The artist rendering of the proposed Water Park to be built on the grounds behind Gobble Gully Paintball in Turkey Creek. The proposed park would have a water slide, community pool and a lazy river. (Gazette photo by Raymond Partsch III)
In addition to the water park addition, Gobble Gully Paintball Owner Frank Butler (above) is looking to further expand his paintball business with seven theme fields, as well as constructing a campground area. (Gazette photo by Raymond Partsch III)
By: RAYMOND PARTSCH III
Managing Editor
TURKEY CREEK -- Frank Butler has already made plans for this summer, and it is all about expansion.
The owner of Gobble Gully Paintball, which specializes in low-impact paintball, is already in the process of adding attractions to his 30 acres of property nestled in the woods outside of Turkey Creek.
A year-and-half removed from the facility’s grand opening, Butler is looking to add a small water park this year.
“It will be a countrified water park,” Butler said. “We don’t want just a concrete slab where kids will overheat. We want something different here.”
The 54-year-old Turkey Creek native has already had Ardoin Architecture LLC out of Opelousas produce an artist rendering of what the park will look like. The park, which will be located on 10 acres featuring three large hills, will feature a water slide, a community pool, a splash pad and a lazy river that will wound itself around and through the water park.
Butler, who also owns and operates Butler Tree Service, anticipates beginning construction on the park within the next two months. Right now he is waiting for the engineers to finalize drawing up the plans for approval. That will determine which portion of the park will be constructed first.
“We don’t want to wait 10 years to have our water park,” Butler said.
Even though his paintball park hasn’t even been open two years, Butler wants to build on its success by providing his paintball players with something they and their families can both enjoy.
“This way you can play paintball and then go over and jump in the lazy river for some instant cool down relief,” Butler said. “We know how hot it gets here in the dead of summer. So my thinking is if we provide them a place to cool off then they will play more paintball.”
Butler expects to add to his staff, which stands now at 14, with the additional water park and also promises that the same Christian rules (no cursing, no drinking acholol and no smoking) enforced at the paintball facility will carry over to the water park.
The water park expansion is only one part of Butler’s larger plans for this year and 2017.
Butler has already cleared out the land for seven more paintball fields and is looking to convert those seven fields into special theme fields. For example, one field will have old farm equipment for a farming theme, while another will have old pump jacks for an oil field theme.
Butler also plans to build camper sites on the property and a large pavilion and picnic area to make the entire area a weekend destination.
Butler said, “We want this to become a place people come and stay and visit again and again.”