The train carriage at paintball park Lock 'n Load Adventures. The park is closing on December 15 to make way for rental car parking for Auckland Airport. Photo / Supplied
The train carriage at paintball park Lock 'n Load Adventures. The park is closing on December 15 to make way for rental car parking for Auckland Airport. Photo / Supplied
A paintball park next to Auckland Airport will be bowled to make way for rental car storage, but the end of Lock 'n Load Adventures could be a new beginning for others.
General manager John Dowsett is selling off props from the park, which adjoins an Auckland Airport park and ride carpark on Nixon Rd.
They include a train carriage, bus, fire truck, old western town complete with jail and saloon, a graveyard, UFO, soldiers and much more.
Dowsett, who also runs nearby attraction Butterfly Creek and Rocket Ropes - which are unaffected by the closure - said Lock 'n Load only ever had a lease on the land with Auckland Airport until 2025.
However he said there were relocation clauses that allowed the airport to take back the land when needed and that day had come.
A western town saloon at a paintball park in South Auckland. Auckland Airport has ended the land's lease with Lock 'n Load Adventures. Photo / Supplied
But instead of relocating, Lock 'n Load would close in mid-December.
"We're quite happy to go. We've got no complaints about the way they've treated us. They've been really good and upfront with us.
"We've come to an agreement with the airport to leave sooner. We've got no grumps whatsoever."
He said the paintball park was originally created after a request from Auckland Airport.
"The airport came to us and asked us if we would build a paintball facility because they were trying to build a larger suite of attractions out here for people to come and use the hotels.
"There's a lot out at the airport as far as leisure activities go now."
That included paintball, the high ropes course, a golf driving range, mini-golf, Butterfly Creek, and not far away in Manukau Rainbow's End.
An Auckland Airport spokeswoman confirmed Lock 'n Load Adventures ended its lease with the airport by mutual agreement.
"Auckland Airport now plans to fence and gravel the vacated land, and use it for rental car storage.
"The land has long been earmarked for the development of future transport infrastructure, including roading and aeronautical uses."
It's understood a golf driving range near the site would not be affected.
A "UFO" in an alien field at paintball park Lock 'n Load Adventures. The UFO and other props are for sale. Photo / Supplied
Meanwhile, Dowsett said he had begun selling off some of the themed props from the paintball park on Trade Me.
"We think it was the best paintball venue in New Zealand as far as the number of fields we had and they were all themed and there was an awful lot to do there.
