Gravady elevates summer fun options inside cooled facility

Climbing, swinging, jumping — it’s all about fun for children at Gravady Extreme Air Sports.

Gravady, 7350 Prairie Falcon Road, Suite 120, launched in December, using word of mouth and social media to get attention, and has been seeing plenty of action ever since.

“We put it out on Facebook, and once everybody found out how cool it was, (attendance) just soared,” facility manager Ash Johnson said.

A visit early one Friday had parents pulling into the parking lot as soon as the place opened. Inside, the sound systems played fun rock songs or selections from Disney movies as children hit the activity floor.

Monique Cole was there with her grandchildren, Madison, 11, and Garrett, 8.

“We came for the first time yesterday,” she said, “and the kids had such a great time, they didn’t want to leave. It was all they could talk about that night. … So, we’re back again.”

The 12,000-square-foot facility features a trampoline field with more than 60 trampolines, including angled wall ones, launching decks and ceiling variables meant to test one’s vertical progress. Open jump time slots on Friday and Saturday book up fast, but tickets can be pre-purchased online to reserve a space. Children must be 13 or older to be dropped off without an adult.

Club Gravady is held Fridays and Saturdays from 9 p.m. to midnight. That’s when the lights go out and the lasers come on. It’s for those 15 or older.

Stephanie Bird, now of Anchorage, Alaska, grew up in Las Vegas and recalled how the triple-digit heat of summer curbed outside activities.

“I wish they had something like this when I (was a teen),” she said. “It keeps kids off the streets, and it’s a healthy activity, a fun way to get exercise.”

To keep the sporty feel, employees wear striped referee shirts with “Flight Crew” written on the back.

The first hour of each day is reserved for KidJump for children 6 or younger. The flight area is raised, allowing the edges of the trampolines to be flush with the floor. Similarly, the edges with the springs are covered with thick padding so no metal is exposed.

There are about 12 foam pit areas, with plenty of room for multiple children to play simultaneously. One had a hanging net of sponges, while others had silks for climbing or low-hanging trapeze swings. A ball area, favored by teens, had sloping walls so the balls always rolled back. They could also be used as pseudo slides. One girl used the long expanse of a trampoline to do expert flips and somersaults.

Joe Sarich, 3, paused only long enough to declare it “fun” before diving back into the foam pit.

Gabriella Price, 5, maneuvering along the trapeze pit, said the place was “awesome. The trampoline is the best.”

At Gravady, falling is part of the fun.

It wasn’t just kids who were having a good time. One father showed his toddler son how to leap off a raised launch platform into the sea of foam blocks. Another bounced from trampoline to trampoline, her young son following behind as well as he could. Another parent used the trampoline entrance to the foam pit.

Guests must sign waivers before they can enter the play area.

A one-hour “Flight Ticket” is $13, or guests can opt for the two-hour option for $20 (two-hour flight passes are unavailable Fridays and Saturdays). Shoes are not allowed, so people wear socks or go barefoot. Lockers are available for things such as backpacks or purses.

The upper level has an observation area with a big-screen TV and is where birthday parties are held. Gravady averages 28 parties every Saturday, Johnson said. Even without the parties, Saturdays are usually full, he said, with half the people opting for the one-hour option.

The cooling system is set for 75 degrees, and Johnson said the facility is sanitized daily.

Gravady also makes it easy to help others. It’s Jump4Jump program allows patrons to make a contribution that provides jump ropes to underprivileged children.

Hours are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. It is closed Sundays.

For more information, visit gravady.com or call 702-843-0395.

To reach Summerlin Area View reporter Jan Hogan, email jhogan@viewnews.com or call 702-387-2949.