Want to be able to skydive without risking your life? It is coming to Patriot Place

An indoor skydiving facility using the latest virtual reality technology is coming to Foxborough. Freedom Wind Tunnel Indoor Skydiving recently announced plans to open at Patriot Place in fall 2020. The venue will be located between CBS Sporting Club and Showcase Live.

The idea to open an indoor skydiving venue at Patriot Place came from North Attleboro resident and Army veteran Neal Gouck. When Gouck attended West Point, he was part of the Black Knights skydiving team. After serving in the Army for 12 years, Gouck and his wife, Sally, moved back to their hometown of North Attleboro to raise their five children. Gouck’s idea to open an indoor skydiving facility came from a simple conversation with his wife, Sally, and their desire to go indoor skydiving close to home.

“Someone should build an indoor skydiving tunnel at Patriot Place. It would be so cool,” Gouck recalled from that initial conversation with his wife, who replied, “Hey, why don’t you do it?”

From there, Gouck created Freedom Wind Tunnel, which will offer indoor skydiving to people of all ages and abilities. As a local, veteran-owned, small business, Gouck hopes to bring a family-oriented experience to all visitors. The new wind tunnel will stand more than 100 feet tall and aims to attract many fun and thrill seekers, but the venue will also be used for professional skydiving and military training.

“My military training taught me how to put all the right pieces and all the right partners together at the right time,” said Gouck. “Now, after 5-plus years, we are ready to break ground and you might say, we are out of the plane and already in free fall. We are excited to move into this next phase of development by landing this facility at Patriot Place and turn that simple conversation so long ago into concrete reality.”

Skydivers will have the chance to use the latest virtual reality technology to transport themselves into an NFL stadium where they will deliver a game ball to the 50-yard-line. The virtual reality can also be used to teach avid skydivers how to get out of dangerous situations such as dealing with parachute malfunctions and coming too close to cliff faces. Freedom Wind also plans to bring historical and educational museum exhibits of skydiving to the facility.

“We are very excited to land an indoor skydiving facility like Freedom Wind Tunnel at Patriot Place,” said Patriot Place Vice President and General Manager Brian Earley. “We have been working with Neal for quite a while to bring his vision to reality. This type of entertainment is very unique to the region and Neal’s concept for the facility and his passion for the project is really impressive. We can’t wait to welcome indoor skydivers of all ages and abilities to Freedom Wind Tunnel next fall.”