How to Finance a Drift Zone Franchise: Karts, Arenas and SBA
By Anthony Cornella
A Drift Zone franchise loan pays for something most small business loans never see: an indoor arena full of electric drift karts, a track surface, a foam-dart battle zone and the space to run birthday parties and group events. Drift Zone describes itself as “America’s First Drift Karting Family Fun Experience,” and its franchise venues pair drift karting with RC racing and its Blast Zone dart arenas.
This article explains how the concept works, what is and is not publicly disclosed about its costs, and how SBA, equipment and conventional financing can fit a new venue. It is general information only. US Professional Funding is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Drift Zone or Blast Zone; the names are used only to describe the business. Figures in the franchisor’s disclosure document can change, loan programs and terms vary by lender and borrower, and every loan is subject to lender review and approval. Nothing here is legal, tax or investment advice.
Drift Zone Franchise Loan at a Glance
- Concept: indoor family entertainment venues built around electric drift karts, plus RC racing, Blast Zone foam-dart arenas, parties and group events
- Founder: Dave Nagamine, according to the company
- Franchising: the company announced its franchise program in November 2022
- Locations: the company’s location page lists open venues in California, Florida and Hawaii, with additional markets marked as coming soon
- Fees and investment: not published on the franchisor’s own pages that we could review; request the current Franchise Disclosure Document for Items 5, 6 and 7
- SBA Franchise Directory: listed as Drift Zone/Blast Zone (code S8100), with a note on lease assignments when real estate secures the loan
Because Drift Zone is a young franchise system with few published figures, expect lenders to rely heavily on the disclosure document, your business plan and your own financial strength rather than on a long brand track record.
What Is Drift Zone?
Drift Zone was founded by Dave Nagamine and opened its franchise program in November 2022, saying it was ready to open more tracks across the United States. The core attraction is indoor drift karting: guests ride low electric karts designed to slide and spin on a smooth track surface, rather than grip and race like a traditional go-kart.
Blast Zone dart arenas. Blast Zone is the company’s foam-dart battle arena. Players use foam-dart blasters, with ammunition supplied by the venue, and the company allows guests to bring their own blasters within its rules. Pairing karting with a dart arena and RC racing gives a venue several attractions under one roof, which can help fill the building on weekdays and spread party traffic across activities.
Who the venues serve. The company markets its venues to families and guests of all ages and promotes birthday parties and group bookings. The company’s location page lists venues in Merritt Island, Florida; Tracy, California; and Kapolei, Hawaii.
Why lenders view it the way they do. Family entertainment centers are equipment-heavy and leased-space-heavy, and revenue depends on local demand, parties and repeat visits. A newer brand with few units gives lenders less system history to lean on, so the strength of the borrower, the site and the plan carries more weight. Our article on financing an emerging franchise explains how lenders approach younger systems.
Drift Zone Franchise Costs
The franchisor’s own pages that we could review do not publish the initial franchise fee, royalty or estimated initial investment. Those figures appear in Items 5, 6 and 7 of the Franchise Disclosure Document, which you should obtain and review before you size a loan. Here is how the cost categories typically break down for a venue like this.
Initial franchise fee
Item 5 states the fee, when it is due and whether any part is refundable. If you plan more than one venue, ask whether a development agreement or multi-unit fee schedule applies.
Lease, build-out and the arena
Most venues of this type operate in leased commercial or retail space, so the largest cost is often turning a large open space into a track and arena: flooring and track surface, barriers and safety padding, lighting and sound, party rooms, a check-in counter and restrooms. Our article on family entertainment center leases covers the lease terms lenders care about, such as length, renewal options and landlord work.
Karts and equipment
Electric drift karts and their chargers, RC cars and the RC track, Blast Zone arena structures and blasters, safety gear, point-of-sale and booking systems, waiver kiosks and video screens are core equipment. Item 7 and Item 8 of the disclosure document will show what must be bought from approved sources.
Opening costs and working capital
Plan for training, grand-opening marketing, insurance, deposits, initial staffing and reserves while the venue builds its party calendar and repeat traffic. Item 7 shows the franchisor’s estimate of additional funds for an initial period.
Ongoing Fees and How They Affect Your Loan
Item 6 lists royalty, marketing fund, technology and other recurring fees. A lender builds them into your projections along with rent, payroll, insurance, utilities for charging karts, maintenance and kart replacement. Whatever cash flow remains after those costs is what supports debt service, so a projection that leaves out franchise fees, battery replacement or equipment repairs will overstate what the venue can borrow.
Franchisor Requirements for New Owners
We did not find published minimum net worth, liquid capital or experience requirements on the franchisor’s pages. Expect the franchisor to review your finances, management plan and proposed market, and expect lenders to ask the same questions in more detail. Prior experience in hospitality, entertainment, retail or multi-employee management can strengthen both applications.
Ways to Own a Drift Zone
A new venue. Most owners in a young system will be opening a new location: securing a site, negotiating a lease, building out the arena and buying karts and equipment. Lenders underwrite this as a start-up. See our page on family entertainment start-up financing.
Buying an existing venue. As the system grows, resales may become possible. A buyer would need franchisor approval under the transfer terms in Item 17, and the venue’s operating history would give lenders actual results to review. Our page on family entertainment acquisition financing covers that path.
Multiple venues. Ask the franchisor whether development rights are available for a territory and what schedule they require.
Financing Options for a Drift Zone Franchise
SBA 7(a) loans. An SBA 7(a) loan can combine the franchise fee, build-out, equipment and working capital in a single Drift Zone franchise loan, subject to program rules and lender approval. The 7(a) program maximum is currently $5 million, and program rules can change.
SBA 504 loans. If you buy the building that will house your venue, an SBA 504 loan may fit the real estate and long-lived improvements, paired with other financing for equipment and working capital.
Conventional term loans. Borrowers with strong liquidity and collateral may qualify for conventional business loans, especially for a second venue once the first has a track record.
Equipment financing. Electric drift karts, charging systems, RC cars, arena structures, sound and lighting and point-of-sale hardware can often be financed or leased separately. See our page on family entertainment equipment financing and leasing. Lenders will count that debt when they review your overall cash flow.
Working capital and lines of credit. Entertainment venues often see stronger weekends, school breaks and holidays and quieter weekdays. A working capital cushion or line of credit can carry payroll and rent through slower stretches and fund kart repairs. Our page on family entertainment working capital explains the options.
Seller financing on resales. If you buy an existing venue, the seller may sometimes carry part of the price. Lenders and SBA rules may limit how a seller note is structured, and it is typically subordinate to the primary loan.
SBA Loans for Drift Zone Franchisees
SBA-backed loans are made by participating lenders with an SBA guarantee on part of the loan. For a franchise, the lender also checks that the franchise agreement leaves the borrower in control of its own business, and the SBA Franchise Directory helps with that review.
The directory listing. Drift Zone appears on the SBA Franchise Directory as Drift Zone/Blast Zone under code S8100. A listing can simplify the lender’s review of the franchise documents, but it does not approve any borrower or guarantee a loan.
What the directory note means. The listing says that when the real estate where the franchise business is located will secure the SBA-guaranteed loan, the Conditional Assignment & Assumption of Lease Agreement may not be executed. In plain English, many franchisors use a document that lets them step into a franchisee’s lease if the franchise ends. If you own the building and pledge it as collateral, that document cannot be signed, so the lender’s claim on the real estate is not complicated by the franchisor’s lease rights. Owners who lease their space are not affected by this note in the same way.
SBA application tips. Our article on SBA loans for family entertainment centers covers the basics. Have the disclosure document, franchise agreement, lease or letter of intent, build-out bids, equipment quotes and a sources and uses statement ready, along with personal financial statements, tax returns and résumés.
How Lenders Evaluate a Drift Zone Deal
Personal credit and financial history. Lenders review each principal’s credit, tax returns and debts, and significant owners typically provide personal guarantees.
Net worth and liquidity. Expect to show the cash you will inject and the reserves left after opening. Start-up venues need a cushion while parties and repeat traffic build.
Management experience. Running a venue with staff, safety procedures and event bookings is a management job. Prior experience in entertainment, hospitality or retail helps.
Business plan and projections. Lenders want realistic assumptions for open hours, ride sessions, party bookings, dart arena use, pricing and seasonality, with all franchise fees, rent and equipment maintenance included. A local market study covering families, schools and competing attractions strengthens the plan.
The disclosure document and franchise agreement. Lenders review the term, renewal, transfer and termination provisions and want the franchise term to fit the loan term.
The site and lease. Lenders look at the lease term relative to the loan, the landlord’s work and allowances, and visibility and parking.
Electric Karts, Safety and Equipment Planning
Equipment is the heart of a Drift Zone venue, and lenders will look at its useful life and replacement cost. Electric karts need batteries, chargers and regular maintenance; RC cars and dart blasters wear out; and arena padding and barriers must stay safe. Building a replacement reserve into your budget, and confirming insurance coverage for an attraction with moving vehicles, shows a lender you understand the real cost of running the venue.
Multi-Unit Growth
Financing a second venue usually starts with the results of the first. Lenders look at your global cash flow, liquidity and whether your management team can run two locations. SBA limits apply across a borrower’s SBA loans, so larger growth plans may shift toward conventional financing over time.
Real-World Scenarios
A first-time owner opening in a shopping center. A buyer with management experience but no entertainment background leases a large retail space and uses an SBA 7(a) request to cover build-out, karts, Blast Zone equipment and working capital.
An owner who buys the building. An investor buys a freestanding building for a venue and looks at a 504 structure for the real estate. Because the building secures the loan, the franchisor’s lease assignment document is not executed, as the directory note requires.
An existing entertainment operator adding the brand. An owner of another family attraction adds a Drift Zone venue nearby and finances the karts separately while using a term loan for the build-out.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Sizing the loan before reviewing Item 7 of the current disclosure document
- Signing a lease that runs shorter than the loan term
- Leaving out kart batteries, maintenance and replacement reserves
- Projecting weekend-level traffic every day of the week
- Underestimating insurance and safety costs for a ride attraction
- Keeping too little working capital for the opening months
For more, read the entertainment center loan mistakes owners make most often.
Next Steps to Finance Your Drift Zone Franchise
Step 1: Request the disclosure document. Review Items 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 17 and 19 with a franchise attorney.
Step 2: Pick a market and a site. Look for a building with the open floor area, ceiling height, parking and access a kart arena needs.
Step 3: Build a full budget. Include the franchise fee, build-out, karts and equipment, opening costs and working capital, plus a contingency.
Step 4: Talk with a financing specialist early. Our SBA loan calculator can help with early payment estimates, which are for planning only and are not an offer or approval.
Step 5: Assemble your documents. Gather financial statements, tax returns, résumés, the lease or letter of intent, contractor bids and equipment quotes.
Step 6: Coordinate franchise, lease and loan approvals. Keep all three on the same timeline so you do not commit to a lease before financing is in place.
Drift Zone Franchise Loan FAQs
How much does a Drift Zone franchise cost?
The franchisor’s own pages that we reviewed do not publish the investment range. Item 7 of the current disclosure document lists the estimated initial investment and its line items.
What is the Drift Zone franchise fee and royalty?
They appear in Items 5 and 6 of the disclosure document. Request the current version from the franchisor.
Is Drift Zone eligible for SBA loans?
The brand is listed on the SBA Franchise Directory as Drift Zone/Blast Zone under code S8100. Eligibility still depends on the borrower, the project, program rules and lender approval.
What is Blast Zone?
Blast Zone is the company’s foam-dart battle arena, offered alongside drift karting and RC racing.
Can I finance the electric karts separately?
Often, yes. Karts and other equipment can be financed or leased separately or included in a larger loan, depending on lender review.
How much liquid capital do I need?
We did not find a published minimum. Lenders will expect a meaningful cash injection plus reserves after opening.
Can a first-time business owner get a Drift Zone franchise loan?
Possibly, with strong personal finances, a well-researched plan and relevant management experience. Lenders weigh experience heavily for start-up venues.
Can I buy an existing Drift Zone?
If one is for sale and the franchisor approves the transfer. Its operating history would help lenders underwrite the deal.
Does the franchisor offer financing?
Check Item 10 of the disclosure document. Owners who do not use franchisor financing arrange their own loans.
How long is the franchise agreement?
The term, renewal and transfer rules appear in Item 17 and the franchise agreement. Lenders want the franchise term and lease to extend at least as long as the loan.
Final Thoughts
A Drift Zone franchise loan funds an equipment-intensive entertainment venue in a young franchise system. Owners who obtain the disclosure document early, secure a lease that fits the loan, budget for kart maintenance and keep strong reserves give themselves the best chance of approval.
US Professional Funding helps owners finance franchised entertainment venues, including start-ups, equipment and working capital. Learn more about our franchise financing and family entertainment financing.
