Making a field perfect + News

Hey ya'll,
It seems as though i will most likely not be moving to california! At least not for a while, So i am going to continue to make my team (TRC) and after we get our guns we are going to make our own field with the backing of my parents. My dad is getting a better job out here and she said once we had the money she would buy whatever airsoft stuff needed for the team she could and then help us start a field.

At this field we will use it for meetings, private training, public airsoft games, and public paintball games. We will sell bbs, rent out guns, and charge to play on the field (pretty cheaply) it will be outdoors. No permanant buildings! and on a small to medium budget.

What I want to know is what makes a good field? and how to do that/get that incorparated? Trenches? Temp. Building? Open field or Lots of cover? Sandbags? Hay bales? Obstacles? etc. What advice can you give to me to help me build a kick ass field in the future?? thanks!

I suggest that you get your gear and a trained team first. Then you should play in different areas and different fields with different teams. That will show you what works and what doesn't.

Personally, I am not going to drive a few hours away, then pay to play outside. I think the location of said venue is key.

No team is going to drive a few hours to play against themselves.

for NUAC and CVA and etc. teams i invite will be free events... i will charge the public of afton if anyone wants to play on it

To charge and not get into trouble you will need to have a business license and insurance. Both will be pricey. I appreciate your enthusiasm but I think you should consider starting with the basics.

1) Do your team members (and yourself) have guns and goggles?
2) Do you have a place to play identified? Some public lands will work and it won't cost anything.
3) Do you have other teams ID'd so that you can begin playing against others?
4) What team structure will you use? Multiple 1-3 man units, traditional fire team units, etc.
5) After you have been playing 3 months, how many people still attend?
6) Do you have published safety requirements so that anyone who finds your site will know what to expect?

These can be handled in pretty much any order except the last. Established teams will be leery of attending events with a team who does not list their safety requirements. I would suggest you put something together on your site and then ask the folks on the forum to review it for you and offer suggestions/critiques.

My 2 cents...

Okay cool... thanks for the advice and that is the plan... but i am just planning ahead of that! after we are past those steps then i just want to get an idea of what to do? and how much i should estimate costs depending on different suggestions for the field itself. The rental and etc. i will worry bout. I just need field help!

The list is kind of the point. If you want to try a rental field you will need to own the land. If you don't own the land you will have to try to lease it. These are not insignificant costs.
What you need to do is research local paintball fields. Find out if anybody is already doing what you are thinking of.
What I think you will find is that the vast majority of fields that were started are now defunct. When there is as much public land around as we have in this part of the country folks are resistant to fees.
The other problem you will have is 'economy of scale'. You will be trying to fulfill a need for a niche market that is also a hobby.
For example, the 3 counties that make up Metro Salt Lake have a population of 1,000,000. That population, which includes multiple colleges supports 3 dedicated airsoft shops. 2 of which are Weapon Blender who also maintains a web presence. There are 3, I believe, indoor courses (all of which became available within the last 6 months). If there are any 'for pay' outdoor courses I haven't heard of them yet. Since there are folks from all over the metro area who visit airsoftica.com I find the lack of information on those types of fields telling.
Your next step will be to contrast Star Valley and Jackson with the metro area. The obvious question to answer will be "Will the population of of my market area support a business of this type?"
You also need to figure out your overhead costs. These will be items such as
1) Cost of land (either purchase, lease or financed)
2) Any improvements to land (will you supply power, water, etc)
3) Structure costs for field of play (sheds, walls, barrels, whatever)
4) Advertising costs
5) Inventory costs for anything you provide (BBs, CO2, etc)
6) Licensing and insurance costs (you'll need insurance to protect your parents assets)

Once you have the answers to these you will have STARTED the process. There will be more to consider but they aren't worth mentioning until you have the answers to the above.
What you are actually trying to do is to put together a business plan. That is the way it MUST be thought of when you are talking about the things you want to do. Any other approach will just doom you to failure.

Hope this helps gell your thoughts a bit.

Reid

I would listen to Reid and figure out step one and two before you jump to three.

I agree with reid. If your parents dont already own the land I think its a really bad idea. Even if they do own the land I wouldnt count on making any money, and I def wouldnt buy a bunch of guns to rent out, at least not at first. Take it from someone who has started their own business (me).

I am currently trying to do a very similar thing. I own six acres and want to build an airsoft course. But I am going to let everyone come for free. If it does really REALLY well, then MAYBE I might try charging like $1/day, but the course will have to be pretty kick butt to even get a buck. Personally I doubt mine will ever be good enough. Basically if you cant afford to do it for free, then you cant afford to do it.

As far as building the course, if you can, try and diversify. Do some sand bags, some buildings, some trenches, large pipes, hay bales, etc. everything you can. You will have a problem with straw bales deteriorating over time though, and falling apart. Not very perminent.

One thing you could consider using is pallet tanks. Basically they are about 275 gallon water tanks built onto a plastic pallet with a metal cage around it. They are often used to ship dyes or cleaners or other bulk industrial fluids, and if you can find someone that gets stuff shipped in them you might could get them for free. Just fill them half full of water so they dont blow away, and scatter them across the field!

Ps. my guess is if your willing to drive all the way down here for an event in Utah I would think that there probably arent enough airsofters in Afton to support a commercial airsoft field. But what do I know?

Topjob, I asked on the WA board for anyone somewhere near the Evanston area which is moderately close to Afton if they could take some of us NUAC officers around to show us some fields. Not a single reply, though on another thread of Lucas' one guy from the other side of the state said he'd come to one of OUR indoor games if we just tell him when. That is dedication like i've never seen and think if Lucas' field is done well, they will come a long ways.

"If you build it, they will come."

LOL. Maybe your right.