Daniel De La Garza of Austin, Texas, plays with an excavator at Dig This in Las Vegas.
Who says kids should have all the fun?
This is no construction site. That excavator is being used for pure recreation, and without a doubt its driver is having a blast. In Las Vegas, a giant sandbox is helping grown-ups feel like kids again. And it comes with grown-up toys, too. Cast aside the Tonka trucks of yore – these Caterpillar backhoes are the real deal.
After the recession drove a spike through the construction industry in Las Vegas, the spare bulldozers and backhoes have been put to a better use: fun. Ed Munn started Dig This, located just off the Las Vegas Strip, to serve as a giant playground for adults.
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Munn says the idea came to him while he was using an excavator to build a house in Colorado. “I thought to myself: If I’m having this much fun, imagine the amount of people that don’t get to do this stuff that would love to do this,” he told the Associated Press. He found that Vegas has ample space and resources for his oversized playground and set up shop.
Adults pay up to $750 for a few hours reliving their childhood – just on a bigger scale. They can push around rocks, dig in the dirt, and toss tires in the air using the massive machinery. Trainers are on hand for instruction and to help the wannabe construction workers play games with basketballs.
And the best part? There’s no dirt in your shoes after playing on this playground.
Nick Carbone is a reporter at TIME. Find him on Twitter at @nickcarbone. You can also continue the discussion on TIME’s Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIME.