Catching air: Indoor trampoline park coming to Redding

Aug. 13--REDDING, California -- Terry Smith is ready to bring more fun to Redding.

Smith and his managing partners, Ryan and Rachel Thomas, plan to open Rare Air, an indoor trampoline park, in the former 84 Lumber building on Old Forty-four Drive in east Redding this fall.

Smith has co-owned Oasis Fun Center with his wife, Marilyn, since 1997. Ryan Thomas used to work for the Smiths and Terry calls him "one of the best employees I have ever had."

With fun centers like Need 2 Speed, Jeter's Playground and Party ExtraordinAIR closing in recent years, Terry Smith believes the time is right for Redding's first indoor trampoline park.

Rare Air will take up about 20,000 square feet of the former building supply store and feature six party rooms, a snack bar, some 10,000 square feet of trampoline space, three dodge ball courts with stadium seating and a 25-by-25-foot air bag that jumpers can leap onto after launching themselves from a trampoline.

Rare Air will charge customers by the hour and track the time of each session by the color of wristband.

The project will come before the Redding Board of Administrative Review for a site development permit on Aug. 20. Parking and traffic are typically two concerns the city has when a building goes from a heavy commercial to retail use.

Redding Planning Manager Kent Manuel said parking shouldn't be an issue. The site has about 155 parking spaces.

"We are figuring that it will require 65 spaces for Rare Air and additional spaces for the rest of the building," Manuel said.

What is a concern for the city is the rooftop sign Smith put up to start marketing the business. The sign is flanked by three large metal cutouts of people taking flight. Smith built the cutouts and erected them on the roof.

"They called and said they appreciated our enthusiasm but the city doesn't allow rooftop signs," Smith said. "Actually, the city has been good to work with. It was my fault."

Manuel said the city's no-rooftop sign ordinance has been in effect since at least the mid-1980s.

"It is just a decision the community made not to have things projected above roofs," Manuel said.

Smith traveled to several communities in Northern California and southern Oregon to research the indoor trampoline business before they decided to open Rare Air. He said there are opportunities to franchise, but they decided to go the independent route.

"It's not horribly complicated and there is no real advantage to franchise," Smith said. "You pay loyalties for the life of the business and most require about $1.5 million to" buy in.

But Smith knows there are no guarantees. Operating costs for Rare Air will dwarf Oasis Fun Center. He noted that the liability insurance for an indoor trampoline park will about four times more than his miniature golf course/go-kart track.

Smith also is concerned about how the trampoline business will affect Oasis Fun Center.

"The first three to six months I might feel an impact but after that I think it will level off," Smith said.

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