Megadisc complex- Cambridge, MN

[laramiecarlson]

Came across a new IG feed liking some of my stuff. Here's what I found.

From their IndieGoGo page-

"Disc Golf is growing in Minnesota, just as in the rest of the country and the world. This means more courses, more players, more tournaments and more fun!

Pay to Play courses are the future of disc golf and are already appearing around the country. Crowd funding is the ideal platform to realize a multi-course disc golf complex within 1 hour of the twin cities.

We have a unique opportunity to create a disc golf resort, and at the same time offer 1 year, 5 year and Legacy memberships at a reduced price during the building phase only."

I also stumbled onto this little piece of development from a few months ago.

http://5minutebusinessplan.blogspot.com/2014/02/megadisc-1-page-business-plan.html

 

[Broken Shoulder]

Pretty ambitious. Good luck to them though.

 

[Qikly]

I'll be curious to see how this does. It's going to be very hard to hit that mark. I was wondering what it'd cost using their estimates to just do two 18s to drop the price down a bit - looks like it'd be around $750,000, very roughly, so I suppose what's a few hundred grand more?

Some of the estimates seem a little high to me (especially the signage), but that's probably a good sign. It shows they're building some wiggle room into their budget, which is always needed.

I'd say that it'd be tougher to do a Selah-type resort destination in Minnesota where you have 3-5 months a year of brutally unfriendly disc golf weather, but of course Highbridge exists. I don't know how Highbridge compares to Selah frills-wise and money-making-wise.

Tangentially, I wonder how something like this would do in my region. There are no true top destination complexes in the Gulf Area; the closest is Blue Angel Park, which isn't centrally located within the relative dearth of courses. Putting something like this in southern Louisiana or Mississippi would fill a real void, but I wonder if it'd get the visitors to merit it. Of course, Selah isn't exactly in a greater metropolitan area.

 

[DinosaurThunder]

I agree with you Qikly- MN is not an ideal place for a year round revenue stream.

I applaud their ambition, but think they are aiming for too much at the start. They should focus on creating one championship level course with a pro shop that is at the caliber of Blue Ribbon or better. This would still cost a significant amount of cash and would require unique landscaping and holes to be a hit. All the extra bells and whistles at the start sound like an easy way to lose money quickly. They should build the revenue stream with the shop and one course, then add a second course, and if business is really booming consider the additional bells and whistles.

Best of luck to them! I am never against seeing new courses built in MN but with the cost of land (fun monthly payment) and the potentially low ROI initially, it seems kinda risky go "all out" at first.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

they probably should write a real business plan if they actually did it to gain funding lol.

Im going to say.... bunk'

 

[scarpfish]

I don't see them getting the $996,765 they need by August 13th.

 

[timj5304]

I don't know how well this will do. First off I want to know each and every person involved in this and then I will tell you what I think of it. For the most part business ventures that include too many people never end good. Just like prodigy, there has to be one man at the top, who it in this case? Is it Alan Hansen begg? Is it Alex Aaron? Are they both the main guys or just the spokesmen and someone else is the person?

 

[RyanisCorriganis]

Link in OP wasn't working for me.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/megadisc-disc-golf-resort

 

[E_Rock25]

If they don't have someone big backing this its not gonna happen. I don't know all the people involved but have met a few of them and I know they are not rich. Asking the Minnesota disc golf community for close to 1 Mill is never going to happen. Who will pay a membership fee without a knowing if these courses are really going in.

I hope it happens not very far from me at all and it would be sweet but I just don't see it.

 

[goosefraba1]

I hope it happens.... I am no where near the place.... but more courses is always a good thing. I hope it works out for them.

 

[timj5304]

I hope this doesn't end up like castle rock

 

[E_Rock25]

I hope this doesn't end up like castle rock

This is exactly what I was thinking. Plus this is starting bad IMO to many cooks in the kitchen on this project. I really want something like this to happen in the area but I don't think it is profitable yet. That is why it hasn't been done. We need more players with higher incomes to make this dream come true. I hope it happens but im not holding my breath.

 

[Swisher Streets]

Cool concept, but 0% chance this gets funded in 45 days.

 

[wkelly42]

I'm sure venture capitalists are flocking to this project after reading their business plan created by the Five Minute Business Plan app.

"megadisc has a clear business objective to produce disc golf multiplex products and services. These products and services have been developed over 1 year with a core focus on addressing the key customer problem and associated opportunities."

I've read way too many marketing textbooks; this bolded section is pure doubletalk, and anyone with any business experience will see that.

I would LOVE this to happen, even though I'm nowhere close. And crowdfunding is a great idea. But they're not going to reach their goal, and they get nothing if they don't. Nearly a million dollars is seriously ambitious; should have gotten some private funding to get started, then did the rest crowdfunding.

Of course, it's easy to sit on the couch and be a critic (I've actually gotten paid pretty well to do that at times). I'm hoping they prove me wrong -- that is a plate of crow that I'd be happy to eat.

 

[megamerican]

I'm sure venture capitalists are flocking to this project after reading their business plan created by the Five Minute Business Plan app.

"megadisc has a clear business objective to produce disc golf multiplex products and services. These products and services have been developed over 1 year with a core focus on addressing the key customer problem and associated opportunities."

To be fair that business plan was created over 4 months ago and Megadisc hasn't touted that as their final business plan. For all we know that was a first draft.

Their indigogo page has a ton more information on it and they have stated on the Twin Cities Disc Golf Facebook page that they are going to release a lot more information tomorrow and a FAQ.

Unless they have some private funding which they haven't yet announced I think the goal may be a bit too much. I don't know why they would go for 2 courses with stretch goals for 3 and 4 courses. Although that may not help much because the biggest cost is the land which they probably have to buy all or nothing.

 

[E_Rock25]

I'm sure venture capitalists are flocking to this project after reading their business plan created by the Five Minute Business Plan app.

"megadisc has a clear business objective to produce disc golf multiplex products and services. These products and services have been developed over 1 year with a core focus on addressing the key customer problem and associated opportunities."

I've read way too many marketing textbooks; this bolded section is pure doubletalk, and anyone with any business experience will see that.

I would LOVE this to happen, even though I'm nowhere close. And crowdfunding is a great idea. But they're not going to reach their goal, and they get nothing if they don't. Nearly a million dollars is seriously ambitious; should have gotten some private funding to get started, then did the rest crowdfunding.

Of course, it's easy to sit on the couch and be a critic (I've actually gotten paid pretty well to do that at times). I'm hoping they prove me wrong -- that is a plate of crow that I'd be happy to eat.

I agree with all of this... Why would they use a 5 minuet business app? I really want it to work and have though about doing something like this myself but they need better planing. You can't get this done with a 5 minuet business plan app this is serious amounts of money.

Its a great idea and I think it could work in MN if done properly and done in stages. I have helped design two course and consider myself to be the co-designer of Somerset DGC. It is tons of work and even when you have the money to do it, it can take a really long time. I can't imagine trying to put in 4 courses at once.

 

[bald condor]

I hope this doesn't end up like castle rock

For those of us new to the scene, what happened at Castle Rock?

 

[E_Rock25]

For those of us new to the scene, what happened at Castle Rock?

It was a multi course complex that never happened and had tons of hype.

 

[Qikly]

should have gotten some private funding to get started, then did the rest crowdfunding.

Agreed. Crowdfunding is way more effective as a means to fill in funding gaps than as a method to fund a project in its entirety, especially in the case of larger projects. Having made the efforts to secure funds on your own before asking the public for help goes a long way to ensuring your commitment and ability to executing the project.

 

[New013]

there's a reason why they're the ones trying to do this and you guys are the ones on the internet saying it wont happen.

naysayers naysay, the creative create.