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“One Giant Leap” to Unveil World’s First Indoor Ballooning Attraction in Las Vegas

One Giant Leap, the innovator of the Parabounce ballooning technology, has announced the development of the world’s first indoor ballooning attraction in Las Vegas – Parabounce Vegas – an air-inflated, 100,000 square foot “bubble style” dome where up to 20 flyers can simultaneously float, soar and bounce in individual, 22-foot, Parabounce helium balloons (Pictured above: rendering of Parabounce Vegas 2011 – Graphic: Business Wire). 

Parabounce has been featured on NBC’s Today Show, in the closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, on dozens of broadcast networks worldwide and even flown on the Whitehouse lawn.

Photo: Business Wire.

In addition to the more than one million people who have experienced the thrill of Parabouncing, famous “flyers” such as Chelsea Clinton and news anchor Katie Couric have also taken highly publicized joyrides.

Click here for a video of Parabounce in action

Parabounce was originally developed by company founder Stephen Meadows as an outdoor, “balloon jumping” experience aimed at generating funds for children’s charities. Parabouncing gives riders the unrivaled sensation of human-powered flight, previously available only to licensed balloonists or pilots. The new indoor attraction will enhance the experience by adding the excitement of “aerial bumper cars” along with a pedal-powered flying bicycle called the ParaBike.

Parabounce enjoys a perfect safety record, without a single injury during its 10-year, million-rider history. The experience offers anyone (including children, seniors, and those with physical challenges) the freedom and weightlessness of balloon flight, enabling them to safely soar up to 100 feet in the air and bounce up to 200 yards in “one giant leap.”

 Photo courtesy of One Giant Leap.

“I tried Parabounce when it first came out,” says Forbes’ contributing editor Alan Farnham. “You feel like you’re Superman–able to leap tall buildings at a single bound. Parabounce would be a natural for Las Vegas, or for anywhere else you find people looking for a unique experience.”

Bruce Blake, aerospace engineer and owner of Advanced Hybrid Aircraft said, “One Giant Leap has come up with an exceptionally viable business model — one based upon a sound expression of physics. Whether the location of Parabounce is Las Vegas or on the Moon, this unique concept is fair dinkum.”

Parabounce is a perfect fit for Las Vegas and the current economic climate.
According to company founder and Parabounce technology inventor, Stephen Meadows, Parabounce is a “natural” for the Las Vegas scene. “Las Vegas has always broken new ground in the world of entertainment and attractions, so Parabounce is a perfect fit, providing a major new tourist destination for the city,” said Meadows. “Parabounce Vegas will unleash the potential of ballooning in a fun, safe environment that allows nearly everyone to experience the boundless freedom of flight. The current Las Vegas real estate climate makes this the perfect time to build the attraction, as families seek less expensive vacation alternatives that don’t sacrifice fun and thrills. We’re looking forward to making “Parabounce Vegas our flagship, and subsequently, building facilities in a variety of entertainment venues worldwide.”

Proof of Concept, Patents
In 2002, One Giant Leap proved the concept of the indoor ballooning experience by leasing a 70,000 square foot facility and thoroughly testing the indoor Parabounce experience in a public, and widely covered event.

Over the next five years, Meadows retained experts in the aerospace and experimental aircraft industries to assist in the development of a commercial enterprise while simultaneously obtaining U.S. and International utility patents for the indoor attraction. Today, after an investment of $5 million, One Giant Leap is breaking new ground with Parabounce Vegas. The giant, air-inflated dome enclosing the attraction is akin to other sports domes for football and soccer fields, but on a much larger scale. The facility will also feature huge video projection screens, light shows and themed balloons in a variety of designs and shapes.

With more than 42 million visitors a year, Las Vegas is the ideal showcase for the new attraction. In 2008, a preliminary site plan for a prime location adjacent to the Strip was enthusiastically approved by the Clark County Building Department. Additional properties are also under consideration. Construction of the facility is expected to commence in May, 2011, and be completed by the end of the year.

One Giant Leap is currently in discussions with strategic investors to secure a relationship that can capitalize on the Parabounce opportunity, not only in Las Vegas, but worldwide. To date, the company has received hundreds of inquiries from every corner of the globe expressing interest in installing the domes. Parabounce is positioned to become a destination event experience in other high-volume tourist locations such as theme parks, beach communities and family recreation centers.

For more information on Parabounce go to www.parabounce.com.