Opening an Airsoft Field

Opening an Airsoft Field

So you have the airsoft gun, ammo, the tactical gear, and most importantly you convinced some friends to hop on board, what is left? Now you just need a place to utilize all your new equipment. If you are lucky enough to live in one of the airsoft hot spots, there is no lack of places to play. However for the other ninety percent, we usually have to rely on the generosity of private property owners.

Some of my fondest airsoft memories are of a small group playing on a private wooded lot or friend's farm. As our group grew and more and more new faces arrived, it became apparent the need for a legitimate field was necessary. Your neighbor may be fine with you and a dozen of your friends and co-workers using his overgrown acreage to play airsoft, but when that number grows to a couple dozen private property owners begin to get nervous.

Whether you choose to lease space or use your personal property, airsoft field insurance is your next step. Insurance for airsoft usually runs a couple thousand dollars a year and covers the big three: property damage, liability, and medical. The insurance company may require copies of lease agreements, field diagrams, field rules, and a legal waiver.

Lease agreements and field diagrams I will touch on briefly. Make sure the person you are leasing from is fully aware of what you intend to do with the property, and make sure your airsoft field is legal under your lease and abides all local laws. You do not want to find out later that your time and money are wasted because of a technicality. Field diagrams need not be detailed, a simple outline will suffice, and the insurance company appear to be most concerned with entrances and exits.

You will need to supply field rules before most insurance companies will even supply you with a quote. Whether good or bad, the insurance company will dictate most of the rules you will need. The remaining field rules usually entail the administrative and management of the field, and will be dependent on your field layout and the types of games you will be hosting. A lot of fields have rules posted on the internet and can be a good jumping off point.

The legal waiver should be drawn up by a local attorney. Hosting an event of this type is nothing out of the norm; most will charge a nominal fee to draft one for you. You may have to take a little time to acquaint your attorney with airsoft, and it may not be a bad idea to let them review your lease agreement will you are there.

Opening an airsoft field does not require a great deal money beyond the property lease. Once you have all of the legal aspects taken care of, the real work begins. How are you going to construct, manage, and operate your new field? Now the hard work begins.