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Used Missile Base: Rented to Highest Bidder

Eric Bland, Discovery News

"If someone else is set up to do that kind of thing, we would consider it," he said.

Rent per month starts at $495 for the Equipment Terminal and goes up to $1,500 for one of three 160-foot-tall missile silos. The site has been available for rent for several years now.

Currently, Hotchkiss is renting out sections of the above-ground plains and underground tunnel space to Terror Management, a company that organizes Airsoft tournaments and does tactical training for the U.S. Army and SWAT teams. Airsoft is similar to paint ball but uses plastic pellets that are cheaper, cleaner and less painful than paint balls.

Steve Towns, the manager of Terror Management and a full-time apartment manager, plans to run the first Airsoft tournament at the former Fulton base later this month.

In the game, the teams, made of current and ex-military members, along with serious amateur players, work to attack and defend the nuclear missile silo. Their mission: get to the silo and stop the missile from being launched.

"This is the best first-person shooter game ever," said Towns, referring to popular computer games like Halo or Half-Life.

While one weekend a month will be devoted to Airsoft, Hotchkiss sees other potential uses for the site, in particular as a research area or for data storage, both of which often need secure facilities.

"After all, it is one of the safest places on Earth," he said.

Related Links:

Tracy Staedter's blog: What the Tech?

"The Missile Base"

The eBay listing