[allanpogi137]

Originally Posted by JKeislerSCRage

Lol idk about you Allan but my "skill" is just closing my eyes and screaming like a girl while shooting. Some may see that as "skill" tho

hahaha.. sure is that is a skill man!!!

[DevilDog336]

Ahh. I just realized the 14th is a Friday. Is Thursday better for everyone, or should it stick to Friday?

[allanpogi137]

Originally Posted by DevilDog336

Ahh. I just realized the 14th is a Friday. Is Thursday better for everyone, or should it stick to Friday?

i already got friday off

[DevilDog336]

Thats fine. I read my calendar wrong. Friday works.

[DevilDog336]

Still waiting on an address for the location.

Thanks.

[makalaiscool]

1110 North Ocean Boulevard Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
thats the address to the sky wheel to the right of it is a big open area where we can meet

there's a bar right there too on the corner

[DevilDog336]

Hell yeah. See all of you tonight. If i'm running a little late (its a dmv day for me), i'll call and let someone know.

[freebeer4me]

I am going to try to clear up some things so please bear with me as I write this:

First of all I have a marketing and business management background from coastal carolina university and I have lived in myrtle beach for almost 9 years and have pretty good knowledge of the area. I am also the captain and founder of East Coast Elite. We have players located throughout SC and GA.

Yes there were 3 fields in the area at one time and also an independent paintball shop. I am going in no specific order and will provide the information that I know first hand.
1. Paintball Fury - this store was started by Ron Pepper and his wife and was located in downtown myrtle beach. He used inheritance money to open the store. The owner just randomly decided to enter the paintball scene and had no clue about marketing and a plan for the area. I am not sure exactly how much money he wasted but I know it was 50k at least. I know this for a fact because I was working for him. I was working for him comission based only, I did that because I was in school at Coastal so it allowed me the flexability to help and work when needed. I was making awesome money off comissions. I was trying to help grow the sport. I was trying to show him how to succeed in the myrtle beach area with only having storefront because he didnt have a field. Ultimately his store went down because he treated it as fun and not as a business and expected everything to "just happen". (If want more info about Paintball Fury PM me)

2. Patriot Paintball - This field was located on Hwy 501 between conway and aynor. I do not have much knowledge on Allan the owner or about the field But what I do know is that the speedball field was nice because of the grass. (If i recall correctly the field was a driving range or sod farm before) The problem with the field was the location and their advertising. They would have television commercials during the 2-3am slot on TV which was pretty much between infomercials. The commercials were terrible and I believe probably deterred people from going out there. Plus his second obstacle was the location. Conway/Aynor area is bad area to put a field becuase during tourist season it could literally take you an hour and a half or more to get there from downtown myrtle beach. If you were in the north myrtle area it would be earier due to Hwy31&22 but still. Also his lack of woodsball definately hurt his business. I never worked for him and very rarely interacted at that field and these are just what I know was wrong with it.

3. Paintball USA - located of hwy 544 in the socastee area near myrtle beach. The location was great and the owner truly cared about the people as well as the sport. When I moved down here, Mike embraced me with open arms and was deffinately a positive influence on my life as well as a number of others around here. The field had 2 speedball courses, a spool field, a villiage and a wood field. The field wasnt equipped for a 24 hr scanerio game but could have done "daynerio" games if needed and was perfectly setup for birthdays, church groups, etc.... The fields biggest downfall was the overwhelming burden from it being an almost 1 man show towards the end. The economy in myrtle beach was changing as well as the people playing paintball were changing their interested towards other things. Between the lack of involvement from its players and "staff" and the overwhelming increase in bills for rent/expenses etc..... the field closed down. One person cannot keep the upkeep on a paintball field 24/7 and that was just the physical committment not including the financial committment running it as a source of income. I know there were other factors with paint deals and other politics that lead to the downfall of the field, but I will not speculate on those because I do not have direct knowledge of all of it. I am sure you can get the owners information (Mike Jenkins) of someone on here. Like I said before, Mike is a great guy and I am a million percent sure he will give you some insight on the area and help you.

4. Adventure Beach - It has had several owners throughout the years. First owner Ellis Lay. The field had alot of success for a while. Eillis' son Ben had cancer (recovered) and the field was sold/leased a shortime after that to Cecil from lake view who owns ground zero paintball. I am not sure what happened during the years that cecil was there and thats because I was back playing full time out of Ballbusters in SC. I believe Cecil is completely out of the sport now. Now the new owners/leasers are Renee and Kevin Shimwell. The field is a great scenerio field and has potential but the owners are extremely limited on the paintball business standpoint. If you want more information on Adventure Beach Paintball PM me or call me and I will tell you. If I wrote it all on here, I would be here all weekend typing.

But back in the heyday of paintball here there were a number of teams in the myrtle beach area including: Authority(ABP), Big Balls, Carolina Patriots(PBUSA), Myrtle Beach Sharks(PBUSA), GOOD COMPANY(PBUSA), Fallout Kidz(PBFURY), Carolina Shock(high voltage)(PATRIOTPB), Fracture (before and after DucknDive closed)(ABP), plus there are some others that I dont remember...........also please keep in mind that some of these team were combinations of the listed teams or new versions of the teams as well.

Many of these players are gone to other things and some of them have come back into the sport MBSHARKS---->Beach Bumz so there is definate interest in paintball in myrtle beach still. I have a lot of case studies and information on the area if you would like to talk more I am only a phone call away. I am the first one that wants a legit paintball field here, but I also am the first to understand that this area is difficult to have a sustainable paintball product here with such a small population of the paintball demographic (ages 15-35). I just don't want the paintball field to become the next "hardrock/freestyle" music park. I know its comparing apple to oranges but when it comes down to it, the foundations and business model are extremely similar.

Cheers
Ryan

[DevilDog336]

Will you be there tonight Ryan?

[the hot tuna]

word^.

[freebeer4me]

Devil - I probably will not be there, I was unaware of the meeting as I did not see this thread until yesterday, I was not contacted by any of the people on here about this.

[Grazi07]

Originally Posted by freebeer4me

I am the first one that wants a legit paintball field here, but I also am the first to understand that this area is difficult to have a sustainable paintball product here with such a small population of the paintball demographic (ages 15-35). I just don't want the paintball field to become the next "hardrock/freestyle" music. I know its comparing apple to oranges but when it comes down to it, the foundations and business model are extremely similar.

Cheers
Ryan

Well said.

Local population density is a limitation and the weather during prime tourist season is less than ideal for non-water sports. Take a look at the golf industry as an example. Even top tier courses around here can't fill their summer tee sheets with the multi-million dollar marketing efforts the Chamber engages in.

Devil, best of luck with your endeavours.

[DevilDog336]

I've thought about all of that. Its been why i am shaky to make this move. I have studied the demographics, and the economy of myrtle beach on and off season.

There is a lot i can't say on here. Super sneaky stuff.

[JKeislerSCRage]

Thank you Ryan for your insight

[allanpogi137]

amen EL CAPITANO RYAN SIR.

[DevilDog336]

It was good meeting all of you last night.

I'm glad we discussed the difficulties of it all, and what you guys want to see. I'll be getting up with Ryan a lot more, to discuss specific locations and such. Any ideas are welcome. Just PM me.

Appreciate the support.

[bdsmith08]

Has anything new come of this? If it is put into motion soon i know some of the coastal players will take advantage of it.

[DevilDog336]

Its kind of on stand by for now. Just gotta find the right land.

[bdsmith08]

Good luck, i know how it is I was the one managing duck-n-dive for awhile

[ScBallin36]

Well shut up dude we tryn to get a field in myrtle beach ha ha

[bdsmith08]

What do you know about running a feild bro youre still fresh to nation but I ws asking bc coastal is planning on having a field up in the next yr