Business Idea

[Epic MacPhail]

Barrie is a bit too far for me at current point in time, especially with not having a car and such. If however, I am able to make it up to the field I'd be more than happy to pay a good fee to play at the field.

I'm currently attending school for basic Carpentry and Construction and after I will be obtaining an apprenticeship, hopefully here in London, maybe in Toronto. If all goes well, I might even be able to lend a hand with the construction and fabrication of the structures.

All-in-all it's a solid idea. Sure, it needs a few fine-tuning's to different aspects, but what idea doesn't? If there's anything you need help with, let me know and I'll see what I can do.

[DarkAngel]

been wanting to do this for a while XD
but only if I won the lottery

[Brian McIlmoyle]

Originally Posted by DarkAngel

been wanting to do this for a while XD
but only if I won the lottery

There is a huge gap between wanting to do something and doing it. Money is less of an issue than committment and follow through.

Money can be found many places, Particularly if you have a solid business plan and a little "seed money". However, doing this on credit and having to then service the credit will reduce the viability. Having about $100 000.00 in the bank, of cash and investing it in the business with a 5 year plan to see your money back .. really is the way to go about this.

The largest barrier to making this go is the size of the Community that can or will travel to such a facility. My numbers above are based on 100 players a week. Which is I think on average a reasonable expectation. Much more is a "hope" and building a business on "hope" is doomed to fail.

I'm in the position of also having the land.. and its even zoned for the use.. but I don't have the Capital nor the time to build a business doing this.. and it would not make enough money to be worth it to me.

[Epic MacPhail]

Originally Posted by Brian McIlmoyle

I'm in the position of also having the land.. and its even zoned for the use.. but I don't have the Capital nor the time to build a business doing this.. and it would not make enough money to be worth it to me.

Is it really such a big deal that it would become a business if one were to make such a facility? I look at it more as a fun thing for a community to do/ build rather than a business. It may just be my limited life experience speaking, but hey, that's just me.

If I were to be able to do anything for FNG's project in the future, it would be free of charge (maybe reimburse for the materials used, but I wouldn't charge for labor).

[Brian McIlmoyle]

Originally Posted by Hitarosu

Is it really such a big deal that it would become a business if one were to make such a facility? I look at it more as a fun thing for a community to do/ build rather than a business. It may just be my limited life experience speaking, but hey, that's just me.

If I were to be able to do anything for FNG's project in the future, it would be free of charge (maybe reimburse for the materials used, but I wouldn't charge for labor).

Who is going to accept the risk and cost without any return? I'm pretty altruistic.. I don't make any money from TTAC3 for example .. it all goes in to pay the expenses.. but their has to be money to pay. So it needs to make money. so it needs to be a business.

[Sniper Steve]

Originally Posted by Hitarosu

Is it really such a big deal that it would become a business if one were to make such a facility? I look at it more as a fun thing for a community to do/ build rather than a business. It may just be my limited life experience speaking, but hey, that's just me.

If I were to be able to do anything for FNG's project in the future, it would be free of charge (maybe reimburse for the materials used, but I wouldn't charge for labor).

You have to remember that you cannot take any peice of land (even if you own it) and build stuff and play airsoft on it. You need insurance that will cover if someone is hurt, you need to make sure the zoning is such that you can build what you want, you need permits to build things aswell and so on. There are alot of things to think about. I'm an engineer so I don't know too much about buisness but you need to have some sort of income to sustain something like this.

[Daiviet]

I think its a good plan, sure it may be far off in time before completion (or to start for that matter), but its better to have a large ambition than none at all.

If you need a hand designing the facility I'll have my diploma for architectural technology by then, so full professional design plans will be easier to access.

[Amos]

Originally Posted by FNG_13

Yeah, I was thinking a trip or two or six might be in store to Winnipeg...I'll reply to the rest of the above posts when I'm NOT getting ready for work...say in 12 hours or so after I get home and eat.

If you come out here, make sure you have a sunday to spare... You should not only play at XT, you should also play with the Manitoba Airsoft Association, You'll see how decent airsoft dedicated outdoor fields are set up.

[Schwag]

It's a good idea but not an original one. There are a few people (myself included) that have spent ALOT of time trying to juggle numbers and find land that can be zoned but is still within a reasonable distance.

It's just not financially viable unless you have a more profitable business to back it up and cover part of the overhead.

Xtreme tactics is a smallish indoor facility in manitoba. They don't have a ton of land to worry about or pay taxes on. Indoor also reduces your insurance because you control the terrain.
Outdoors you'd have to have a larger paintball field as well.

Brian's logic was right but hisnumbers were very optimistic.
Try getting 100 players out regularly.

The member idea still won't cover anywhere near enough unless everyone is a member and keeps the overhead down by maintaining the field and volunteering as staff.

I wish you luck. If you can be the one to figure it out, good for you.
Just don't get your hopes up.

[Amos]

Originally Posted by Schwag

Xtreme tactics is a smallish indoor facility in manitoba. They don't have a ton of land to worry about or pay taxes on. Indoor also reduces your insurance because you control the terrain.
Outdoors you'd have to have a larger paintball field as well.

Xtreme tactics also has an outdoor field.

I'm not too sure what it's like though, I haven't been there.

[Schwag]

Originally Posted by Amos

If you come out here, make sure you have a sunday to spare... You should not only play at XT, you should also play with the Manitoba Airsoft Association, You'll see how decent airsoft dedicated outdoor fields are set up.

Amos has a good point. An association would have a much easier time than an individual. The new york guys also have facilities that make us look like disorganized retards.

Maybe it's time to start an ontario airsoft thinktank to get us up to par

[Brian McIlmoyle]

If I thought it was viable and could pay enough.. It'd be running by now.

Its hard to convince people that they should pay $20 to play.. let alone telling people thye can't use their own BBs and need to pay for yours.

The idea of an Association supported field has some merit to it.. but the issue becomes variety .. such a field could only survive if it had a virtual monopoly on playing venues. In southern Ontario there are a lot of places for people to go to play.

If everyone agreed to spend their money in one place.. then the idea has a chance.

[Zeonprime]

In running a dedicated field in Ontario, there is only a small group of people who have been involved in such endeavours.. Scarecrow (Wolfpack), Brian (who thankfully has already posted), Schwag's group (TWAT and Spectres), the Snowdragons, 1RPC's TAG field, Blackbear has one now too. Then you have the Ottawa fields (lol...figured I'd add that in there )

I didnt see it in the thread... Enviromental Assesment. before you even consider zoning you'd need that done assuming we're going for the completely legal on the up and up business plan.

As Brian said above, with Ontario's multitude of fields it would be a hard sell. Variety of venues as we currently have means you need to offer something really unique. If you can pull it off great. good luck and hope you can get it off the ground.

[Sha Do]

Originally Posted by Brian McIlmoyle

Its hard to convince people that they should pay $20 to play.. let alone telling people thye can't use their own BBs and need to pay for yours.

The part where Brian touches on the issue of players needing to purchase "your" BBs might be an issue. Paintball fields make the majority of their income off of ammo and though you can buy paintballs cheaper by the case from a source such as Canadian Tire, it is manditory that they provide it because of insurance reasons, therefore they can get away with charging more. However, how reasonable would it be for you to be forced to first acquire (purchase up front), and then stock the specific colour(s) (to indicate that the BBs were infact purchased from your field) and weights of BBs that meet the particular requirements of any one players needs ( basiclly 0.20 for pistols, 0.25 and 0.28 for AEGs, and 0.30 and 0.36 for BAs)???

Originally Posted by Brian McIlmoyle

The idea of an Association supported field has some merit to it.. but the issue becomes variety .. such a field could only survive if it had a virtual monopoly on playing venues. In southern Ontario there are a lot of places for people to go to play.

If everyone agreed to spend their money in one place.. then the idea has a chance.

Getting support will never be an issue, but getting guarenteed commited support is always an issue. Many people have attempted to assemble associations before, but there are so many different groups of opinions (because of the mass number of players in the southern Ontario area) and so many different available fields that very few people are willing to see it through.

In order to compete against the plethora of different paintball fields, you would require a piece of property that provides a hugh variety of terrain that would appeal to the different styles of play. Thick bush, with some sparce older growth, some areas of pine, rolling hills, natural berms, some open field, and so on.
Secondly, location, location, location...is also key to the survival of the business, especially with the rising prices of gas.
And thirdly, you would first need to assure that the local by laws allow for the discharge of air guns in your area. There have been many potential fields trashed for "development" because the location falls under this by law and it's not worht the risk to have the neighbours call the police if they don't like what's going on. This can sometimes be remedied with a permit from the city office, but again, this becomes and additional cost that must be passed on to the players.

If this is a go for you, I would advise placing aside a small area (close to parking) for camping, so the field would open up to those who could not make the drive on the morning of the game, but could drive out the night before and spend the night in a tent. Charge a nonimal fee for this, and it could be in your favor. As well, Barrie is as close to Toronto as Flag Raiders is, so depending how far off the 400 the property is located, you've got good location, especially seeing as it's paint free.

Good luck;
SHA DO

[Brian McIlmoyle]

Originally Posted by Sha Do

The part where Brian touches on the issue of players needing to purchase "your" BBs might be an issue. Paintball fields make the majority of their income off of ammo and though you can buy paintballs cheaper by the case from a source such as Canadian Tire, it is manditory that they provide it because of insurance reasons, therefore they can get away with charging more. However, how reasonable would it be for you to be forced to first acquire (purchase up front), and then stock the specific colour(s) (to indicate that the BBs were infact purchased from your field) and weights of BBs that meet the particular requirements of any one players needs ( basiclly 0.20 for pistols, 0.25 and 0.28 for AEGs, and 0.30 and 0.36 for BAs)???


SHA DO

There are suppliers ready and able to do so.. I've Checked.