A Sky Zone franchise is slated to land in Charleston in October, the first location for the trampoline park company in West Virginia.
The franchise will be located in the building at 500 Southridge Blvd. that formerly housed the Southridge Grand Prix Family Fun Center. That business closed at the end of last year.
Sheila Nease, who will own the Sky Zone franchise with her husband, Blaine, said trampoline parks are a popular attraction for parties and group events that draw customers as far as three hours away.
West Virginia's lack of trampoline parks makes the location all the more appealing for potential customers in the state or nearby, she said. Columbus, Pittsburgh and Richmond house the nearest Sky Zone franchises for West Virginians, she said.
"These parks have been all the rage," Nease said. "People will drive from West Virginia to one in Columbus, and spend a weekend up there."
Sky Zone locations feature numerous connected trampolines and contain trampoline-centered versions of basketball, dodgeball, fitness classes and more. There are more than 160 locations worldwide.
Nease said Charleston's Sky Zone will also feature newer franchise activities such as climbing and jousting pits.
Customers purchase tickets for 30-minute, 60-minute, 90-minute or 120-minute sessions. Prices vary with location and time, but are typically around $12 for a 30-minute session and $25 for a 120-minute session.
The Neases both work at Cabell Huntington Hospital's Center for Surgical Weight Control, Sheila as a program manager and Blaine as a surgeon. She said Sky Zone being a creative way to get people active and healthy is the main reason they decided to open a franchise.
"This has been our baby for some time," she said. "I feel like it's such a good idea because you want to get your kids off the couch or computer now. It's nice to have a place to go where it doesn't feel like work."
Nease said they chose to locate in Charleston because of its proximity to major interstates, the fast development in the city and lack of similar entertainment nearby - especially with Southridge Grand Prix closing down.
Rich Rashid, president of Ridgeline, Inc., the development company that owns the property, said Sky Zone moving in is a natural fit for the space.
"It's really a regional draw," Rashid said of Sky Zone. "We've been a big fan of it for a long time. It's a good business model, and they always run things well."
The building has a total of 56,000 square feet, and Sky Zone will take 30,000 square feet in the front half of the building. The remaining 26,000 is still available for tenants.
Nease said the location plans to hire around 75 employees, most of which would be part-time.
Reach Max Garland at max.garland@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4886 or follow @MaxGarlandTypes on Twitter.