Proposed Florida attraction would let you drive a tank

MELBOURNE, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - It is like a theme park, with tanks, and they could be rolling into Brevard County very soon.

The owners are proposing to put the tank track right through an area of Melbourne, but some city staff have concerns about noise and dust.

In video from Tank Town USA, in Georgia, a real military tank is seen rolling over the top of a car, leaving a path of crushed metal and glass.  The Georgia attraction is looking to expand into Florida.

Entrepreneur John Hinney is one of a small but growing number of people who have driven an actual tank. He wants to open a business on 33 acres of land at John Roads Boulevard and Ellis Road in Melbourne.  He is seeking approval from the city to let customers drive a real 1960s British army tank around a half-wooded mile track and over the top of junked cars.

"It is a thrill, and something outside of joining the military, most individuals are not going to get an opportunity to experience," he said. 

"When somebody tells me a tank is making a u-turn 360 feet from the rear of my residence, I am very concerned," said neighbor George Seeholzer.

Neighbors in the Hammock Trace Preserve subdivision are concerned about noise, pollution and dust from the tanks. Their homes are just under 400 yards from the track, which would operate seven days a week, between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.

At the request of residents, Hinney conducted noise tests, which came in significantly below levels in the city's sound ordinance.

City council members have the ultimate decision on if it can be approved. It could be up in six months and packages would start at $360.