Human-sized Jenga and chess games are so yesterday. Extreme Sandbox takes team building to an entirely different level. Introducing participants to heavy construction equipment, including an excavator, bulldozer and wheel loaders, Extreme Sandbox is like Tonka Trucks for CEOs.
“It’s truly awesome to see the joy and exhilaration our guests experience when they master these mighty machines,” says Randy Stenger, founder and CEO of Extreme Sandbox. “We really are a perfect venue for corporate events. How cool is it to have a truly unique bucket-list experience with co-workers? It’s pretty tough to beat.”
Extreme Sandbox opened in 2012 in Hastings, Minnesota, about 25 minutes from Bloomington.
In April, a second site was added at Tanglewood Resort & Conference Center in Pottsboro, Texas, north of Dallas/Fort Worth.
Adventures take place in a 10-acre sandbox, with supervision from expert instructors who help participants learn the machines, ensuring a safe, fun and memorable experience. Offerings vary from social, team outings to more focused scenario-based training that pushes teams outside their normal comfort zones.
“Whether it’s crushing a car, navigating obstacles or completing other challenges that require collaboration, we take team building to a whole new level,” Stenger says. “We want our visitors to walk away telling everyone that company XYZ made it possible for them to fulfill a childhood dream, an experience not offered anywhere else.”
Extreme Sandbox’s Minnesota location includes 6,200 sq. ft. of meeting space. Standard group size is 10, but 100-plus participants can be accommodated. Tanglewood Resort, featuring an inspiring setting on Lake Texoma, has 248 guest rooms, with two event spaces that can be combined to offer 6,000 sq. ft.
If Extreme Sandbox sounds familiar, it’s because Stenger was featured on Shark Tank in January. Venture capitalists Mark Cuban and Kevin O’Leary split a $150,000 investment for a 20 percent stake in the business. “It’s the first time the two Sharks have split an investment—just like two kids playing nicely in a sandbox,” Stenger says.
