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Meet Jason and Elisabeth Camp, the community-driven minds behind Camp Landing Entertainment District. From a young age, Jason harbored a relentless drive to work and earn, a trait that would later define his approach to business and life. Now, alongside his wife Elisabeth, whose impeccable eye for design has shaped the aesthetic of Camp Landing, they’ve transformed a once-abandoned mall into a bustling hub of entertainment and joy for families across the region.
The district features an array of attractions including The Cinema at Camp Landing with its premium theater atmosphere, Malibu Jack’s Indoor Theme Park, and the innovative Tap That Sports. Join us as Jason and Elisabeth share the challenges, triumphs, and pivotal moments of their entrepreneurial adventure.
Q&A Session with Jason and Elisabeth Camp
Founders of Camp Landing Entertainment District
Q: Provide an overview of your background and what inspired you to become an entrepreneur and start your own company
A: Ever since I was a kid in the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area, I always had a drive to work and make some extra money to save or buy things that I was striving for. I mowed lawns, detailed cars, and even cleaned pools before I could drive. I have always felt that if you want something, then you work for it. Nothing is out of reach if you are not afraid to work for it.
Q: What was the initial idea or concept behind your business, and how did it come about?
A: Ever since we moved into town in 2018, I saw there was a need for an indoor sports complex. One that provided more indoor space and courts for basketball, volleyball, soccer, wrestling, etc. to give back to our youth and local athletes. I started to look at options for a location and the leaders of Boyd County kept bringing up the old Kyova mall. I initially had no interest in buying a “Dead Mall”. One morning I woke up and said to myself, “If we could convince Malibu Jack’s to open a location here and make this an Entertainment Complex with the sports complex, this would be a Home Run”. Here we are. Still working on the sports complex, but that is still our goal.
Q: Can you describe the early days of your startup? What were the biggest challenges you faced during the launch phase?
A: Taking an empty canvas of space and building a 170,000 sq ft indoor theme park, reopening a 10-screen movie theater, and revitalizing an empty food court was a daunting task for sure. Elisabeth has an incredible eye for design, as she proved by creating the “Artsy Fartsy Walk,” signage and the overall vibe of Camp Landing. Her great interior design has coupled with our tenant improvements to build a warm and inviting atmosphere for the whole project.
Q: Were there any key moments or experiences that motivated you to take the leap and start your own business?
A: As I mentioned above, there was the “Aha Moment” of making the old mall an Entertainment District. That coupled with the day Malibu Jack’s said “This is exactly the type of project they have been looking for”, we felt this project was destined to come to fruition.
Q: What were the first steps you took to turn your idea into a reality, and how did you secure funding (if applicable)?
A: It was far from easy, to say the least. We discussed this with multiple banks and investors who immediately turned us down and thought the project was crazy. Two entities did not and without them this would not have come to fruition. The Glockner Family has been an incredible investing partner in this journey. Their support and financial backing have been invaluable. Also, the team at Kentucky Farmers Bank has had faith in us from the time we moved here in 2018. We could not have done any of our restaurants or Camp Landing without their banking partnership.
Q: Entrepreneurship often involves taking risks, can you share a significant risk you took early in your journey and how it turned out?
A: Elisabeth and I are not wealthy by any means. We have worked all our lives for everything we have. That work ethic and our partnership with the Glockners have made this possible. We have a personal guarantee on this multi-million dollar project. We have put our family more on the line than ever for Camp Landing. This is the biggest gamble in life we have ever made, but that is why we both are there daily doing our best to make it a success.
Q: What has been your most rewarding accomplishment as a founder so far?
A: Being there on a Saturday and seeing all of the families and smiling faces, enjoying all of the attractions and movies has been the most rewarding. It certainly puts a smile on our faces and we know that the risk has been worth the reward.
Q: On the flipside, can you talk about a specific setback or failure you encountered and how you overcame it?
A: It is no secret that we started this venture with a commitment from Boyd County to build a sports complex and convention center. Instead, the tide turned and they sold the previous Sears building to Revolutionary Racing to build Sandy’s Gaming. It is not the direction or plan that we had for the project, but we continue to try to move in a progressive direction and figure out a way to build the sports complex ourselves.
Q: Building a business can be mentally and emotionally taxing, how do you manage stress and maintain your motivation during tough times?
A: Our family is the most important aspect of our lives. We moved to Eastern Kentucky because it is the environment we wanted our 5 kids to grow up in. Mission accomplished! All five are growing into individuals we are proud of. We still decompress by spending quality family time together at home or traveling to see this great world that God has created.
Q: How did you assemble your initial team, and what qualities do you look for in the people you work with?
A: Our initial team and our team today look very different. As I mentioned, most people have their own interests or agendas they are trying to follow which may not be in the best interests of the project. I will say that dedication to hard work is not an easy thing to find these days. My wife and I are a solid partnership and we discuss all of the business aspects. I handle most of the deals, partnerships, and leases and Elisabeth handles the building maintenance, improvements, accounting, and staffing. We also currently have a great, hard-working team, but it took some time to get here.
Q: Can you share a few examples of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned as a founder and how they’ve influenced your approach to business?
A: I never thought of myself as a leader before this project. I always had a different beat to my own drum, but not a leader. I still don’t think of myself as a leader, but I do think that we can impact others in a positive way to improve our community and help our entire Tri-State area come together for positive changes. For instance, Elisabeth is now on the Red Cross National Philanthropic Board representing 7 states in our area. She is the first from the Appalachia area to ever be named to this position. What she has been able to do for the Red Cross across our entire region is amazing and never would have come about if Camp Landing had not thrust us into these positions.
Q: How do you stay innovative and adaptable in an ever-changing business landscape?
A: Nothing is “Off the Table”. Most of our ideas seem a little outside of the box compared to normal business. I think it is our job to bring things to our guests that are different. Before Camp Landing, our community had to travel to Lexington, Columbus, and Cincinnati to ride go-karts, laser tag, sports simulators, reclining movie chairs, etc. Now they can enjoy all of these in their backyard.
Q: What role has mentorship played in your entrepreneurial journey, and do you have any advice for aspiring founders on seeking mentorship?
A: About 6 months after I moved into the area, Don Perry asked me to check out the Tri-State Angel Fund. It is a great group of community leaders who look to invest in local projects for the greater good of the community (and make a fair return in the process). For being one of the younger individuals in the group, I found it fascinating to be in the room with multiple local leaders who have been very successful in this area and I would just sit back and learn from the best. I am forever grateful for that. Also grateful and they embraced me and also listened to my different views on projects and direction. So now, I look for ways to mentor others to help build our community through the Angel Fund, Dare to Dream, and other opportunities.
Q: Can you talk about your company culture and the values that drive your team’s success?
A: Pretty basic principles we live by. GSD “Get S**T Done”. Seems simple, but not enough live by it. Just show up and do your job. Enjoy what you are doing. Build an atmosphere where people want to show up for work. In all honesty, we have had some turnover because individuals had their own agenda, wanted to show up for work late, and left early. If you say, “It’s Not My Job”, this is not the place for you. We are a team and no task is below any of us. If garbage is in the parking lot, I pick it up. If you don’t want to do that and improve our guest experience, this is not the place you should be.
Q: How do you prioritize work-life balance as a founder and what strategies do you use to maintain it?
A: Elisabeth will say I love to work. And truthfully, I do. My Dad always told me to love what I do. Most of my career I have, because I created that opportunity. If you don’t, you are selling yourself short. That being said, I love to spend time with my family, travel, and play the occasional round of golf. That and my weekly Monday night men’s tennis match at the Ashland Tennis Center allows me to blow off some steam.
Q: What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs who are just starting their journey?
A: Be ready to work and dedicate yourself 100% to achieving your goal. I think too many start a business thinking they will be successful because they have a good idea. No matter how good your idea is, you need to work at it daily and find team members who have the same goal and work ethic as you.
Q: Looking back, is there anything you wish you had known when you first started your business?
A: Sometimes we have blind faith in people. I trust people are going to do the right thing or follow through with their commitments. Unfortunately, we have been burned by groups or people we have trusted. Numerous times during this process other’s interests or agendas have won out and left our project to try to figure things out without their support or commitment and we still need to find a way to succeed.
Q: As a business built in Appalachia, what is your favorite part of being a business in EKY? What barriers have you faced and how did you overcome them?
A: We are a small tight-knit community. That is also what I like about the area. Know your community and serve their needs. We knew there was a need for entertainment and a void of places to spend quality family time. That is what we try to bring every day.
Q: What advice would you give to those looking to start a business in Eastern Kentucky?
A: Be real and give a fair service, for a fair price. If you do that, you can be successful.
Ready to learn more?
Join in on the fun:
Camp Landing Entertainment District
10699 US-60
Ashland, KY 41102
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If you have the dream of entrepreneurship, but you’re just not sure where to start, reach out to our SOAR Innovation Team to help you find out your next steps. They can help you identify opportunities for your business and provide guidance along the way!
Download our Complete Guide to Entrepreneurship in Eastern Kentucky for a step-by-step guide to building and growing your business dreams!
If you want to learn more about the work our SOAR Innovation team does across the region, contact Sabrina McWhorter, Director of Business and Innovation, at sabrina@soar-ky.org.