Boondocks opens new fun center in Kaysville

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Owners of the new Boondocks Fun Center in Kaysville hope their latest facility will bowl 'em over.

The Idaho-based company opened the family entertainment and corporate meeting center in Davis County to complement its existing facility in Draper.

The big difference: bowling.

"It's new to us and we wanted to add that attraction," said John Scherbarth , general manager of the Kaysville Boondocks. "We've listened to a lot of guests who come into our parks, and bowling seemed a great addition to the family-fun atmosphere we're providing."

Like the Draper center, the Kaysville Boondocks features go-karts, bumper boats, batting cages, an arcade, laser tag, miniature golf, a kiddie play area, a restaurant and snack bar.

But in addition to being 2 acres bigger than the 8-acre Draper Boondocks, the Kaysville location features 20 lanes of bowling. The addition goes to the company's business strategy of appealing to families looking for a fun outing but the extra attraction also could help entice businesses that want to conduct corporate meetings or team-building exercises.

"This is the first time we've incorporated bowling, which we're really excited about because we really feel there's a good fit, both from the family-friendly and corporate-events side," said Damon Day, an owner and chief operating officer of Select Investment and Management Inc., the Medidian, Idaho, company behind the Boondocks Fun Centers.

The company believes the centers fill a niche between large amusement parks and smaller facilities that may offer only one or two activities.

"The concept of our business is that we combine attractions that appeal to a wide variety of age groups," said Day. "Really, our target is the family, so we want things that likely will appeal to grandma and grandpa, as they would to small children."

One other key element of its business plan, said Day, is that the company is scrupulous about cleanliness and maintenance at its facilities.

"Our philosophy is that in order to appeal to wide range of folks, they have to feel good about being there," he said. "We very much focus on cleanliness and a wholesome atmosphere and keeping things safe."

The idea for Boondocks Fun Centers grew out of Day and Randy Fullmer's ownership of a construction company that built go-kart tracks, batting cages and miniature golf courses for other companies.

In 1993, the company quit building for others and created its first center in St. George, called Fiesta Fun. The first center with the Boondocks name was built in Meridian in 1998. In 2001, a Boondocks opened in the Denver suburb of Northglen. The Draper center was opened in 2004.

The Kaysville facility that opened in November grew out of the realization that Utahns from Davis County who were making the trek to the Draper Boondocks might form the clientele for a center farther north, said Scherbarth.

"When we did a market analysis for Draper, we found there was quite a few people coming from the Bountiful area, from Woods Cross, on up to Ogden," he said.

The Idaho company has since sold the St. George and Meridian facilities. It plans to open another Boondocks in northern Colorado.

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