What Dig This does

Dig This operates a Las Vegas heavy equipment playground where members of the public operate real Caterpillar construction machinery, including excavators (ranging from a 1-ton mini to the 42,000 lb Caterpillar 320CL "Hulk"), bulldozers (D5K), skid steers (279D), wheel loaders (926M), and backhoes (415), in supervised sessions on a 5-acre industrial facility located 20 minutes from the Strip. The operational backbone is a fleet of climate-controlled cabs equipped with Sonetics wireless headsets that link each participant to a certified instructor in real time, enabling safe operation without prior experience or a driver's license. Founded in 2006 by New Zealander Ed Mumm and opened in Steamboat Springs in 2007 before relocating to Las Vegas in May 2011, the company has operated an international extension in Invercargill, New Zealand since October 2017 and moved to its current 6,000 sq ft headquarters at 800 W. Roban Ave. in February 2019.

The product portfolio spans individual experience sessions ($27.50 for 15-minute Kids Dig through $799 for Aggression Session car-crush and $1,311 for the Full Throttle combo), group packages from $500 kids' birthdays up to $23,008 for large corporate groups of 100+, the NCCER-accredited Dig This Academy at $3,800 per 1-week certification course, facility rentals for trade shows and product launches, and TV/movie production consulting. Customer segments include individual tourists and families (primary), bachelor/bachelorette parties, corporate team-building groups, film and TV productions, and aspiring heavy equipment operators pursuing professional certification. Distribution is omnichannel: direct via digthisvegas.com integrated with FareHarbor, through travel aggregators such as Kayak, earned media via Blippi and productions like Tough As Nails, and direct enterprise sales for corporate events and facility rentals.

The business model is fundamentally a single-site, high-throughput consumer experience monetized through per-session pricing with substantial upsell into group events and a parallel professional training vertical. The company is privately held by founder Ed Mumm with no venture or private equity investment, and generates 4.9/5 ratings across thousands of reviews, TripAdvisor's #1 ranking in Las Vegas Fun & Games, and a Hall of Fame designation built up since 2012, indicating durable consumer demand but with operating leverage highly dependent on Las Vegas tourism and a single physical asset.

Name

Dig This

Legal name

Dig This

Website

https://digthisvegas.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Dig This operates a Las Vegas heavy equipment playground where visitors run Caterpillar excavators and bulldozers in supervised sessions. It serves tourists, corporate groups, families, and productions through individual experiences, group events, NCCER-certified operator training, and facility rentals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recreational heavy equipment experiences

NAICS

Construction, Transportation, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (53241)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350), Construction Machinery & Equip (3531)

akta.pro primary industry

Earthmoving & Excavation Equipment Rental/Leasing (TLABAFAA)

Keywords

• Heavy equipment experiences
• Heavy equipment playground
• Construction machinery recreation
• Heavy equipment operator training
• Corporate team building events

Headquarters

HQ city

Las Vegas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual Experience Sessions: Per-person experience fees for operating heavy equipment (excavators, bulldozers, skid steers, wheel loaders, backhoes, aggression sessions). Sessions range from 15 minutes to 3.5 hours with pricing from $27.50 to $1,311 depending on duration and equipment type.
2. Group and Event Packages: Group bookings for birthdays, bachelor/bachelorette parties, corporate events, and team building. Pricing scales by group size (4-100+ people) and session duration, starting at $500 for kids birthday parties and ranging up to $23,008 for large group events. Includes optional add-ons like catering, transportation, merchandise, and team challenges.
3. Heavy Equipment Operator Training (Academy): Professional certification programs priced at $3,800 per 1-week intensive course (40 hours). Programs include excavator, bulldozer, backhoe, wheel loader, skid steer, and motor grader certifications. Additional offerings include $500 intro courses and journeyman-level testing for experienced operators.
4. TV and Movie Production Consulting: Equipment rental, site scouting, operational consulting, and safety/binding services for film and TV productions. Provides machines, expertise, and Vegas grit for reality TV stunts, commercials, and feature films.
5. Facility Rentals: Trade show and event venue rental for manufacturers wanting to showcase heavy equipment. Located 20 minutes from Vegas convention centers, available year-round day and night.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Dig This operates a 5-acre heavy equipment playground in Las Vegas where the general public operates real, full-size Caterpillar construction machinery (excavators, bulldozers, skid steers, wheel loaders, backhoes) under expert instructor guidance. Individual sessions, combo experiences, group and corporate events, kids' birthday parties, bachelor(ette) parties, NCCER-certified operator training through the Dig This Academy, TV/film production consulting, and facility rentals constitute the core offerings.

Product overview

Dig This is a heavy equipment playground and recreational activity center offering hands-on experiences operating real construction machinery in Las Vegas. The core product portfolio consists of individual equipment experiences (Kids Dig, 6-Ton Excavator, Big Dig Excavators, Big Dig Bulldozer, Big Dig Backhoe, Skid Steer Track Loader, Wheel Loader, Aggression Session, The Hulk) priced from $27.50 to $799, and combo experiences (Mini Mega Dig, Mega Dig, Full Throttle, Full Force) combining multiple machines. The company also operates Dig This Academy for professional heavy equipment operator certification, provides TV and movie production consulting services, and rents its 5-acre facility for trade shows and corporate events. Additional services include birthday parties, bachelor/bachelorette parties, and corporate team building events. All experiences feature climate-controlled cabs, expert instructors via wireless headsets, and safety orientation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kids Dig Entry-level 15-minute heavy equipment experience for children ages 2 and up, featuring 1-ton Caterpillar 301.7D mini excavators where kids dig holes, move dirt, and complete tasks with optional parent assistance for children under 48 inches. Priced from $27.50 per participant.
• 6-Ton Excavator 70-minute mid-size excavator experience for ages 8 and up featuring Caterpillar 305.5E excavators (Fred and Barney) with hydraulic arm operations including trench digging, backfilling with blade and bucket, and excavator basketball. Priced from $215 per person, up to 2 participants.
• Big Dig Excavators 90-minute large excavator experience for ages 12 and up featuring Caterpillar 313FL and 315CL excavators (Jake, Thor, Brutus, Big Bird) including trench digging, mound building, and stacking 2,000 lb tires, with up to 4 participants. Priced from $329 per person.
• Big Dig Bulldozer 90-minute bulldozer experience for ages 14 and up featuring Caterpillar D5K bulldozers (Bugsy and Harvey) including pushing dirt piles and teeter-tottering over mega mounds, with up to 2 participants. Priced from $329 per person.
• Big Dig Backhoe 90-minute backhoe loader experience for ages 16 and up featuring Caterpillar 415 loaders (Woody and Tonka) combining excavator arm and loader functions to dig holes, backfill, and stack tires into pyramids. Priced from $249 per person.
• Skid Steer Track Loader 70-minute compact track loader experience for ages 8 and up featuring Caterpillar 279D skid steers (Pacman and Badger) with high-speed dirt manipulation, tire stacking, and obstacle course navigation. Priced from $195 per person, up to 2 participants.
• Wheel Loader 90-minute large wheel loader experience for ages 16 and up featuring the Golden Knight Caterpillar 926M with hefting gravel, stacking mammoth tires, and obstacle course navigation. Priced from $329 per person.
• The Hulk Newest and most powerful excavator experience for ages 12 and up featuring the Caterpillar 320CL Excavator with 42,000 lb capacity for rock maneuvering and excavator basketball.
• Mini Mega Dig 2-hour multi-equipment combo experience for ages 8 and up combining the 6-ton excavator (Fred and Barney) and skid steer track loader (Pacman and Badger), with up to 4 participants. Priced from $369 per person.
• Mega Dig 3.5-hour premium combo experience for ages 14 and up combining excavator and bulldozer operations including trench digging, mound building, tire stacking, and teeter-totter challenges, with up to 4 participants. Priced from $595 per person.
• Full Throttle Triple-equipment combo experience for up to 4 participants combining Big Dig Excavator, Big Dig Bulldozer, and Aggression Session in a comprehensive mayhem package. Priced from $1,311 per person.
• Kids Birthday Parties Construction-themed birthday party packages for children ages 2 and up with equipment activities, covered party zone space, dedicated hosts, and optional add-ons including catering, cakes, and piñatas. Pricing from $500 for 8 kids, $600 for 12 kids, $740 for 4-8 kids.
• Bachelor(ette) Parties Pre-wedding celebration packages featuring heavy equipment operation with optional add-ons including shuttle service, merchandise, aggression sessions, team challenges, catering, and bar service. Pricing ranges from $1,196 (small group) to $12,670 (large groups 21-100+).
• Corporate Events Team building and corporate event packages for groups up to 100+ with climate-controlled equipment, five-acre facility, catering options, and custom team challenge competitions. Pricing scales by group size (4-100+) and session length, ranging up to $23,008 for large group events.
• Dig This Academy State-licensed heavy equipment operator training school offering NCCER-accredited courses in excavator, bulldozer, backhoe, wheel loader, skid steer, and motor grader operations with 1-week intensive programs ($3,800 per 40-hour course), $500 intro courses, and journeyman certification testing for experienced operators. The only non-union heavy equipment training facility in Nevada combining classroom instruction with extensive hands-on operation.
• TV & Movie Consulting Production consulting services for film, television, and commercials providing heavy equipment fleet, site scouting at the 5-acre facility, on-set operational consulting, and safety/compliance coordination. Past engagements include the CBS reality competition show Tough As Nails.
• Facility Rentals Trade show and event venue rental of the 5-acre industrial facility for product demonstrations, launches, and corporate events with climate-controlled meeting suites and custom branding options. Available year-round, day and night, located 20 minutes from Las Vegas convention centers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.9/5 star average rating from thousands of reviews
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered notable and core.

• Phil Keoghan / Tough As NailsnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive Producer Phil Keoghan of reality competition show Tough As Nails engaged Dig This for authentic, safe heavy equipment challenges. Dig This provided equipment, certified instructors as on-set consultants, and safety/logistics support for episodes featuring construction and industrial challenges.
• George P. Johnson (GPJ)notableStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor experiential marketing agency trusted Dig This Las Vegas for large-scale theatrical launches and feature-driven product showcases. GPJ serves as SNR Account Manager for corporate clients needing live-action demonstration venues for equipment demonstrations.
• CaterpillarcoreOthersDig This operates a fleet of Caterpillar brand heavy equipment including excavators (313FL, 315CL, 305.5E), bulldozers (D5K), skid steers (279D), wheel loaders (926M), and backhoes (415). Equipment is camera-ready and maintained to perfection for both customer experiences and production work.
• NCCER (National Center for Construction Education and Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDig This Academy uses NCCER Accredited Curriculum for all certification programs. NCCER is the nationally recognized standard in construction education, and graduates receive credentials recognized nationwide by contractors, employers, and state agencies.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Topgolf: National experiential entertainment chain combining tech-enabled recreation, food & beverage, and group events. A broader incumbent in the experience-economy category with similar group/corporate customer mix, but at much larger scale and in a different core activity.
• United Rentals: Largest North American equipment rental company with extensive fleet of excavators, bulldozers, and aerial equipment. Comparable in the underlying asset (Caterpillar-class earthmoving fleet) but operates a pure B2B long-term rental model rather than consumer experiences.
• Tough Mudder: Large-scale obstacle/adventure experience brand with mass participation events and immersive courses. Operates in the same 'hands-on, adult play, memorable activity' experiential category at greater scale, but with a portable event model rather than a fixed facility.

Direct peers

• The Range 702: Las Vegas shooting range and firearms experience venue catering to tourists, corporate groups, and events. Competes for the same discretionary Vegas visitor entertainment dollar and group/corporate event bookings as Dig This.
• Machine Gun Vegas: Las Vegas-based experience business offering machine gun and firearm shooting experiences to tourists. Same target customer (Vegas visitors seeking hands-on, adrenaline-driven activities), same direct-to-consumer booking model, and similar per-person premium pricing structure.
• AXE Monkeys Las Vegas: Las Vegas axe-throwing experience venue offering walk-in and group bookings with coaching. Closely comparable experience-economy model targeting tourists, bachelor/bachelorette groups, and corporate team building in the same Strip-adjacent market.
• Dig This Invercargill: Sister-entity operating the same heavy equipment playground concept at Transport World in Invercargill, New Zealand since October 2017. Operates the same equipment-rental-with-instructor business model, sharing brand, IP, and operating methodology with the Las Vegas anchor.

Emerging players

• K1 Speed: National indoor karting experience chain offering group events, leagues, and corporate outings. Comparable 'equipment-based, coached recreational experience' model with a multi-location footprint and similar group/corporate revenue mix.
• iFLY Indoor Skydiving: Chain of vertical wind tunnel indoor skydiving experiences with a multi-location, franchise-style model. Comparable 'novel physical experience with instructor supervision, ages 3+ to adult, premium per-person pricing' positioning, though in a different core activity.

Others

• Sunbelt Rentals: Major national equipment rental company with a large earthmoving and aerial fleet serving construction, industrial, and event customers. Compares on the equipment category and capital intensity, but serves professional contractors rather than consumer experiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/digthisvegas
• Facebookfacebook.com/DigThisVegas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/digthisvegas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dig This