How to Start an Indoor Trampoline Park

At the 2000 Summer Olympics, trampolining became an official Olympic sport. Since then, the sport has grown quickly—and so has the indoor trampoline industry. In 2011, there were only between 35 and 45 indoor trampoline park businesses. Today, there are over 500 parks in just the United States—making this the fastest-growing segment of the out-of-home entertainment industry. As the demand for indoor places to jump continues to grow, the industry is expected to as well.

You may also be interested in additional unique business ideas.

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Start an indoor trampoline park by following these 10 steps:

  1. Plan your Indoor Trampoline Park
  2. Form your Indoor Trampoline Park into a Legal Entity
  3. Register your Indoor Trampoline Park for Taxes
  4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
  5. Set up Accounting for your Indoor Trampoline Park
  6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Indoor Trampoline Park
  7. Get Indoor Trampoline Park Insurance
  8. Define your Indoor Trampoline Park Brand
  9. Create your Indoor Trampoline Park Website
  10. Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your indoor trampoline park. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Indoor Trampoline Park Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

  • Your state’s business records
  • Federal and state trademark records
  • Social media platforms
  • Web domain availability

It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

What are the costs involved in opening an indoor trampoline park?

The costs involved in opening an indoor trampoline park business are often high. Startup costs average in the low seven figures, because trampoline parks usually must be custom built. There are two steps business owners can take to reduce their buildout costs slightly, although they can’t be completely eliminated.

First, business owners should get quotes from multiple contractors. Business owners should contact several contractors that specialize in indoor trampoline parks and ask them to submit a bid. Obtaining multiple bids not only shows what different contractors will charge for the work, but it also gives the business owner several designs to consider. One design may be simpler than the others and, therefore, significantly cheaper.

Second, business owners can look for a building that already has a wide open space. Choosing a location that has a large, open area will reduce any costs associated with demolishing walls, counters or other structures that are already in place.

Some buildings that may be good locations are old industrial buildings and old barns. Both provide lots of open space and are usually in low-rent areas. Although they may be in rural or industrial areas, guests will usually drive to an indoor trampoline park business even if it’s a little out of the way because it provides a unique business.

Read our indoor trampoline park purchasing guide to learn about the materials and equipment you’ll need to start an indoor trampoline park, how much to budget, and where to make purchases.

What are the ongoing expenses for an indoor trampoline park?

The largest ongoing expenses for an indoor trampoline park business include rent and common area maintenance, which together should be between 15 and 20 percent of gross revenue, labor costs, which should be between 20 and 25 percent. Trampoline parks that don’t serve food usually have labor costs closer to 20 percent, while those that have food tend to be closer to 25 percent. Insurance typically runs between 6 and 7 percent of gross revenue.

Other ongoing expenses include marketing costs, trampoline repair costs and utilities.

Who is the target market?

An indoor trampoline park business’ ideal customer is a family that has active children and discretionary income. Trampolines are a fun way for kids to burn off some energy while having fun, and a family with discretionary income can afford to bring kids to the trampoline park.

How does an indoor trampoline park make money?

An indoor trampoline park business makes money by charging guests a fee for a set amount of jump time. Many also rent equipment (e.g. specialized jumping socks) and sell refreshments.

How much can you charge customers?

Indoor trampoline park businesses typically charge around $10 per hour of jumping time. Rates are slightly higher in high-rent areas, and they may be a little lower in less-populated areas.

How much profit can an indoor trampoline park make?

While the startup costs for an indoor trampoline park are high, so is the profit potential. One trampoline park in California has a gross revenue of $2 million and a profit margin of 39 percent — which equates to an annual profit of $780,000. A business owner who opened a park in New Jersey expected a profit margin of 25 percent.

How can you make your business more profitable?

An indoor trampoline park business can increase its profitability by adding concessions and other forms of entertainment. Transforming a facility that’s exclusively dedicated to trampolines into one that’s a trampoline-focused family entertainment venue can double guests’ time in the park and increase revenue by as much as $1 million annually.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your indoor trampoline park is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.

This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.

In practice, this means that if your indoor trampoline park were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.

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FORM YOUR LLC

Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our How to Start a Business guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best Business Formation Services review (for those opting for a professional service).

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

  • Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
  • Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate an indoor trampoline park. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.

Release of Liability

Liability waivers are essential since consumers will be in high risk environments, partaking in intense physical exertion. For this reason, it is best to require protective gear. Here is an example of a release of liability waiver from Sky Zone.

Recommended: Rocket Lawyer makes it easy to create a professional service agreement for your trampoline park business when you sign up for their premium membership. For $39.95 per month, members receive access to hundreds of legal agreements and on call attorneys to get complimentary legal advice.

Music Licensing

In order to play music in a business setting, as many indoor trampoline parks do, permission must be acquired from the composer or license holder. Typically, it is possible to obtain a “blanket” license allowing a businesses to play music owned by a large catalog of artists and recording studios. Such licenses can be obtained from Performance Rights Organizations, such as ASCAP or BMI.

Labor Safety Requirements

It is important to comply with all Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements:

Most important amongst OSHA regulations for a trampoline park are the relevant safety measures, including proper labeling, training, and injury report.

Certificate of Occupancy

An indoor trampoline park is generally run out of a warehouse. Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met.

  • If you plan to lease a location:
    • It is generally the landlord’s responsibility to obtain a CO.
    • Before leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to a indoor trampoline park.
    • After a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of business will be renovated before opening,  it is recommended to include language in your lease agreement stating that lease payments will not commence until a valid CO is issued.
  • If you plan to purchase or build a location:
    • You will be responsible for obtaining a valid CO from a local government authority.
    • Review all building codes and zoning requirements for your business’ location to ensure your indoor trampoline park will be in compliance and able to obtain a CO.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.

Find out what types of insurance your Indoor Trampoline Park needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Indoor Trampoline Park.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market an indoor trampoline park

A trampoline park business can maximize how many potential customers it attracts through customer segmentation, which involves scheduling different activities that are targeted towards different demographics throughout the day and week. For example, a trampoline park might offer a morning fitness class, afternoon fitness class, after-school kids’ club and evening dodgeball league.

Each class, club or league ought to be promoted at places where the target demographic spends time. Libraries, health clubs, parks, recreation centers, coffee shops, YMCAs and similar organizations may be willing to let a trampoline park put up flyers about a class, club or league.

How to keep customers coming back

These classes, clubs and leagues can help convert one-time guests into recurring customers, as the activities encourage guests to sign up for multiple sessions. It may be difficult to get potential customers who have never been to a trampoline park to sign up for several sessions at once, though.

To get new customers in the door, a trampoline park should also offer truly novel experiences. Trampoline dodgeball and basketball are two fun, unique sports that most people will consider doing at least once.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

  • All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
  • Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
  • Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.

Other popular website builders are: WordPressWIXWeeblySquarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

Anyone who loves people, adventure and having fun may be well-suited for operating an indoor trampoline park business. These businesses promise guests high-flying adventures and fun activities in an indoor setting.

Business owners often also need to either have sizeable savings, decent credit or a business partner who can provide financial capital, because the startup costs for an indoor trampoline park business can be high.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at an indoor trampoline park?

In a typical day, a business owner will welcome guests, explain how to enjoy the trampolines safely and respond to guests’ requests. They also may help serve guests refreshments, prepare for any scheduled parties and clean the facility, although these tasks may also be done by employees.

When not interacting with guests, a business owner will spend their time scheduling and managing employees, inspecting and repairing equipment, and marketing the business.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful indoor trampoline park?

Indoor trampoline park business owners don’t need any specific training before they open a trampoline park, but they ought to have strong communication skills (in order to clearly explain safety protocols), good customer service abilities, and decent general business skills. Business owners who want to improve in any of these areas may want to attend a relevant seminar or a class at a local community college.

While it isn’t required, business owners may want to become certified service technicians. Getting certified as a service technician can help a business owner keep their maintenance costs low, as they’ll be able to perform a lot of the maintenance their trampolines need themselves. The International Association of Trampoline Parks offers two levels of certified service technicians exams.

What is the growth potential for an indoor trampoline park?

Most indoor trampoline park businesses serve a single city. In areas where there is already at least one trampoline park, competition may be stiff. In cities that don’t have any, though, an indoor trampoline park business can fill a unique niche in the out-of-home entertainment industry. People from all over the city may be willing to drive to the trampoline park, because it’s something different.

Should you consider joining a franchise?

Joining an indoor trampoline park franchise can be a good option for entrepreneurs who prefer to use a proven model rather than start from scratch. While joining one can mean slightly higher initial costs and less control, a quality franchise offers great benefits such as initial and ongoing support, marketing assistance, and brand recognition.

Opening an indoor trampoline park franchise typically requires $1,000,000-$3,000,000. Larger indoor trampoline park franchises like Sky Zone typically cost more, while more niche favorites like Rockin’ Jump often have lower startup costs.

Interested in joining an indoor trampoline park franchise? Check out our favorites.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

  • Funding
  • Events
  • Guides
  • Support

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting an indoor trampoline park?

When designing an indoor trampoline park, only 50 to 55 percent of of the space should be devoted to trampolines. Leaving about half of the space without trampolines provides plenty of room for a welcome area, concession stand and seating. It also lets a business expand in the future and add another entertainment option without relocating (and having to build-out another place).

How and when to build a team

Because indoor trampoline park businesses have large facilities and are open long hours, most business owners hire at least a few employees from the outset. Entry-level employees can help process guests when they first arrive, serve guests refreshments and run parties. Eventually, a successful trampoline park that has other features may have 35 to 40 employees.

Useful Links

TRUiC Resources

Industry Opportunities

Real World Examples

Further Reading