New entertainment venue in Bloomingdale allows visitors to drive ex-military tanks

Have you ever wanted to drive a real, military tank?Now is your chance! A new, military-themed recreation venue opens tomorrow in Bloomingdale.

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It's called The Combat Zone and it features a massive paintball area and another area to drive real, retired military tanks.

The owner tells WJCL that he got the idea after a recent visit to the United Kingdom:

"My wife Marissa and myself were looking for some fun things to do with my son, Simon, and we came across tank driving. We investigated further and came across mini-tank paintball. We went and did both of those things and had a great time," said David Guild. "We realized nothing like that was available in the southeastern United States. There are only three tank driving facilities in the whole country at this point, aside from ours, and there is nobody doing mini tank paintball."

The Combat Zone has ordered eight mini tanks that are being built right now.

Those should be available to drive in early December and will shoot paint balls out of the barrel.

But visitors can already drive one of two full-size military tanks now.

Paintballers will also have to watch out for landmines.

Guild says you'll be covered in a puff of paintball powder if you step on one.

The Combat Zone also has automatic paintball machine guns in the bunkers that are capable of shooting 15 rounds per second. Those are based on real, automatic weapons.

The Combat Zone is geared towards groups and birthday parties, bachelor and bachelorette parties and corporate teambuilding.

It opens tomorrow, September 22, at the Big Nasty ATV Park located at 108 Godley Road in Bloomingdale.

The Combat Zone will be open on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days.