Indoor Field Lifespan?

[RusskiX]

In the past 5 years, three different fields have tried to open and sustain an indoor field. None made it longer than 8 months. Now I live in the Northeast which means play generally stops from December thru March at most places and we hibernate. This should make an indoor field a decent investment, but none of them lasted very long.

So, my question is, if you have an indoor near you, how long has it been in existence and what are the prices compared to outdoor fields in the same area?

[SlipknotX556]

Indoor fields are more expensive to keep up. Electricity, A/C, plumbing bills every month, then you have the cost of the building itself, the turf. Very costly.

[Halliday]

The only indoor field local to me is only open during the winter. I guess he can't get enough business during the summer.

[GotMag?]

we have an indoor located in downtown, its much much cheaper than the outdoor field and has been open a year, and is doing quite well

[WenULiVeUdiE]

Well if you live in the NE like me( NJ specifically) then you probably heard of Hustlers Indoor and PBX Battlezone. Both opened earlier this year and they are doing very well. There is also Rex Plex which has been around a bit longer, but not as successful. There is a field called Cobra Command in Bucks County, PA that has had an indoor for a while now.

[Thermus]

PB Madness in Stamford, CT has been doing quite well. Business is booming 100% of the year. It has great location. Greenwich and Darien are 2 of the richest towns in the country, and its smack in the middle of the two. Stamford has rich sections as well. They get away with charging 100$ for a case of paint abd 15$ entry because of that. I can never go there though, its just too expensive.

[tony3]

Country Club Paintball in glenwood, il, www.ccpaintball.com has been around for 8 years. I have no idea what they do to stay in buisness. Maybe charging 100 a case?

[hobbesTZ]

I always thought the old Ames in Concord would be a perfect location

[Rather]

Atomix has been open for some time now i believe, and they are doing quite fine.

I think part of it is the Debt, and the other part is the smell... leave paint out to rot on the field long enough and the place smells like dead fish. Thats why some indoor's clean all that up weither it be sifting hte sand or raking the turf.... they keep it looking new as the can.. but of course that costs money to pay someone to do taht right there.... so were back to teh 6ft under in debt thing...

[xmetal2001]

The indoor that used to be near me closed a while back...

[jayloo]

Country Club Paintball in glenwood, il, www.ccpaintball.com has been around for 8 years. I have no idea what they do to stay in buisness. Maybe charging 100 a case?

Ya, I go there too. Paint 100 a case (non-members) and $75 a case for members.

Indoor fields have bills that most of have no clue about but are we are quite quick to critize the price of admission or case of paint. CCP has a hot tub and showers in the locker room. I have never used them but they are available. Indoor and outdoor fields are 2 completely different animals.

Where else can u get your pball on at 8pm on a thursday night ... all airball too?

[tony3]

I wouldn't mind the 75 dollar cases if I was a member, but not being a member kills you when I play there.

[athomas]

Unfortuately, most indoor field operators try to run their business like an outdoor field. They start with small capital and try to make enough money to improve things as they go. This doesn't work at the indoor level. In an indoor field, the owner has to have enough starting capital to build a field that will adequately entertain its customers and keep them coming back for more. Plus they have to be able to stay in business for more than 1 year at a high quality level in order to get a client base and get word out to future potential players. The result is a large capital investment that will build a field and run it for more than a year with minimal income. If an indoor field can do this, they will be successful. The price of admission and paint costs will be dependent on the cost of operating a business in the area. If property costs are high in the area, then chances are the cost of operating is high and thus the cost to play will be high. On the flip side, the average person playing will also be used to higher operating fees and willing to pay the higher price for a good venue. This will leave out people from out of the area, but thats a sad fact of life if the business is to remain operational.

[Load SM5]

Part of it would depend on the location. An indoor field in the north would tend to do better than one in the south with the weather allowing for longer year round play.

Although, it's in the mid 90's here lately and I'd kill for some air conditioning.

[animal]

Paintball Dave's in downtown milwaukee has been around a LONG time. Like from back in the days before chronos were even used, at least from what he told me. They also have an outdoor location though so I don't know if you could count them or not.