Good idea or bad idea???

Question
Pat I'm in the process of opening up a skating rink in Columbia SC. Our oldest skating rink was sold right under our feet. Now it's only 2 skating rinks in Columbia and it caters to the younger crowd, which left most of the adult skaters outside looking in. My goal is to open a skating rink that will be different from the rest, I want to incorpoarate a work out gym, daycare, after school care, jazz arobics through out the day of the week.   Not sure if it's a good idea or too much.

Answer
Hi Theo,
  Being an adult also, I understand how you feel about the rinks catering to the younger crowd.  As much as I hate to admit it, that's where the money is and bill have to be paid.  

  The same thing has happened here and probably everywhere.  But the rinks around here do offer adult sessions a couple mornings each week and/or one night a week.  It's not much but it's better than nothing.  Perhaps your the rink that was sold could offer something like this so everyone could be happy?

  If not....I think you have great ideas for the rink you want to open.  Yes, it does sound like a lot to take on but it's feasible if it's marketed correctly and continously.  You have to be careful and think a head in case it doesn't work. For instance:  What do you use the work out room for, daycare room and aeorbic room for should your idea not work.  You just don't want to invest too much money into a big facility with more room than you may need down the road.  Make sure everything or every room has a multi purpose for the "what if's" that could happen.

  Perhaps you could get away with 2 extra rooms.  One for daycare and one for the workout and aerobic room.  This way if things didn't work out you could use the rooms for private birthday parties.  Or possibly section off one room and use it for both the workout room and daycare and have your aeorbic classes at one end of the skating floor.

  There are many possibilities as long as you have an alternative plan should your ideas not work out.  Catering to the adults would be my kind of rink but the reality is there's money to be made from kids session, birthday parties and kids group classes.  If you can accommodate both the adults, the kids and make money at the same time.......then you can have it all.  

  I do with you luck!  And if you're successful, please write me again and tell me how you did it so I can have the rinks here do the same thing as it would make many people happy here too.

  I hope this helped a little bit or at least gave you things to think about.  If I can be of further help, feel free to write again.

Pat