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Owner of South Bay paintball spot says rental increase forcing its closure next month

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Published  September 14, 2023 7:08pm PDT
Santa Clara County
KTVU FOX 2

Owner of SJ paintball spot says rental increase forcing closure next month

Normally the staff at Santa Clara Paintball is preparing for the upcoming weekend crush of customers. But Thursday’s cleaning day is a precursor to the final closing day in a few weeks.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - The staff at Santa Clara Paintball typically gears up for the weekend rush of customers. However, Thursday's cleaning day foreshadows the impending closure in a few weeks.

Owner Serene DeCorra expressed her sadness, stating, "It’s heartbreaking. I read all the emails that come in, and yeah, it’s sad."

Established in 2003, Santa Clara Paintball was promoted as a means for families to bond while keeping children away from electronic devices. It also provided an income source for high school and college students.

Joselyn, an employee for the past three years, remarked, "The staff is super family-oriented. It’s nothing like I’ve ever just seen before. It’s pretty cool."

Escalating rent costs for the six-acre site on the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, driven by changing times, prompted the closure. DeCorra acknowledged that this outcome had been anticipated for several years, and she is now unable to sustain the business.

Loyal customers, upon learning of the impending closure, voiced their discontent through emails.

"So angry to hear Santa Clara Paintball is closing. This is a great outdoor facility," wrote Laura

Another customer inquired, "We want to know why this is being taken away from the community?"

DeCorra emphasized her commitment to providing affordable recreation for the county's residents. However, maintaining the business, staff, and affordability for customers became untenable.

As a result, DeCorra is leaving her home county behind and intends to relocate her business elsewhere in the Bay Area.

Joselyn expressed her sadness, stating," "It’s pretty sad to see just like a family function kinda going down."

In response to the situation, the executive director of the fairground's management company conveyed that they would withhold comment until further information is received from Santa Clara Paintball.

The final day of operation for the paintball site is October 29.

Jesse Gary is a reporter based in the station's South Bay bureau. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter), @JesseKTVU and on Instagram, @jessegontv.