A machine-gun theme park is opening in Florida
Tired of waiting on line to get your thrills at Magic Mountain? Starting this weekend, you'll be able to get your adrenaline fix at Orlando, Florida's Machine Gun America, which is stocked with a plethora of assault weapons for your enjoyment.
Machine Gun America bills itself as "America's first Automatic Adrenaline Attraction," and offers visitors zombie, cowboy, and gangster-themed simulators to make the shooting more interesting. Although it functions much like a gun range, MGA is serious about that "attraction" part, so visitors will not be allowed to bring their own weapons. Children under 13 are also not allowed inside, and alcohol will not be served.
Despite these restrictions, gun-control groups are concerned about the safety of allowing 13-year-olds to use powerful weapons, especially in such a family-friendly area. "You've got Holy Land right there in Orlando. You've got Disney World, and Epcot," Lucia Kay McBath, a member of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense, told WTSP. "All places for family fun where they should feel protected."
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Machine Gun America General Manager Bruce Nierenberg, however, insists that its facility is safe, and that guests are never left alone while shooting. "Everybody has something they always wanted to try. This would be on people's bucket list to try it and have a new experience," he said. "I mean, it's part of American life. That's how we gained our freedom."
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Samantha Rollins is TheWeek.com's news editor. She has previously worked for The New York Times and TIME and is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
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