caters to an older client base, you may even offer fitness classes or jumping lessons for those who want to sharpen their skills.
As you continue to add on different levels of service to your trampoline park, you may eventually need upwards of 30 employees. But as a startup, many businesses can keep costs low by performing many of those tasks themselves, especially essential maintenance.
What are the benefits of opening a franchise trampoline park?
There are other costs and processes associated with opening a trampoline park that may change depending on your location, like permits, licenses, and insurance. Opening a franchise is a safe way to ensure that professional trampoline park owners have eyes on these processes and can protect your business. Typically, the startup costs associated with opening a franchise might be more than starting your own unaffiliated business. You can expect your costs to sit anywhere between $1 and $3 million. However, using a trusted name may bring more traffic through the door, especially in family recreational facilities.
If you’re not interested in starting a franchise, mentorships can be a great way to get insider information on the ins and outs of owning and running a trampoline park. Find a fellow business owner online who can give you more detailed information on costs for insurance, licenses, and permits before getting started.
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