WHERE TO START

Planning your entry into this successful industry requires consideration on such things as your market, location, pricing and size. Other considerations such as ease of maintenance, playability, minimizing liability and exposure have a part in how much of the lucrative family market you will capture.



One of the most helpful things you can do is to “immerse” yourself as much as possible in the industry as there are many factors to consider. Learning from others successes and mistakes, getting “feel” for operations, determining likes and dislikes, observing and talking with customers and being a customer all add to your knowledge. Many owners, those with whom you are not competing, will be very happy to talk with you about the business. Castle Golf can make recommendations of facilities and people who would be good to visit.

There are also trade shows and professional associations that offer seminars, workshops for beginners and newsletters for prospective owners. Castle Golf along with other suppliers and resources that will be important to you will be found at many of these tradeshows. There are many useful web sites to explore regarding specific attractions and profit centers. Specific web sites for trade shows and associations include the following:

www.iaapa.org International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions
www.ialei.com International Association of Leisure and Entertainment  
www.neaapa.com New England Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions  
www.mgaus.org Miniature Golf Association United States
www.bpaa.com Bowling Proprietors Association of America  
www.golfrange.org Golf Range Association of America
www.amoa.com Amusement and Music Operators Association  
www.rollerskating.org Roller Skating Association International  
Magazines can be great resources also. Some of the associations above will also have a magazine or newsletter that they publish. One very useful industry magazine is Tourist Attractions and Parks. You may obtain your free subscription by going on line at www.tapmag.com and providing your address.  


In terms of your facilities, achieving success requires industry experience and knowledge. Castle Golf has spent forty years planning, designing and building excellent facilities for the family entertainment industry. Our facilities have low maintenance and repair needs helping to provide you a consistently profitable experience for many years to come. We will be delighted to speak to you about nearly all aspects of the business…and refer you to others as needed.