Can I Save This Failing Theme Park in 90 Days?
In a Nutshell
Paul Fontinelli's Boulder Adventure Park was weeks from bankruptcy with a $150K monthly shortfall and $180K debt service. A 7-day $5,000-value summer camp giveaway generated 3,700 leads at record-low cost per lead, followed by a birthday party offer that doubled admissions. The cash flow constraint was solved by the offers, but the next bottleneck is insufficient sales staff to convert the lead volume.
These notes were generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
Paul Fontinelli's Boulder Adventure Park is facing immediate bankruptcy with zero dollars in his bank account. The business will run out of cash within weeks. Paul has already invested $22 million total, with $8 million raised through equity and the remaining $14 million financed through bank debt. The park is currently generating $4.8 million in annual revenue but is not yet profitable. The monthly break-even requirement is $550,000, but current revenue sits at $400,000 monthly, creating a $150,000 monthly shortfall.
The core revenue comes from general admission at $32-46 per person plus $11 average in-park spend on arcade, food, beverage, and merchandise. This represents 70% of total revenue. Additional revenue streams include church groups, social groups, and the newly launched summer camp program. The business has capacity issues with peak days running at only 50% capacity, indicating demand constraints rather than operational limitations.
The park has been cash constrained since opening. The most critical moment occurred when Paul's CFO sent a cash flow projection showing they wouldn't make it through the day. Paul decided to invest his entire 401k into the business, going "all in" despite warnings from others. The monthly debt service is approximately $180,000.
The immediate priority is generating cash through a high-value summer camp offer. The current summer camp pricing includes $300 for 3 days per week and $500 for 5 days per week. A new "buy four get ten" offer is proposed at $2,000 for the entire summer, allowing parents to drop off kids any day, any time. The sales team of three people needs to close an average of 15 deals per day at $1,200-$1,300 average ticket price to generate the necessary $450,000 in additional revenue.
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