Hollywood Sports Park

Hollywood Sports Park, also known as Hollywood Sports Paintball & Airsoft Park, is an American paintball field and recreational sports venue in Bellflower, California. Developed by Hollywood Sports LLC and opened in the summer of 2002, the park was created by SC Village operators Dennis Bukowski and Giovanni D'Egidio.[1][2]

The venue became known for paintball fields incorporating scenery and props obtained from film productions, including Starship Troopers, Waterworld and The Haunting.[2] Hollywood Sports has hosted recreational paintball, scenario games, airsoft and tournament competition, including an Xtreme Paintball Sports League event in 2005.[3]

Template:Infobox paintball field

History

Planning and approval

Hollywood Sports Park was developed on the site of the former Bellflower Golf Course. On 20 March 2000, the City of Bellflower approved the conversion of the approximately 22-acre golf course, adjoining Metropolitan Transportation Authority right-of-way and an additional parcel into a multi-sport recreation facility.[4]

The approved proposal included paintball, go-karts, rock climbing, beach volleyball, skateboarding, retail space, an amusement arcade, restaurant and banquet facilities. Because these features formed part of the development proposal, their inclusion in the early plans does not necessarily mean that every attraction was completed or operated for the same period.[4]

Contemporary paintball coverage identified Dennis Bukowski and Giovanni D'Egidio, operators of SC Village, as the principal figures behind the project. Early plans called for themed paintball fields constructed with scenery and props obtained from film studios.[5]

Groundbreaking and construction

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on 23 January 2001. The project was then described as a privately financed development costing approximately US$9 million and occupying about 23 acres.[5][6] Professional skateboarders, inline skaters and paintball players gave demonstrations during the ceremony, which was attended by Bellflower mayor Tom Bombaars, Bukowski and D'Egidio.[5]

Initial announcements anticipated an opening during 2001. Construction took longer than planned, however, and the park was still nearing completion in April 2002.[2]

During construction, the central building was reported to include a paintball pro shop, restaurant and amusement arcade. Parts of the building incorporated set materials from the 1999 film The Haunting.[2]

The paintball portion of the development included compact, heavily themed fields. Contemporary reporting described fields incorporating material from Starship Troopers and Waterworld, alongside a Greek labyrinth and a field designed to resemble a damaged urban area.[2]

Hollywood Sports Park opened during the summer of 2002.[1]

Film props and themed fields

The use of film scenery formed part of the park's concept from its earliest planning stages. A 2000 report described proposed fields using props and sets associated with Starship Troopers, Supernova and Godzilla.[7]

By April 2002, construction reporting specifically documented scenery from Starship Troopers, Waterworld and The Haunting at the site.[2] The park's current field information also attributes props at the venue to productions including Saving Private Ryan, Godzilla and Supernova.[8]

The props were incorporated into playable environments rather than presented solely as exhibits. Fields used buildings, vehicles, walls and other constructed features to create close-range recreational and scenario games.

Relationship with SC Village

Hollywood Sports Park was developed by the operators of SC Village, a large outdoor paintball venue in Corona, California.[1][2] The Bellflower venue adapted the themed-field approach used at SC Village to a more compact urban site and incorporated a wider range of recreational activities.

A 2004 company announcement described Hollywood Sports Park as an additional venue intended partly to meet demand generated by SC Village.[1]

Tournament paintball

Hollywood Sports Park has also been used for organised tournament paintball.

From 7 to 9 October 2005, the venue hosted the final major event of the 2005 Proto Xtreme Paintball Sports League season.[3]

Division	Winner
Amateur	TKO
Novice	Vengeance
Rookie	Epic SCP
Young Guns	Mixed Kids

Team Ballistic secured the season championship in the Young Guns division at the event.[3]

Current operations

Hollywood Sports Park continues to operate at 9030 Somerset Boulevard in Bellflower. The venue currently advertises paintball, low-impact paintball and airsoft, together with ten playing fields, a tournament-style speedball field, pro shop, restaurant, banquet facilities and climbing wall.[8][9]

Its playing areas combine purpose-built obstacles with themed urban, military and film-inspired scenery. The site caters to individual players, private groups, organised teams and special events.

The Hollywood Sports name is also used for a separate recreational venue in Lakeside, California. That location is distinct from the original Bellflower development.[9]

References

WARPIG, “SC Village and Hollywood Sports Park”, January 2004.
Bill Mills, “Hollywood Sports Park Nears Completion”, WARPIG, April 2002.
WARPIG, “2005 Proto XPSL Hollywood”, 7–9 October 2005.
California Governor's Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, “Hollywood Sports Center”, Notice of Determination, 20 March 2000.
Jonathan Bernstein, “Hollywood Sports Park Breaks Ground”, Action Pursuit Games, June 2001, pp. 138–139.
Los Angeles Times, “Jan. 23 Groundbreaking Set for $9-Million Hollywood Sports Park in Bellflower”, 16 January 2001.
Bill Mills, “Paintball Goes Hollywood – Hollywood Sports Park”, WARPIG, 2000.
Hollywood Sports, “Fields”.
Hollywood Sports, “Bellflower”.

External links