A’maze Ventures, Inc. began in Winter Park, Colo., in 1988 with an indoor family fun center. The fun center included a small maze along with a restaurant, arcade and miniature golf course. Inspired by the maze’s popularity and unlimited potential, Greg Gallavan decided he wanted to design and sell outdoor mazes. Two years later he installed his first giant maze in Breckenridge, Colo. At 10,000 square feet, Amaze’n Breckenridge was the largest outdoor maze in the state.
Until 1996, mazes were typically made of wood until Gallavan developed plastic panels for a maze he installed in Steamboat Springs, Colo. The lightweight panels were more durable than wood and could be customized with different colors and logos. One year later, Gallavan introduced his first all-plastic maze.
In 1999, Gallavan added a new element to the maze experience -- squirt guns. Then in 2002, he installed his first major theme park maze at Wild Adventures in Valdosta, Ga. Today Gallavan has installed 30 Amaze’n Mazes in the United States, Canada and Spain.