(Louisville Business First) - A Louisville-area businessman and extreme sports fan is bringing a new sports park to Clarksville in hopes of filling an entertainment hole in Southern Indiana.
Kenny Schell is bringing "Xtremenasium," an extreme trampoline park, to a 20,000-square-foot space near Big Lots and Office Depot on East Lewis and Clark Parkway in Clarksville. Schnell also owns paintball and skateboard retailer Asylum Xtreme and paintball event park Paintball Asylum in Louisville, among other businesses.
He said Friday that he hopes to be open by November in time for Christmas break. He expects to spend about $1.2 million on the endeavor after researching the project for the past two years.
The park is locating in a vacant space formerly operated by car parts and repair company Pep Boys, he said.
While there will be some similarities between Xtremenasium and other trampoline parks in the Louisville market, Schell said it will feature a number of fresh options, including a ninja obstacle course similar to what one would find on the "American Ninja Warrior" television show, a bouldering wall with foam pits and a "battle beam" like what was used on "American Gladiators." Elsewhere, trampolines will be geared for jumping, dodgeball and other sports activities.
Schell also is planning a face-off wall, where harnessed competitors can watch through a glass as they race one another, and a cardio wall, in which a competitor must move quickly to hit lit areas on the wall as they appear. And a spinning obstacle course will try to knock the competitor off a platform.
Schell said he will create an observation deck and lounge area for parents and visitors and event rooms for birthday parties and other gatherings.
Xtremenasium admission will be $13 an hour, although the business will offer grand opening discounts and possibly multi-hour usage rates. Rental rates for the party rooms have not been set for the facility, which will be alcohol-free.
"That could get dangerous and messy," Schell said of mixing extreme sports and booze. He intends to partner with someone on concessions.
Schell was inspired to pursue the extreme sports park after visiting similar concepts in California and Las Vegas, and he believes it will translate into success here.
Xtremenasium will join another recent entertainment additions to town with the opening of the Clarksville Strike & Spare Family Fun Center in June in a 43,000-square-foot space on Little League Boulevard off Eastern Boulevard.
Strike & Spare has a bowling alley, arcade, laser tag, roller skating, bumper cars and Lazer Frenzy, a "Mission Impossible"-style game in which players must dodge or break lasers to score points.
