Dec. 6, 2018

The newest feature at the Air Madness complex adds laser tag play for up to 30 people at one time.

Laser Madness opened in late November at the business along Cliff Avenue in Harrisburg. It uses a 4,000-square-foot artificial turf area that’s also an indoor practice field for The Academy, but everything was built on wheels so it can be moved easily in the winter and spring when athletes need to use the area, said Brian Rehnke, director of business development for Air Madness.

“We were the first temporary installation they have done,” Rehnke said of the laser tag company that provided the system.

Laser Madness is open the same hours as Air Madness, but then from January through April, “we will bring it out every Saturday for birthdays and parties, and during the week it can be in storage,” Rehnke said.

The playing area features fog machines, black lighting and sound effects. A 20-foot scoreboard provides real-time rankings and shows which players have been tagged. At the game station, players can power up and get random benefits. The station can be programmed so that students on a field trip, for example, might have to answer science-related questions to access an invisibility bonus. With a membership card, players can create an avatar and work on lifetime achievement goals.

The movable 8-foot-high panels that create the playing area feature graphics from WrapAbility and graffiti that was added by an artist. WrapAbility also designed graphics for a huge wall to make it appear like tall buildings in an urban setting. The design resembles a kid-friendly video game, Rehnke said.

“We’ve built in a lot of uniqueness in the hope that it gives us a competitive edge,” he said.

“This is fun for every age group,” Rehnke said, noting that it can be used for after-prom parties and corporate team-building events.

Rates are $5 per person for 15 minutes of play, $10 for a half-hour and $15 for an hour.

The goal of the recent additions at the Air Madness complex, which include Conquer Escape Rooms and Xtrinsic athleisure wear boutique, is to widen the reach of the business, Rehnke said. The 25,000-square-foot park opened in September 2017.

“The typical trampoline market attracts kids age 5-12. We’re trying to increase the demographic. … We want to appeal to families of all ages.”

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One of two new features at Air Madness is accomplishing that goal too. The park added a performance trampoline to appeal to older teens. It “has a lot more bounce,” Rehnke explained. “It allows you to jump a lot higher so you can do more tricks.”

Padded platforms that are 7-foot and 9-foot high sit next to the trampoline, allowing users to get enough height while bouncing that they can jump onto them.

“They can jump and really show off there.”

Another addition is a Velcro wall. Kids can put on a Velcro suit, bounce on a trampoline and stick themselves to the Velcro wall.

“It’s just a laugh riot,” Rehnke said.