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OHV Park ownership: Viable business or hobby?

TBItoy

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Jul 2, 2010
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Dodson Branch, TN
I'm just wondering about the real numbers, are/can OHV parks be a viable business to actually make a living, or is it more of a hobby business that's fun enough and self sustaining enough to stay open?

I realize that there are many factors that can make our break any business, but I'm thinking more in generalities.
 
Darren at WITC told me what his insurance bill was a few years ago. It was more than a lot of folks make in a year!
 
yankster said:
Darren at WITC told me what his insurance bill was a few years ago. It was more than a lot of folks make in a year!

I would not be surprised if it was 50k +
 
You also have to be willing to ruin a nice piece of land as well.
 
Re: Re: OHV Park ownership: Viable business or hobby?

J.A.B said:
You also have to be willing to ruin a nice piece of land as well.
Ruin is a matter of opinion.

Guarantee it'll be less "ruined" than logging or mining...
 
If you average them all out, you could make s living. That being said, there are some parks that make good money and some that lose money.

Location, location, location. Though we are blessed to live in Gods country, that means there are many parks competing for gate fees. With a good business model, and keeping an eye on the numbers, it can be profitable.

Just for reference, I have contacted many parks in many states. I actually wanted to do this exact thing a couple years back. Some are better about giving help and others hang up real quickly. From what I gather, it is like any other business. Be able to eat rice and beans and make nothing, while working every waking hour for the first three years and you'll have a fighting chance. The ones that made it, from who I contacted, were passionate and hard workers. Look at the Gap as a prime example. All that guy did was take some ideas from some college kids and made it all happen.

The Gap was a prime example of location. Great location being closest to all the southern most Rock Crawlers. Take that park to the middle of Florida and you would make more money than you could haul out in two wheel barrow loads. If I was willing to relocate, that was my idea. I wish someome would take it an run with it.
 
Like Jduck said...Skip here in SC has been operating Gulches as a business for several years...although I'm not sure if the land is paid for. I know he's had some pretty rough times over the years since we've had several rides to benefit the park and keep it open. Just like most things...you have to spend money to make money and if you don't do the regular upkeep on the place you'll lose business pretty quick. The simple things like maintaining the parking areas to reduce ruts, mud, etc. go a long way in making people want to come back. Not to mention that these days you have to keep the government off your back with keeping mud off of the paved access roads leading to and from your park or risk being fined...and if it becomes a regular problem they will find a way to shut you down.

I'm going to agree with the above statement about if the land is paid for I think it would be a viable business...as long as the location is right.

TBItoy said:
Ruin is a matter of opinion.

Guarantee it'll be less "ruined" than logging

I have to disagree with this...just because I'm a forester and work logging jobs on a regular basis. This perception comes from the bad jobs people have seen...and those bad jobs are typically addressed with the loggers and the problems addressed before they cause too much of a negative impact on the land/water. Most landowners I work with have the same idea though...when logged it should be pristine...and thats just not the case. Disturbance is good for forests. Sometimes you get the bad guy out there cutting who doesnt give a damn and you'll see the "ruined" look you're referring to. If this was the case on the majority of sites logging wouldn't be able to survive.

Just like the 6.0 diesel...sure there's been a few thousand of them with issues, but there's 10s of thousands of them that are just fine.

Sorry...just have to stick up for the guys I work with that do a good job and work hard to preserve the image of loggers!
 
clemsonjeep said:
I have to disagree with this...just because I'm a forester and work logging jobs on a regular basis. This perception comes from the bad jobs people have seen...and those bad jobs are typically addressed with the loggers and the problems addressed before they cause too much of a negative impact on the land/water. Most landowners I work with have the same idea though...when logged it should be pristine...and thats just not the case. Disturbance is good for forests. Sometimes you get the bad guy out there cutting who doesnt give a damn and you'll see the "ruined" look you're referring to. If this was the case on the majority of sites logging wouldn't be able to survive.

Just like the 6.0 diesel...sure there's been a few thousand of them with issues, but there's 10s of thousands of them that are just fine.

Sorry...just have to stick up for the guys I work with that do a good job and work hard to preserve the image of loggers!

I've never looked at a piece of clear cut land and didn't think it looked ruined...
 
CheapJ7 said:
I've never looked at a piece of clear cut land and didn't think it looked ruined...

LOL...yeah but have you ever looked at a piece of steel tubing and said "I think I'll start wiping my ass with that"? Gotta cut em to use em!

Not to mention the profit from cutting...easily making $3,000+ per acre cutting managed pine/hardwoods. That's on the low end too.


If I were to buy some property to run a park...I'd try to find one to manage the timber on as well and rotate areas every so many years to help pay for the property and the maintenance costs. That's why you'll see a lot of people buy a place, and then cut it. They're probably paying for the property with that cut and will reforest it and then use it to suit their needs.
 
Re:

While I don't necessarily care to ride the same trails. I think having the property open to sxs/atvs/bikes goes a long way to making it viable. There are way more of them than us.
 
clemsonjeep said:
LOL...yeah but have you ever looked at a piece of steel tubing and said "I think I'll start wiping my ass with that"? Gotta cut em to use em!

Not to mention the profit from cutting...easily making $3,000+ per acre cutting managed pine/hardwoods. That's on the low end too.


If I were to buy some property to run a park...I'd try to find one to manage the timber on as well and rotate areas every so many years to help pay for the property and the maintenance costs. That's why you'll see a lot of people buy a place, and then cut it. They're probably paying for the property with that cut and will reforest it and then use it to suit their needs.

Tree farming is where it is at. :****:
 
The GAP in Auburn was a great idea. The rock crawling area was perfect but the mud area wasn't well thought out. I wish that place was still open. The owner of the park was leasing the land though.

If I was going to open a park I would put one in Kentucky. Ive never seen so many people at an event in my life. Kentucky has a ton of offroaders, plus they get ohio, indiana and many more states business as well.
3000 people x $25 a person adds up real quick, but insurance isn't getting any cheaper.
 
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