TreeUmph! Adventure Course set for second course in Tampa Bay area

The owners of TreeUmph! Adventure Course haven’t had an easy time opening their second treetop obstacle course in Brooksville.

The owners of the Bradenton-based business were two-and-a-half years into project development and just days from a grand opening in September when Hurricane Irma hit the 40-acre park, knocking down 50 massive oak trees and damaging the treetop obstacles and platforms.

Kathy Corr, who owns the park with her husband, Aaron, and her brother, Alex Scholten, estimated damages in Brooksville at $180,000 to $200,000, not counting revenue lost from admission.

This week, however, government officials completed a walk-though inspection of the new park, clearing the way for the rescheduled grand opening on Dec. 9.

After Irma blew through, the TreeUmph! owners sought a one-year extension from Hernando County on lease payments of $48,000 a year, but were turned down.

Even so, Kathy Corr said the owners are excited to be opening in the midst of the busy tourist season, a plus for getting a new venture off the ground.

“We are very excited and thankful to be opening our facility in Brooksville,” Corr said of the new location at 6440 Cedar Lane. “Hernando County government has been amazing to work with.”

Diane Rowden, then a Hernando County commissioner, visited the TreeUmph! Adventure Course in East Manatee at 21805 State Road 70 East a few years ago and requested that the owners build a similar course in Brooksville as a way to encourage tourism there, Corr said.

“The plan for this business is to continue to expand,” Corr said, adding that there have been discussions about building a third park in the Largo area.

The East Manatee TreeUmph! Adventure Course opened Jan. 12, 2013, on 14 acres.

The Bradenton park includes five progressively difficult courses for beginners to extreme athletes. Children from the age of 7 to adults as old as 92 have tackled the self-guided tour through the treetops.

The park attracts tourists from around the world and residents from all over Florida, with an estimated annual draw of 30,000 people to the East Manatee area, according to a company fact sheet.

TreeUmph! Adventure Course has become one of the attractions in Manatee County for visitors and residents looking for an outdoor adventure.

“It’s a way to get people outside. Everyone from little kids to extreme athletes,” Corr said. “If this park was not doing as well as it is, we would not be expanding. It’s growing and going forward. That’s exciting for us.”

Among those visiting TreeUmph! Adventure Course in East Manatee this week were Mark and Cindy Rolewski of Terra Ceia and Steve Rolewski of Brooklyn, N.Y.

“We have been trying to get out this way for a while,” Cindy Rolewski said. “I don’t think I have quit smiling since we got here.”

Mark Rolewski called the park fun and exhilarating.

“It’s incredible,” he said.

Visitors start by getting outfitted in full body harnesses and CLiC-iT smart belay technology, which ensures safety by preventing guests from mistakenly unhooking from the course safety cables. All park guests are taught how to use the climbing gear and have a chance to practice prior to starting their climb.

“It starts off easy and gets higher and harder the further you go,” Corr said.

Ticket prices range from $25.95 for children to $54.95 for adults.

Reservations are not required but are encouraged. For more information, visit TreeUmph.com or call 941-322-2130.

This story was originally published December 1, 2017 at 11:32 AM with the headline "TreeUmph! Adventure Course set for second course in Tampa Bay area."