Help For Field

[allstarpainter]

hello, I am starting a paintball field and I was wondering what are the three most important qualities in a field you look for. Anyone can answer and any suggestions are greatly appreciated. thanks

[killa_n00b]

Seeing as you can't even afford that timmy you want, I'd not try to make a field untill you have the money for it. A field is not cheap, bunkers are expensive, netting is expensive, putting up the poles for the netting isn't easy, you need insurance, you need an fill station for HPA and CO2 and don't forget that land isn't cheap either. Now go ponder about that.

[spyder_king06]

* Speedball. I like speedball, and I really dont like playing anything else. So when I look for fields, thats what i want. I dont like scenario stuff. Its just not as fun.

* Price. I will NOT play at a field if its expensive. Being cheap is a definate must. Nobody wants to pay alot. BYOP also helps out alot to, because it allows players to save alot of money on paint.

* Good employees. The field where you play has to be safe, clean, and fun. You dont want employees to be jerks. If you want to have a good experience you need good refs, nice guys behind the counter, fast service, and all that.

[allstarpainter]

"killa_noob" -

I am very good with money, I don't buy something because I have money, I buy something after I have earned it. For your info I am 14 and I could buy 30 Intimidators if I wanted too. My dad is going to set me up with a loan. He owns the only waterpark in Alaska and will easily help me out. I realize the expenses of a paintball park and frankly they are not too scary. Thank you for your suggestion.

[killa_n00b]

If you can't handle a bit of critisism maybe you shouldn't even be thinking about opening up a field. There will be many people complaining about something, it will always be too expensive or not well enough organised for them. Running a field is a huge responsibility. Do you really think you're ready for it? Are you ready to spend your fridays, saturdays and sundays on the field running things? Do you have the time and patience to handle first time players and such? You have to be able to run everything yourself in case one of the staff members can't make it. Everything you buy you should know how to work with. I don't think you're ready for it.

[allstarpainter]

I was just making it clear money was not a problem, as you suggested earlier. By the way my dad owns land where I could have the field. But again thanks for your suggestion, I understand where your coming from.

[allstarpainter]

Originally posted by spyder_king06
* Speedball. I like speedball, and I really dont like playing anything else. So when I look for fields, thats what i want. I dont like scenario stuff. Its just not as fun.

* Price. I will NOT play at a field if its expensive. Being cheap is a definate must. Nobody wants to pay alot. BYOP also helps out alot to, because it allows players to save alot of money on paint.

* Good employees. The field where you play has to be safe, clean, and fun. You dont want employees to be jerks. If you want to have a good experience you need good refs, nice guys behind the counter, fast service, and all that.

thanks for the response, I was planning on having the field FPO until some of the things were paid off, and then having it BYOP every other sunday after the field netting, airball field, ext. were paid off.

[killa_n00b]

Well, I help out at my local field(I don't get paid but it keeps the prices down) and I'll tell you one thing, it's not easy work. Setting up the field, taking it down, making sure the field is clean(can't have thrash and such), filling up bunkers when they start to deflate. All part of the job. Just want to let you know what you're getting into before you start spending and then get stuck because of something you had not planned.

[xavier678]

if you can risk about $50,000 then go for it. if not better wait a bit.

i like: safe enviornment, a LOT of people playing, variety of players.

[allstarpainter]

$50,000? How do you figure? Field netting: $1200. (yes I measured the land) cronographs: $380. fill scale: $100. field netting clips: $150. 10 gun field package: $2500 (rough). air compressor: dad owns a few. Co2 tank: $500. staff: friends.
land: dad has. insurance: still searching for the right insurance. I realize there are other expenses such as paint, air and any staff pay. However these cost are different, they can be profited from. Unlike the field supplies they will eliminate their own cost from customers. I estimate the cost of the field will be no more then $15,000.

[GranDream]

Don't forget advertising, but you can probably litter your dad's waterpark with flyers for you field;)

Three things I look for:

Safe environment, have every player chrono often, make sure you hire refs you know will enforce all safety rules with an iron fist.

Variety in fields, my favorite field has a speedball field, a castle, a western town, a woodsball field with villiage, and a new urban town. Best way to keep 'em coming back, I think.

Price, I don't go to fields that charge ridiculous prices such as $100 a case when I know of places where I can get it for about a third of that.

Although you sound like you have this thought out fairly well, the fact that you're 14 is a bit concerning. It may be worth your while to take a couple business courses at a community college over the summer if you don't have any background in running a business or you aren't going to be getting any help from your dad in the issue.

[Ebonclaw]

I want a well reffed field. There needs to be enough people out there to control the jerks that play. A good pro-shop. I want the ability to buy parts on the fly. Having a certified Air-smith is a good way to increase your revenue and provide newer players with a way to keep their guns in good condition, or have someone repair something that goes down. Think about it. Fixing a broken gun pretty much just takes time, something you charge by the hour, and parts, which the owner of said marker must pay for himself. Everything that you don't pay the airsmith, you pocket.
Safe. I don't want to play at a field where I have to get tetanus shots afterwards. At least two chrony stations. I HATE waiting in line at the chrony, and a good field with only 1 chrony makes me want to hurt things.
And no insane prices. It needs to be affordable. The paint you sell should be fiar in price and high in quality. The field I'm playing at now sells ONLY RPS.

[Downfall08]

u sure the compressor is high enough psi? most compressors are low psi high flow. You will want just the opposite. I think they run about $3000

[xavier678]

you realize netting requires certain stringent specifications for the field to be insurred, you will have to pay someone to put in posts and you will need cable for the top and bottom.

you will need a large initial investment of equipment, the actual fields which will be extremely expensive if you want to have a variety of popular fields (not having these will result in a small customer base) such as airball and hyperball (extremely expensive, i think the hyperball field alone costed the owner $15k when we put one in, not to mention it is extremely labor intensive = $$$).

you will need a business license, a building, a cash register, electricity, bathrooms, air conditioner, security system (of some sort), you will want a covered staging area, water for players, tables of some sort in the staging area.

it is going to cost you well over 15k.

[allstarpainter]

Originally posted by xavier678
you realize netting requires certain stringent specifications for the field to be insurred, you will have to pay someone to put in posts and you will need cable for the top and bottom.

you will need a large initial investment of equipment, the actual fields which will be extremely expensive if you want to have a variety of popular fields (not having these will result in a small customer base) such as airball and hyperball (extremely expensive, i think the hyperball field alone costed the owner $15k when we put one in, not to mention it is extremely labor intensive = $$$).

you will need a business license, a building, a cash register, electricity, bathrooms, air conditioner, security system (of some sort), you will want a covered staging area, water for players, tables of some sort in the staging area.

it is going to cost you well over 15k.


All the cables for the netting has been estimated. As for the poles my dad has plenty of expierence biulding a waterpark. Even if he couldn't put the poles in himself he could get a good deal on it. My dad owns plenty of construction equipment and we wouldn't have to rent any equipment. As far as a variation of fields; my dad constantly gets pallets all the time and I could easily set up a few villages of small buildings with my friends. Also we will add a airball field which will not cost anything near 15K, it will be a 5-man field and there will be another hyperball field with cobalt piping. Then with all the acres of land he owns we will put up more woodsball fields with plenty of cool stuff. You say that if I don't have vairations of fields I will not have many customers, well since the park is in Alaska we won't have much competition and the customers won't have much of a choice, not that they would choose another field over mine. With my dedication and my dads constructions experience the field put up will be an easier process then normal. As far as a business liscense I will not need one. The park is a monthly club and the field isn't profited from so its not a business, the money which is a profit is spent upgrading the park. I will not need a building, I have seen so many parks that don't have a building that are successful, it is not a necessity. However if it rains, we can put up a tent over the two speedball fields which are side by side. As far as a cash register I will not need one. I have seen lots of business's operate very well without a cash register. I do have a few cash register though so that is not a problem. I don't need electricity to operate a park, but if I did it wouldn't be impossible, and it wouldn't cost as much as most people would have to pay. An air conditioner is useless outside, but in the winter a tent will be set up over the speedball fields where big fans will be set up to keep everyone warm. As far as water for players, my dad owns a cafe' with an constant load of beverages coming in for the waterpark and the cafe', a cooler will be all that is needed. As far as tables go, my dad has a few picnic tables. The staging area will have netting also.

thanks for the critisism everyone, it keeps me thinking

the field will cost no more then 15K garanteed.

I'm really not trying to be mean, I'm just letting you know I though it out pretty well

still open to suggestions on the top 3 things people look for in a pb park thanks;)

[runner31490]

the field i play at has a variety of bunkers isntead of air ball just use stuff you can find around...where i play they have the huge wooden spools they work pretty well..its got an old chicken coop and even an out house building on the field. no hole under it of coure. for tables they just use old metal desks (maybe 10 years old) they work fine and the drawers work well for keeping your paint out of sun...there is alot of hand made bunkers made of pallets and other various items...go to a junk yard or something you could probly find some good stuff there

[Omegaboy13]

Safety, safety, safety. Three things you can't find in a outlaw feild.

[mooseknuckle]

you have to pay for the land and whatnot (insurance) ontop of actuall supplies. The field will cost atleast $50,000.

[rcxpaintball]

Originally posted by allstarpainter
$50,000? How do you figure? Field netting: $1200. (yes I measured the land) cronographs: $380. fill scale: $100. field netting clips: $150. 10 gun field package: $2500 (rough). air compressor: dad owns a few. Co2 tank: $500. staff: friends.
land: dad has. insurance: still searching for the right insurance. I realize there are other expenses such as paint, air and any staff pay. However these cost are different, they can be profited from. Unlike the field supplies they will eliminate their own cost from customers. I estimate the cost of the field will be no more then $15,000.

Honestly its around 25k if you want to do it half arsed. It really comes out to about 42k for you to do it correctly.

[xavier678]

Originally posted by rcxpaintball


Honestly its around 25k if you want to do it half arsed. It really comes out to about 42k for you to do it correctly.
yeah, i wasnt just talking out of nowhere, i was with a field from its beginning days and know how much money and effort went into it. and dont haf-arse it, relying on the fact customers 'have' to play at your field is a horrible business strategy.

[wordf0o]

1. Safe Environment
2. Smart Techs, Good Refs...-Employment
3. Good size field with good bunkers.

And most importantly

4$. PRICES- GOOD PRICES- FAIR PRICES...PRICES

[allstarpainter]

Originally posted by runner31490
the field i play at has a variety of bunkers isntead of air ball just use stuff you can find around...where i play they have the huge wooden spools they work pretty well..its got an old chicken coop and even an out house building on the field. no hole under it of coure. for tables they just use old metal desks (maybe 10 years old) they work fine and the drawers work well for keeping your paint out of sun...there is alot of hand made bunkers made of pallets and other various items...go to a junk yard or something you could probly find some good stuff there

my dad constantly gets pallets, we have over 100 of them, I'll be good.

[allstarpainter]

Originally posted by mooseknuckle
you have to pay for the land and whatnot (insurance) ontop of actuall supplies. The field will cost atleast $50,000.

as I have already wrote, my dad has atleast twenty acres of HIS land and he can get a good deal on insurance, he has a lot of friends the field will NOT cost more then 15K and it will have everything a normal field would, it is not an outlaw field, there is netting and insurance.

[xavier678]

Originally posted by allstarpainter


as I have already wrote, my dad has atleast twenty acres of HIS land and he can get a good deal on insurance, he has a lot of friends the field will NOT cost more then 15K and it will have everything a normal field would, it is not an outlaw field, there is netting and insurance. you realize that not just any company will insure paintball fields? a lot of people here have actually seen fields go up, regardless of 'connections'. RCX OWNS a non-profit field, he knows whats up. your optimism is great but you are being naive and are refusing to listen to advice of those who have been there and done it. cutting corners in a business of any sort is a sure road for failure.

[allstarpainter]

Originally posted by xavier678

yeah, i wasnt just talking out of nowhere, i was with a field from its beginning days and know how much money and effort went into it. and dont haf-arse it, relying on the fact customers 'have' to play at your field is a horrible business strategy.


the business strategy does not have any thing to do with customers "having" to play at my field as I clearly stated earlier I said I don't have much competition and customers don't have much of a choice of where to go, that was replied to your statement of "you have to have a variation of field" I'm going to have a village, a cobalt hyperball field, air ball field, pallet maze field, target range and some other woodsball fields, that is more then any of my near by competetors. So it is varied. So as I said earlier I just wrote I don't have much competition, I also said, "not that my customers would choose another field over mine" that indicates I am putting effort into the field, and to whoever said "safety, safety, safety something outlaw fields can't have. Would you mind explaining how my field is an outlaw field? Insurance, netting paintball made specifically for paintball and fair, but strict refs is outlaw? I'm very curious.

[spudz]

Woodsball fields need to be able to moved and support woodsball players, Keep it flat, The woodsball at the field I last played at was awesome all flat, The game usually starts with us facing north south and ends with it being east,west, Allows for lots of movement. I really like it when a couple of trees are connected with a piece of plywood and holes all over the place, Really makes movement easy. Have a nice area with thick brush for "snipers" and those with ghillie suits.

For your airball field, keep it how you like it.

For your hyperball or speeball field put a 4x8 frame covered with netting, Players can shout out where the other team is really making it intreseting, Or just give 1 side the net.

Be really open to game suggestions, and if new players are there and they suggest it, Take a vote to see who wants to play. Not everyone can stand up in front of a group of people they never meant before and suggest rules.

[allstarpainter]

Originally posted by xavier678
you realize that not just any company will insure paintball fields? a lot of people here have actually seen fields go up, regardless of 'connections'. RCX OWNS a non-profit field, he knows whats up. your optimism is great but you are being naive and are refusing to listen to advice of those who have been there and done it. cutting corners in a business of any sort is a sure road for failure.

I'm not cutting any corners at all. I won't take any insurance, I am searching for reliable insurance right now. I am planning on making a great field, I have thought out exactly how I will set up, and take down the field. Since the field is not profit I can always add more things to the paintball park. So I could spend as little as 15K and have a perfectly fun, safe and good field. I calculated all the cost out for you guys, the conclusion is less then 15K and it is not skipping any safety concerns or any other supplies needed for a field. I was really trying to say earlier that I can spend only 15K for two main reasons, which are my dad has experience with construction and has many "connections" as you call it so generally the supplies will be cheaper for certain things. Reason two is because the competition in Alaska is low, therefore I can spend less on "wants" and just the neccesities at first. But after a few months I WILL upgrade my field with luxuries no doubt. Cutting corners is not the game plan here guys. I think you guys are trying to bring me down because you don't believe I will make it. Your reason for your strong critism is obvious but is not necessary, you guys don't realize how cheap you can do things with good quality. I personally have enough determination to build alot of the field myself with my dad and I. I am telling you guys it will not cost more then 15K, my dad can get deals and he can do alot of good work with me, rather then hire a construction crew. He has over twenty acres, we have fifty foot piles of pallets and wood and it will not be easy, but I garentee you guys it will be cheap. I am aiming to have the field set above expectations and I am not trying to do the minimum possible to get the field running. Any suggestions on the top 3 qualities you look for in a field. So far my #1 is safety, followed by customer satisfaction and then my last is to bring the sport together, grow it and keep paintball vandalizism off the streets. I love paintball just as much as any of you guys, I am trying to help the community.

[allstarpainter]

Originally posted by spudz
Woodsball fields need to be able to moved and support woodsball players, Keep it flat, The woodsball at the field I last played at was awesome all flat, The game usually starts with us facing north south and ends with it being east,west, Allows for lots of movement. I really like it when a couple of trees are connected with a piece of plywood and holes all over the place, Really makes movement easy. Have a nice area with thick brush for "snipers" and those with ghillie suits.

For your airball field, keep it how you like it.

For your hyperball or speeball field put a 4x8 frame covered with netting, Players can shout out where the other team is really making it intreseting, Or just give 1 side the net.

Be really open to game suggestions, and if new players are there and they suggest it, Take a vote to see who wants to play. Not everyone can stand up in front of a group of people they never meant before and suggest rules.

thanks for the suggestion, I hope to welcome new players and having them come back again and again. But I want experienced players to have competition. I am not trying to seperate the speedball players and woodsball players, but I think eventually the new players will play more woodsball. I want to also have lots of game types, civil war, elimination, capture the flag and a few other scenario types. keep the advice coming.

[rcxpaintball]

Ease up here a bit....

You CAN start a field with under 5k. It just wont be that good and/or have some of the features of a field you spent more putting into. Most of the cash you spend is going into zoneing and getting the land and insurance.

In all truth 7.5k would be a easy investment to make into starting a field if you already owned the land. You can cut corners, though I don't reccomend it...

[Someday1189]

:eek: :eek: :eek: THE SHEPERD HATH RETURNED TO THE FLOCK!!!!1@31onehundredeleven!!!

oh rcx, don't ever leave us again:love:.


























http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v695/lri2x97/minirastadodgy.gif

[newnewbie]

- Speedball/Hyperball fields

- Well stocked with paint, air, and etc.

- Refs that turn games around fast

[rcxpaintball]

Originally posted by Someday1189
:eek: :eek: :eek: THE SHEPERD HATH RETURNED TO THE FLOCK!!!!1@31onehundredeleven!!!

oh rcx, don't ever leave us again:love:.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v695/lri2x97/minirastadodgy.gif

I havent left yet....I will be leaving soon though, just wait for the official thread to pop up soon. I have to take care of my last few IONs before I go on hiatus.

[^Arbiter171^]

1-safety
2-prices
3-no pummeling of n00bs (i have seen that too many times)

if i ever somehow loose my way and wander into the realm of Polar Bears, i will make sure to visit your field.

good luck on the field:P :blah: :crazy:

[Halliday]

Safety should be #1 all the time everytime.

Be careful of your friends working as refs. They will need to be paid somehow and you might need to fire them. How will you feel about firing your best friend from high school?

Also remember you don't need to have everything when you are just starting out. The field I work at started with just 10 markers, now a few years later we have 70.

I don't know what you have for buildings and power. but I can tell you working out a covered building with a running fridge and fan can really help the employees.

[allstarpainter]

thanks everyone for the advice, I will be sure to work out some kind of building for employees/players.

[runner31490]

just a sugjestion for rentals tippman 98 customs they hardly break and will last for ever there noob proof