Theoretical business idea

tonyheaney

Can I Theoretically ask a business question?? How much would it cost to buy land, develop it and build an entertainment center such as the Dome carlow? For example take the land behind the Carlow KFC, the one that has the bars. If someone developed that as an example??

In the middle of carlow. Plenty of parking surrounded by housings estates and other shopping outlets.

iano.p

How long is a piece of string. You wouldn't see any change from a million. Could be up near the two if you run into any problems.
Plus that bit of land wouldn't suit for parking etc

brightspark

In some areas you wil be required to "buy" existing car parking spaces as part of your planning application, you don't actually get to own them though!

tonyheaney

iano.p wrote: »

How long is a piece of string. You wouldn't see any change from a million. Could be up near the two if you run into any problems.
Plus that bit of land wouldn't suit for parking etc

No Parking??? there's a great big car park there lol

iano.p

You wouldn't own it so what makes you think you could use them. With the planning you need to pay for spaces if you don't have enough it could cost thousands and be refused

tonyheaney

iano.p wrote: »

You wouldn't own it so what makes you think you could use them. With the planning you need to pay for spaces if you don't have enough it could cost thousands and be refused

is that why that land was never developed? why was it not made in to anything?

iano.p

tonyheaney wrote:

is that why that land was never developed? why was it not made in to anything?

They wanted dunnes to go there but rates were too high and the planners been stupid plus the building bubble burst. If someone was too build there they would need permission to use some of the car spaces and that would cost loads. Are you dreaming of building an entertainment centre

tonyheaney

iano.p wrote: »

They wanted dunnes to go there but rates were too high and the planners been stupid plus the building bubble burst. If someone was too build there they would need permission to use some of the car spaces and that would cost loads. Are you dreaming of building an entertainment centre

No, no dream just business studies

iwillhtfu

Don't build something that's already there.

Carlow is badly in need of a large commercial gym with a swimming pool. I still find it hard to believe one hasn't been built.

For instance if I wanted to use a gym I could join Eire og which is reasonably priced but if I wanted to swim also I'd have to use the pool in graigueculllen which is 5 a go. So if swimming 3 times/week plus gym it would end up nearly the same as one of the hotel leisure centres which aren't good btw.

I ended up joining a gym in Dublin and go before work but if I had a few quid spare I'd gladly build a multi purpose fitness centre. Instead of having it in town I'd have it on the ring road out by Dunnes. Plenty of passing traffic and easy access with no shortage of land.

Now how to set up a go fund me page

Owryan

Do the gyms in the seven oaks and the Talbot not have pools ?

brianblaze

Talbot has a pool and a mediocre gym. No flat benches. Limited dumbells. No power racks etc.

A large scale fitness centre wouldn't work in carlow. Rates are crippling and the population is too small.

That land will more than be redesegnated as residential and apartments built in a few years.

iwillhtfu

I find that hard to believe it has a large college and numerous sports clubs.

I'd envisage a purpose built sports gym with pool and athletics facility. There are numerous clubs/companies providing this individually I don't see why this couldn't be combined into one facility and not be a success.

Talk a walk/run/drive along the road I mentioned and it will always have someone walking or running along it so there's obviously a market of some description.

Also I'd hardly call the population of Carlow small I know numerous other towns with similar populations and a facility similar to the one I mentioned.

If I win the euro millions I'd happily trial it out . I'd imagine it would be quite successful.

iano.p

iwillhtfu wrote:

Carlow is badly in need of a large commercial gym with a swimming pool. I still find it hard to believe one hasn't been built.

I second this I think it would work great. I use the one in athy as it's much cleaner and better equipped that some gyms in carlow.

iwillhtfu

iano.p wrote: »

I second this I think it would work great. I use the one in athy as it's much cleaner and better equipped that some gyms in carlow.

I didn't realise there was a K Leisure in Athy that would actually suit me as membership allows access to naas and Newbridge aswell.

Happy days I think I'll sign up there my gym renewal is next month.

iano.p

iwillhtfu wrote:

I didn't realise there was a K Leisure in Athy that would actually suit me as membership allows access to naas and Newbridge aswell.

I use it the past year find it much better than any place in town. Something like that would be great in carlow that's a business that could work great.

brianblaze

iwillhtfu wrote: »

I find that hard to believe it has a large college and numerous sports clubs.

I'd envisage a purpose built sports gym with pool and athletics facility. There are numerous clubs/companies providing this individually I don't see why this couldn't be combined into one facility and not be a success.

Talk a walk/run/drive along the road I mentioned and it will always have someone walking or running along it so there's obviously a market of some description.

Also I'd hardly call the population of Carlow small I know numerous other towns with similar populations and a facility similar to the one I mentioned.

If I win the euro millions I'd happily trial it out . I'd imagine it would be quite successful.

College students get usage of their awesome gym and fitness centre throughout the year.

There is a large population of joggers etc in Carlow, already in running clubs etc. Plus joggers tend to want top run outdoors or indoors on a track. That would need to be a huge facility to have that!

Look at the Watershed in Kilkenny. Struggles to make it through the year as it is I'm told, and that's in a more affluent area.

I know the owner/ operator of two previous gyms in Carlow and from what he told me on rates alone, there'd be huge overheads. Insurance too obviously, never mind staffing and maintenance of a pool etc. (That's why and newly opened Ben Dunne gyms after the one in Northwood have pools in them)

iwillhtfu

I don't agree so I'll leave it there but seeing as you mentioned the watershed in an affluent area struggling I'll balance that with K leisure in Athy.

Just to add though for those joggers/runners a good strength and conditioning programme will only compliment your running and swimming will improve core strength and flexibility.

Hopefully one day I or someone else can prove brianblaze wrong

iwillhtfu

brianblaze wrote: »

College students get usage of their awesome gym and fitness centre throughout the year)

Are you in some way attached to this gym/college?

SterlingArcher

If you make sure the place you build has bigger footpaths than the businesses surrounding, you'll get a major discount from government .

brianblaze

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Are you in some way attached to this gym/college?

No. I own a cafe in Carlow but used to be a Personal Trainer in Dublin in a previous career. I'm not being cynical, I'm speaking as a business owner in Carlow. I know the rates structure, the footfall in the town and the population figures and spread.

I'm well aware that Strength and Conditioning compliment running, but runners tend to run, unless they're competing and commit time and energy to lifting and to cardio training.

K-Leisure cost €12m. It only has a 25m pool and a basic enough gym with no Oly Lifting platforms or other serious training facilities. I used to train in Santry Stadium gym, something like that would work in Carlow as it had a running track and was a destination for athletes in Leinster to train. (Especially Paralympians)

If you have €12m to spend, buy Braun and put it in there maybe.

iwillhtfu

C'Mon the euro millions

I'd imagine a cafe in Carlow would be harder work than a gym.

I guess my reasoning is a bit one sided as I'd be more interested in it for triathlon specific training but amongst other things it's an investment Carlow could do with.

brianblaze

iwillhtfu wrote: »

I'd imagine a cafe in Carlow would be harder work than a gym.

You've never run a gym, have you? Waking nightmare!

tommycahir

One of the issues I see with opening a sports complex like mentioned above is that there are already so many running groups, bootcamps, fitness classes and groups spread around carlow (some with large investment already in their locations and equipment) that I'm not sure you could get a substantial enough user-base to keep this building and company afloat.

I'd love a complex like this in Carlow but I just don't see this happening any time soon.

iwillhtfu

brianblaze wrote: »

You've never run a gym, have you? Waking nightmare!

Haha no I actually meant harder in terms of keeping it afloat. I see start ups close down in Carlow on a weekly basis. It's not the one at the end of Tullow St is it? Looks like a nice spot if so.

iwillhtfu

Tommy I'd imagine a lot of the people in these groups would jump at the opportunity to join somewhere with all the usual classes and some form of social fit for life group aswell.

I've spoken to and know a number of people in these clubs gyms and they're usual response is it's alright nothing fancy.

It's a shame there's no form of government funding for investors to set up places like these. They're doing great things over in Lawrences with the running club.

Ah sure it's all theoretical but either way it would be great invest in people's health.

One day perhaps.

brianblaze

Tony did you ever look any further into your last business venture you floated on here? I see a new shop opened doing what you wanted and wondered if it were yours!

tonyheaney

brianblaze wrote: »

Tony did you ever look any further into your last business venture you floated on here? I see a new shop opened doing what you wanted and wondered if it were yours!

not in carlow but i assisted my friend open one in Naas, he lives in carlow town but opened on the main street. going quite strong. Which one opened in carlow??