The North Shore Adventure Park is negotiating with partners for a new aerial ropes course to be ready next year. The park is closed to the public this summer for planning and site prep.
Located at the corner of Highway 61 and Outer Drive in Silver Bay, the site got a facelift when the old gas station and gift shop were torn down to make way for the first phase of the park, an outdoor rock wall named Eleanor.
“Last summer was a test-run for us,” Huston said. “We had a great staff of 10 people and we got five star reviews from all of our clients. People had a wonderful time here. But we knew we needed more amenities to be successful.”
A typical aerial ropes course requires about $500,000 to build but the total investment is close to $1 million, he said. When completed, the Silver Bay location will have 50 to 70 features, including zip lines within the park. It will be the largest aerial ropes course in the state.
The Silver Bay site has been reviewed and vetted by three experts and was deemed a location with high potential for success. The feasibility plan, conducted by Strategic Adventures, predicts 20,000 visitors and 20 employees.
“It typically takes three to five years to develop a park,” Huston said. “But because we did so much of the upfront work, including the feasibility study, we expect to move faster.”
There are only about 12 companies who operate in this arena, Huston said. “We have had interest from five.” The park is also seeking new investors to finance the park.
The North Shore Adventure Park owns the corner lot at Outer Drive and Highway 61. The City of Silver Bay owns the adjacent land for the aerial ropes course. Use of that land is being negotiated in a development agreement.
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