Urban Air Adventure Park Has Record-Breaking Summer: 25 New Franchise Agreements Signed Since May

Indoor Adventure Park Continues Year of Franchise Growth; Forecasts 50 Signed Deals by End of 2021

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Sep 22, 2021, 14:30 ET

DALLAS, Sept. 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Urban Air Adventure Park, the largest indoor adventure park operator in the world and part of the children's franchise growth-focused platform Unleashed Brands, has announced the signing of 25 new franchise agreements in the past four months – a record-breaking summer for the company. In August alone, the brand inked 10 new franchise deals, and since the start of 2021, has signed a total of 44 agreements. The company is expected to surpass 50 signed franchise agreements before the end of the year, showing the increased interest in the family entertainment space.

The agreements will bring new Urban Air Adventure Parks to Cleveland, OH; Durham, NC; Myrtle Beach, SC; Wilmington, NC; Mesa, AZ; Woodbridge, VA; Huntsville, AL; Panama City, FL; Milwaukee, WI; Plainfield, IN; Murfreesboro, TN; Sunset Hills, MO; Brandon, FL; Douglasville, GA; Pembroke Pines, FL; Homestead, FL; El Paso, TX; Orlando, FL; Hamilton, NJ; White Plains, NY; Delray Beach, FL; Westmont, IL; and Richmond, VA. In addition to expanded reach in several prominent states including Texas, Florida, Illinois, and New York, this flurry of new deals will usher in the debut of Urban Air in the state of Virginia, with two locations coming to the Richmond, VA area, specifically in Short Pump, VA and Midlothian, VA, and one location in Woodbridge, VA.

"It was a special summer at Urban Air for many reasons, but maintaining our momentum with franchise agreements and continuing to expand our reach is certainly near the top. We're growing in ways that exceed our expectations and there's a lot for this team to be proud and excited about," said Josh Wall, Chief Growth Officer of Unleashed Brands. "The demand for peer-to-peer interaction and physical activity for kids will always be there, and Urban Air's ability to provide fun, social and memorable experiences to kids across America is unwavering."

The 25 new deals represent 20 unique franchise groups – a mix of both new franchisees and current franchisees expanding within the Urban Air brand. Over the summer, 13 of Urban Air's existing franchisees have signed on to open additional parks, resulting in six new multi-unit deals that will add 15 additional Urban Air parks throughout the country. The brand continues to partner with multi-unit, multi-brand franchisees with deep roots in the franchised childcare space such as The Goddard School, The Learning Experience and Primrose Schools, all who want to diversify their franchise portfolios and bring a new family-oriented business to their local communities. Urban Air has also inked agreements already this year with franchisees from McDonald's, Dunkin', Subway, The UPS Store and Camp Bow Wow, among others.

Gene and Emily Stanford, who are third-generation franchisees of McDonald's, have signed on to bring Urban Air parks to Huntsville, AL, Panama City, FL and Naples, FL. Their involvement in the restaurant brand dates back to 1956 when Emily's grandfather opened his first McDonald's restaurant. Over the years, Gene and Emily have been involved in franchising with multiple brands, in addition to owning nine McDonald's restaurants. Gene has a background in military intel analytics and retail business ownership and management, while Emily has a background in holistic health and nutrition. They don't plan on stopping at three locations, and say they feel fortunate to be a part of brand the values child activity and family bonding as much as they do.

"As we looked towards what was best for our young family, we wanted to put ourselves in a position that helps us serve consumers more directly in a fun and engaging manner, as well as involve our children so they can have experiences that allow them to play, engage and connect with their friends outside of the virtual world," said Gene Stanford. "We picked Urban Air because we want to direct and diversify our business journey towards a family-friendly company where we can be part of the growth. This brand stands for what we passionately believe in – bringing kids and families together through play," said Emily Stanford.

With more than 150 parks now open and 85 in development, Urban Air continues to solidify itself as the first and leading indoor family adventure park franchise in the United States. This year, Urban Air ranked as the No. 1 entertainment franchise in Entrepreneur Magazine's Annual Franchise 500 list, the world's first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking.

To continue this momentum, Urban Air is currently seeking driven leaders that are looking for a higher purpose than just profits and motivated to engage in their local community through social interactions, exercise, and elevated play for each kid that walks through their doors. With 50 percent of franchisees operating fully remotely, Urban Air offers a partnership flexible to the franchisee's preferences including many facets of support to build better experiences and ultimately grow.

To learn more about Urban Air and its franchising opportunities, visit https://urbanairfranchise.com/.

About Urban Air
Urban Air is the Nation's #1 destination for family fun, featuring a variety of attractions perfect for all ages. The award-winning national franchise brand is the largest adventure park operator in the world with more than 150 locations open and 85 in development. Urban Air was founded in 2011 in search for a higher purpose to help kids have fun while achieving activity goals that enhance their social and physical skills. For more information on the company and franchising opportunities, please visit www.UrbanAirParks.com.

About Unleashed Brands
Unleashed Brands, currently includes portfolio brands Urban Air, Snapology and The Little Gym, and was founded to curate and grow a portfolio of the most innovative and profitable brands that help kids learn, play and grow. Over the last 10 years, the team at Unleashed Brands has built a proven platform and know-how for scaling businesses focused on serving families. Its mission is to impact the lives of every kid by providing fun, engaging and inspiring experiences that help them become who they are destined to be. For more information, please visit www.UnleashedBrands.com.

Media Contact: Matt Igleski, Fishman Public Relations, [email protected] or 847-945-1300

SOURCE Urban Air Adventure Parks