Originally posted on yourobserver.com
Don’t let the slides fool you, Urban Air Adventure Park is not just for kids.
During the park’s Sept. 27 soft opening, 69-year-old Peter Pelligrino snuck away from his daughter and grandchildren to try the Sky Rider.
Pelligrino soared over the park like Superman. He likes heights because he also tried the ropes course that hangs from the ceiling.
“(The course) was challenging,” he said. “It takes some strength and balance.”
The challenge is intentional, according to Marketing Director Jackie Hoegger, who said the three tenets of Urban Air are learn, play and grow.
She said the ropes course is fun, but it’s also about building confidence and learning how to problem solve.
While there are about 350 Urban Air locations across the nation, the Lakewood Ranch location stands out as the largest.
Owner Michael Tucci and his wife, Tracey Tucci, own two other Urban Air parks in Tampa and Brandon. Each one they open gets a little bigger. The Tampa location is 30,000 square feet, and the Brandon location is 45,000 square feet.
“I thought we could still add more,” Tucci said, “There are so many attractions, so we decided to go for 60,000 square feet and make it the biggest Urban Air in the country.”
Attractions include a climbing area, mini-carts, trampolines, battle beams, laser tag and a ninja course, which is suspended over a ball pit.
About 100 people were lined up at 10 a.m. waiting for the doors to open, but 8-year-old Jax Meurer's decision making might be the best example of the park’s allure.
After baseball practice, mom Aimee Meurer gave him the option to go to Urban Air or Legoland. He chose Urban Air.
It was a good choice because 10 minutes after his mom bought him an annual pass, they won the “golden tickets” for four free annual passes.
When the Meurers return, they can try out the go-cart track and virtual reality. The carts were set up but hadn’t been inspected yet, and the virtual reality system is in route from Germany. Both will be ready for the grand opening scheduled for Oct. 18.
While there were plenty of perks for attending Saturday’s soft opening, including one free Icee per guest, Hoegger called the grand opening the “big kahuna.”
A live DJ will be playing music outside. Prizes will be awarded every hour on the hour, and there will be a balloon artist and face painter on site.
All grand opening guests can save $100 off birthday parties, but the first 200 guests to purchase a deluxe or ultimate day pass will receive an annual basic pass for free that can be upgraded. Hoegger said the basic pass saves guests up to 60% off each visit.
She also noted that birthday parties are not the only reason to rent a party room at Urban Air. Moms groups rent them while the kids are playing, and businesses have rented them for meetings, so the adults can play after.
Beyond bringing more fun to Lakewood Ranch, Urban Air is also bringing jobs. Tucci said there are about 100 employees on staff now, and they will hire up to 50 more, mainly because most of the jobs are filled by high school students working part-time.
“We are the first job for many kids,” Hoegger said. “Our teens come back saying this is the best first job ever.”
Urban Air was the first job for Hoegger’s daughter Grace, who is now 24 years old. She was hired at 16 to be a birthday party host.
Anthony Parisi, a 16-year-old who attends Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy, saw an ad on Instagram and found his first job at Urban Air, too. He was helping kids in and out of laser tag vests at the soft opening.
Parisi hadn’t been to an Urban Air before his interview, but he figured it would be like working at Sky Zone.
Sarasota’s 11-year-old Jolievelle Burnell begs to differ.
“This is better than Sky Zone,” she said.
But Burnell had one note for management: “There should be a ball pit just to sit in.”