After watching Bonanza's recommended video by Ken McElroy, I watched one he did on why you can NOT convert an office building into residential units.

It made me think of something I wanted to tell you about. Maybe an opportunity for one of you who is trying to move out of the residential market? For someone who lives up north where the winters are particularly long & harsh. Although, perhaps it would work way down south too, where the summers are long & harshly hot (AZ?).

Anyway, on a recent trip to MN in February, we took the grandkids to an INDOOR city park. I had never seen one or thought about the concept before, but I found it very interesting.

I was in awe of its design and very impressed - I think there surely MUST have been moms involved in the development. BTW: Even though MN has had an exceptionally mild winter, and it was a sunny day, it was PACKED with people.

This one was owned by the city and was built for that purpose - but I'm wondering if a vacant office building or small mall could be profitably converted into one.

There is a fee to enter - for each child over a certain age (I think it was 2 years& up). It cost $10 each for us (only pay for kids), because we came from outside this city. They get a wristband that is good for the whole day. You can leave (take a nap/eat) & come back.

Upon entering, there is a spacious area with many coat racks and benches.

There is a snack bar & seating area for eating. But you are also allowed to bring your own food/drinks. That's important with all the allergies today & general fussiness of young kids & what they will eat. Very user-friendly.

The building has a sunny, atrium (similar to a mall) that has trees, plants, benches - very "park-like". And more plants all through the building.

It has a big, basketball court-type area with basketball hoops on the edge, and all sorts of tricycles, including the kind you recline in & pedal with your hands, play balls, hula hoops, sit-on scooters, and adjacent to it a great big bouncy house. Also adjacent were bathrooms - I did not personally use them, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were kid-height toilets & kid-size toilet seats, as well as stools by the sink - or kid-height ones. Of course, there is seating all around every area of the building for parents to sit & watch the kids & put their "stuff". Basically steps, not fancy or moveable chairs. This area has doors that close it off from the rest of the building (although my 2 year old grandson did make an escape when someone else opened the door : o !. He was OK - he just went over to another section called the climbing zone, and his mom was right behind him - witnessed the escape. Boy, that kid is fast! Anyway, I digress.

The climbing zone is on the other side of the atrium, behind its own set of doors. It features a huge, 2-story (at least)climbing structure with different slides, etc. Parents participate, too, by the way - in all of the areas.

Next to it is the mini climbing zone - fenced off separately and made specifically for pre-schoolers. Soft things to climb on, little slides, twirly things on the walls, etc. There is a pathway all around for parents (those who are not inside) to be able to see their kids who are in both climbing areas. Like I said before, Moms HAD to be involved in the design.

There also is an amphitheater space, which would be great for shows, demonstrations, speakers.

So, I just thought I'd share the idea with you, because the whole time we were there the gears in my head were spinning and thinking it must be quite a good source of revenue for the city. Or someone else who might develop/own one.

Also worth noting (for me) is the fact that EVERYONE was sooooo well-behaved! I did not see ONE disagreement, cussing, yelling, ANYTHING unpleasant at all - from adults or kids. I was amazed by that. I do NOT think that would be the case in some places (like where I live : (.

It was actually fun to me to watch all the kids, with their short attention spans. One would ride a tricycle for 45 seconds, then move on - and another kid would hop on the trike for a minute & right back off to the hula hoops. It was a constant exchange from one thing to the next.

Now, someone is thinking: Germs! Auugh! Yeah, germs happen - so wash your hands & use sanitizer. Kids & germs go together - It's life. Although, I do imagine there may be a daily ritual of sanitizing everything.

Wow! If you have read all the way to here, maybe you have an empty office building nearby that you are thinking of?

Also, there were a few small offices around the perimeter with doors to both the outside & the inside. This building also had one wall that was the "outside" wall of an apartment building, with little balconies facing inside, that overlooked the whole park. I would bet it was senior housing, with built-in entertainment for those cold winter days when they don't get out much.

Did you ever hear how much this thing cost or how it is funded?

Taxpayers?

The fees generated by the users don't seem to be enough to pay for it, but maybe these fees are for upkeep, etc?

I'm sure city funds were used to maintain it, as any city park would be.

But, there is admission, which city parks normally do not have - in my experience.

Then the few offices would help generate some $.

$10 was a very good deal - I would definitely more.

That may turn into the only way to enjoy a park with your kids that doesn't involve the homeless, used drug needles and human poop.

In my area there are playgrounds for the kids that are privately run, inside, with play equipment and table areas for birthday parties. I have no idea what they charge, but they advertise on the telly so I know about them. They have a climbing wall, lots of jungle gym equipment, bouncy castles, and an indoor water park.

They also have a little race car track outside for the kids and there is a hotel included in the complex

They have been there for awhile, so at a minimum, they are meeting expenses.

I googled: $65-$75 a day per person but that includes a lot of stuff. Laser tag, ropes course, arcade, bumper cars...

DJ, I'm guessing you were at Edenborough Park in Edina. That is my city and I spent a ton of time there when my son was young. It's a fantastic park all year round but especially in the winter. It's very popular for kids birthday parties.

Yes, Larry! That's it.