Families gain space to enjoy together at MoBay’s ‘Funtopia’
WESTERN BUREAU: Businessman Tony Rodney is now breathing life into his long-held dream of creating a venue where families can enjoy themselves together, with this past Thursday’s soft opening of his Funtopia amusement park in Rosemount Pen in...
WESTERN BUREAU:
Businessman Tony Rodney is now breathing life into his long-held dream of creating a venue where families can enjoy themselves together, with this past Thursday’s soft opening of his Funtopia amusement park in Rosemount Pen in Montego Bay, St James.
The family-friendly location, which Rodney started building in February 2024, is expected to have its ‘test run’ opening on July 27, even as work continues to install additional attractions at the site.
At present, the venue boasts a jungle gym and trampoline area for children, an on-site restaurant, and water fountain attractions and a bird display to provide a soothing atmosphere for young autistic visitors. Additionally, plans are underway to create a paintball and obstacle course spot and a zipline attraction. All-terrain vehicles have also been purchased for use by patrons on designated racing grounds.
Speaking at Thursday’s launch at the Funtopia venue, which has so far cost him $25 million to build, Rodney said it was born out of a need to create a family-friendly venue, where all family members can find something enticing to engage themselves in.
“When I had this concept, it was based on the fact that I am close to my own family, and I realised that what is happening is, there is nowhere that a family can go together collectively, as the kids want to go someplace but Mommy and Daddy do not want to go there because there is not much for them to do there, or Daddy wants to go somewhere but he has to leave the wife and kids at home,” said Rodney.
“Now, collectively, Daddy can say, ‘I’m going to go to Funtopia because I’m going to do paintball’, but at the same time he can leave the kids to do go-karting or to ride the mechanical bull,” Rodney added. “Meanwhile, the wife can sit under a tree, drink some fruit punch, or play a game of darts. Here, the whole family can stay together.”
At first, Rodney was not able to find a suitable site for his dream family-friendly venue, until he found a spot of land in Rosemount Pen, across the road from the Hosanna Preparatory School. He spoke to the owners of the property, and was able to strike a deal to acquire the property.
“I kept driving up and down this place, and I kept looking over here, but I was saying to myself, would persons go to a place located here? Then I said, let me speak with the individuals that own this place, and so I went and spoke to them, and they bought into the idea and said, ‘Yes, we will allow you to use this space’,” said Rodney. “I do not think they had any dream of how it would turn out, but I said to myself that it is going to happen.”
Winsome Lewin, whose family owns the land on which Funtopia now stands, praised Rodney’s willingness to take a leap of faith for his family-focused dream.
“We are here because this vision continues to unfold, and while we see where it is indeed a work in progress, we can also lay claim to the fact that Montego Bay is going to be better off for such a place. It is one of the very few places that you have where families can come unhindered, and you can come and unwind,” said Lewin.