by Christine Graf
\nSky Zone Trampoline Park, currently under construction at Clifton Park Center, is scheduled to open in August. It will occupy 23,000 square feet of mall space, situated between Regal Cinemas and Boscov\u2019s.
\nOwner Rusty Saunders is investing $1.5 million in the new facility.
\nSaunders owns several other businesses including R.S. Masonry in Fort Edward, Action Equipment and Supply in Glens Falls and Sky Zone Trampoline Park in Queensbury.
\nHe became interested in opening a Sky Zone franchise after taking his daughter to one of the company\u2019s trampoline parks in Florida.
\n\u201cWe had so much fun, and I thought, \u2018Boy, this would be great for Clifton Park,\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cI called the franchise and found out that territory was already taken. About a year-and-a-half later, they asked me if I would be interested in the Glens Falls market.\u201d
\nSaunders opened his first Sky Zone in 2016 at 235 Corinth Road in Queensbury. He owns the property and the building and invested a total of $2.9 million in the facility.
\nIn 2018, Saunders was contacted by Colleen Fitzgerald who at that time owned nine Sky Zones, including one in Albany. She offered him the opportunity to purchase the Albany territory, which includes Clifton Park.
\nSaunders was interested in the territory but not in the existing location. The Albany Sky Zone was closed after he purchased the franchise in September. He planned to purchase property and construct a new building to house his trampoline park in Clifton Park.
\n\u201cDon Greene (owner of DCG Development) had a great piece of property that I would have loved to build one on, but he really wanted me in the Clifton Park Center,\u201d said Saunders. \u201cThat\u2019s the way a lot of the malls are going. They want entertainment to get people in.\u201d
\nSaunders agreed to lease space at the mall but said demolition moved more slowly than anticipated.
\nSaunders hired Bast Hatfield to oversee general construction, but he is present at the job site almost every day.
\n\u201cI\u2019m very involved in the construction\u2014that\u2019s my background. I\u2019m there making sure everything is the way I want it,\u201d he said. \u201cAll of the demo is pretty much done. The party rooms, kitchen, and bathrooms are in the framing process.\u201d
\nSaunders is not involved in day-to-day operation at Sky Zone in Queensbury. Instead, he relies on a general manager and operations manager. Once the new location opens in Clifton Park, these managers will oversee both facilities. Each location will have their own assistant managers.
\n\u201cI have a lot of faith in them,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m a firm believer in surrounding yourself with good people.\u201d
\nSaunders expects to hire approximately 80 people in Clifton Park. The majority will be part-time.
\nSaunders described his Sky Zones as \u201cvery community and fundraising oriented\u201d and said they will offer many opportunities for clubs and sports team to raise money.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re very open to working with organizations,\u201d he said. \u201cThat works out well for both of us.\u201d
\nFor more information, visit www.skyzone.com\/cliftonpark.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Christine Graf Sky Zone Trampoline Park, currently under construction at Clifton Park Center, is scheduled to open in August. It will occupy 23,000 square feet of mall space, situated between Regal Cinemas and Boscov\u2019s. Owner Rusty Saunders is investing $1.5 million in the new facility. Saunders owns several other businesses including R.S. Masonry in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":196,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33605","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-business-news"],"yoast_head":"\r\n