A new "playground" has opened up just outside Las Vegas that allows adults to try their hands at controlling a number of different types of construction equipment, reports NPR.
It's called "Dig This," and the idea is pretty simple. Approximately five acres of land just off the Strip in Las Vegas feature dozens of excavators, dump trucks and other heavy machinery. Visitors pay a fee - typically between $200 and $750 - and then take a safety course. After that, they're allowed to go out to the machines and spend some time doing just about whatever they want.
Construction equipment is a popular focus for young boys, but most never grow up to handle the machinery themselves. Ed Mumm, who founded the site, says a large portion of his customers are men who always wanted to get behind the controls of heavy equipment but never got the chance. A few even told him "Dig This" helped them cross off an item on their "bucket list" of things to do before they die.
It's not just men who visit the site, however. Mumm told the news source a large number of customers are women. He even added an "Excavate and Exfoliate" package that includes a half day of digging followed by a spa treatment at the nearby Trump Las Vegas Hotel.
Mumm first got the idea when a friend allowed him to use an excavator he had rented for some home renovations.
"After being on that machine, I thought, 'Wow, this is so much fun,' and then it occurred to me, 'Well, if I'm having so much fun, imagine the amount of people that don't get the opportunity to do this sort of thing,'" he told the news source. "And from there, Dig This was born."
Those who want to own their own construction equipment may want to look into purchasing an excavator themselves. The online auction site IronPlanet offers a wide array of equipment, all of which is backed by IronClad Assurance inspection reports.
