TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. AQUATIC PARK
II. OVERVIEW
III. INTRODUCTION
IV. BRIEF HISTORY

• First Indoor Waterpark

• Other Indoor Waterparks
• George Millay and the First Official Water Park
• 21st Century Water Slides

V. DESIGNING AN AQUATIC PARK

• The site
• Demographics
• Solar orientation
• Prevailing winds
• Possible target patrons
• Education
• Proposed development recommendations and costs
• Market analysis
• Water park resort market
• Outdoor waterparks

VI. LIST OF RIDES AND ATTRACTION

• Machine and equipment

VII. LAWS GOVERNING AMUSEMENT PARKS INCLUDING AQUATIC

CENTERS/PARKS
• Local and International Standards

VIII. EXAMPLES OF AQUATIC/ WATER PARK

• Local
House bill instituting safety on amusement rides
• International
ASTM International F-24 Committee on Amusement Ride and Devices
IX. CRITERIA FOR WATERPARK CATEGORIES & DEFINITIONS
• Planning and Market Standards
Aquatic Park

An aquatic park is one of the most visited places when it comes to leisure and entertainment. Water
parks want to offer the most attractive, exciting, and appealing rides. Ideally, a water park has
attractions ranging from Thrill rides to family slides to kids play area making it popular amongst people
of all ages and walks of life.

Amusement water parks generally feature a few water rides, such as the log flume, bumper boats,
and rowing boats. Such rides are usually gentler and shorter than roller coasters and many are
suitable for all ages. Aquatic parks are at best during summer and typical dry weather days. The
Aquatic Parks’ industry has made a big splash over the five years to 2017. Increased consumer
spending has played into the industry's growth as consumers splurged on discretionary items such as
water park tickets. Aquatic Park related development is expected to grow in 2017, with over 40
expansions and new facilities opening.

The report titled “Market Survey cum Detailed Techno Economic Feasibility Report on Water Park”
provides an insight into the Water Park market in India with focus on uses and applications,
Manufacturing Process, Process Flow Sheets, Plant Layout and Project Financials of Water Park
project. The report assesses the market sizing and growth of the Indian Water Park Industry. While
expanding a current business or while venturing into new business, entrepreneurs are often faced
with the dilemma of zeroing in on a suitable product/line. And before diversifying/venturing into any
product, they wish to study the following aspects of the identified product

Amusement and Water Parks are spread across the geography of our country and attracts around 30
million visitors per annum. Visitors to these amusement parks are mostly local constituting around 80
percent and the other 20 percent is corporate and large groups. Amusement parks are an essential
part of the global leisure and entertainment industry. The industry can be broadly categorized into
amusement parks, theme parks and water parks. The sector can also be largely segmented on the
basis of the catchment area that they cater to, along with the type and scale of activities they offer.

Business of Water Park is an emerging profitable option for some countries. Nowadays, it has
become a trend to attach a Water Park whether small or big in the entertainment places. The
countries where summer season is enjoyed a Water park is very important. Those who are interested
to start this profitable entertainment business are suggested to focus on the quality designs and
layouts for the parks. It would be better to consider the special approaches and practices being used
by leading competitors in this field.

Everybody knows what a swimming pool is, right? You have outdoor swimming pools and indoor
swimming pools. So far, that’s pretty easy to understand. But, when you combine Disney World, Sea
World, Wet ‘N Wild, Great Wolf Lodge and Kalahari Waterpark Resort & Convention Center, things
start to get more difficult to understand.

Entertainment architecture is becoming ever more prevalent in today’s experience economy, but
usually ignores the local context and community where it is built, becoming an isolated, inward looking
fantasy environment, themed to distant lands, times and cultures. Indoor water park resorts are a fast
growing building type within this trend and most evoke alien themes and brands, and sit in low density
suburbs amid huge parking lots. In order to critique this situation, this thesis an indoor water park as
an integral part of a larger urban complex, combining elements of a lifestyle center, a destination
development, a mixed-use program, and an urban brown field reclamation. It demonstrates that
entertainment architecture and indoor water park resorts can be contextually integrated into higher
density urban areas.

On the former site of the U.S. Playing Card Company in Norwood, Ohio, the resort will anchor a high-
density development including residential units, a hotel, a public square, movie theaters, offices and
other entertainment amenities that will attract both local residents and regional tourists. The overall
design draws upon historical and regional themes in the Cincinnati area.

The theme of the indoor water park will be drawn from the history of playing cards. Called “Queen City
Commons,” the project provides a compact, pedestrian-friendly environment, with multiple uses within
a few minutes walk. It recreates an urban experience that is lacking in the suburbs, but also allows for
a stronger sense of community by creating a unique identity that has roots in the history of the region.
Visitors, locals and residents alike will be able to enjoy immersing themselves in a fantasy experience
that uses the history of the Cincinnati area as its point of departure.

Waterpark is an investigation into the potential development of a water exploration facility to serve
more than one function. The basis of this design is to explore the feasibility of having a water activity
through venture as a local park without altering and definitely improving an existing water facility. The
potential facility has for recreational development.

The study provides market and financial analysis and projections. It also provides critical physical
planning recommendations to assist water park designers. It is critical that the designs are in line with
market needs and expected cash flow. These physical planning guidelines need to be in place before
construction and building can start. Designers, builders, and managers all benefit from the guidance
provided in the study.

Besides a large Public Swim in the summer, the Aquatic Park hosts (year-round) several swim and
triathlete teams, lessons, exercise classes, lap swimming, water walking and deep water jogging.

A favorite party place for kids of all ages, the entire facility can be rented for a large private gathering,
or just one pool if your group is smaller. Another option for party planning is to rent a pavilion during
the Summer Public Swim.

From recreational family fun to high action and skill based ride components, each ADG Water Ride
targets multiple demographics with an attraction designed for a better overall experience. Innovative
launch portals, wave pool entries, and multiple egress and exit ports are incorporated into the designs
to maximize rider throughput and increase both active and passive capacity.
Overview

Countries that are struggling due to local economic downfalls; whether, due to the loss of local
manufacturers and businesses, a decrease in production of natural resources, such as coal, or
various environmental sanctions which have been levied upon natural resources over time that also
includes ecotourism, adventure tourism, wildlife tourism, and sports tourism.

Recently, another area of the tourism industry has become a major focal point of private and public
leaders. This area of the tourism industry is the leisure and entertainment industry. Within the leisure
and entertainment industry, is the amusement park and attractions industry. The amusement park and
attractions industry consists of amusement parks, theme parks, museums, zoos and aquariums,
casinos and resorts, family entertainment centers, historical and cultural attractions, and water parks.
Water parks and aquatic facilities have recently become an industry of interest to the public and
private sectors. Communities are adding water parks in hopes of drawing additional tourists to their
communities to increase profits for residents, government agencies, and local businesses.

Also, public leaders are having water parks and aquatic facilities built as means to provide
entertainment and leisure options to residents. Water parks “come in a multitude of shapes and sizes,
from small aquatic centers that have a few water park features- such as a waterslide or leisure river-
to city-owned facilities that rival some of today’s major parks, as well as indoor water park
hotels/resorts” (World Waterpark Association, para. 1, 2016). Publicly funded water parks and aquatic
facilities are the fastest growing sectors in the waterpark industry and currently are being built to
appeal to local citizens and tourists (Sangree, 2015). Currently, there is limited amount of research
that examines how waterparks affect local communities.

Additional research needs to be conducted to examine what impact waterparks have on local
economies and if it would be feasible for communities in some countries to build such a facility. Also,
it is believed by those within the public and private sectors that waterparks positively influence the
economy by bringing in additional revenue to the community.

Local government officials may view a waterpark as successful from a different view, such as an
increase of tourists to the area instead of the facility making only a profit. Some tourists may not have
visited the community if it was not for visiting the waterpark.

There is a limited amount of research that examines empirically how waterparks affect local
communities. It is believed waterparks positively influence the economy by bringing in additional
revenue and employment opportunities to the communities in which they exist. Additional research
needs to be conducted to examine the impacts waterparks have on the overall local economy by
examining the direct impact, indirect impact, and induced impact. These impacts should be further
examined to determine if it would be feasible for to some countries build such a facility. Local
government officials may gauge a waterpark’s success differently than others within the community by
focusing on employment opportunities, increased tax revenues within the community, a safe
recreational facility for families, and an increase of tourists to the area to name just a few examples of
how the success of waterparks may be viewed. There are ways to increase the number of visitors to
their communities which may not have come otherwise, and, in return, should have a positive
influence on the local economy.
Communities tend to support the development of tourism because it usually increases employment
opportunities for locals, brings additional businesses to the area, and increases property values.
Recently, waterparks are being developed and built at an astonishing rate across to boost local
economies. Also, they are being developed by public and private investors. Typically, private investors
make profits by charging higher priced admission tickets than public investors. Public waterparks
usually charge less for admission than do private facilities; and, they are built both as a service and to
attract tourists to the area.

Water parks could have either a positive or a negative effect economically on local economies.
Therefore, it is important to examine the impact waterparks have on the local economy. It is important
for researchers to examine how these facilities impact the overall economy by analyzing the direct
impact, indirect impact, and induced impact. As communities continue to invest in the waterpark
industry, there is a direct need for continued research on waterparks and their effects on local
communities.

Municipal waterparks are a fast-growing sector in the waterpark industry. Waterparks, as amusement
parks, have become “motivators for tourism trips to many destination and core elements of the
tourism product” Municipal waterparks are perceived “as providers of leisure and recreation facilities
for their local communities” while allowing a community to become a new haven for tourists.

Municipalities, and other forms of government, are constructing and operating waterparks to “improve
the image of the destination, increase tourism and hence economic benefits for the local community
and provide education to the public”. Waterparks gain support because they can “provide
opportunities to gain political advantage, locally, nationally, and, in some cases, internationally”.

While waterparks may have the positive effect on the development of tourism that government
officials are so hoping for, there are possible downsides as well. For instance, local or state
governments “may allocate large sums of public funds… hoping that it would result in economic
development and environmental protection. However, intended outcomes may not always be
materialized”. Some “waterpark developments have received a variety of economic incentives,
including tax abatements, room tax rebates for waterpark resorts, infrastructure funds, income tax
rebates, and assistance in acquiring land”
Introduction

Recreation and recreational standards had long been the subject of much discussion and
controversy, extending so far as to question the value of standards as a measure of our recreational
needs. This report hopefully will indicate that standards are necessary, not to the extent that they
become hard and fast rules, but rather as a point from which one may begin.

It is not easy to define whether or not an area is "adequate," yet recreation specialists have come up
with certain rough rules which are often used; one standard, for example, is that a city should have
one acre of city park or playground per 100 population, plus another acre of large city or regional park
on the outskirts of the city for more extensive types of recreational use. Even this amount of
recreational space is not adequate unless the separate tracts are located according to need, and
unless they are well planned, well developed, and well managed.

And it’s a proven fact that adding water draws the crowds and keeps people on property longer.
Water attractions create the destination experience that guests want and are a great way to generate
additional revenue through complex of facilities for water sports, including swimming pools retail and
other incidental purchases. But, if you are thinking about adding water to your dry park there are a lot
of factors to consider.

With the number of aquatic parks and aquatic centers concept being advertised today, one might get
the impression that designing such park is no more than arranging a series of water features into an
eye pleasing plan and adding some color. However truly designing an aquatic park involves the
creative management of many factors that are constantly re-evaluated as the design evolves.
Familiarity on the part of the designer with how aquatic parks operate and how they are constructed is
essential. You may be wondering why this is important since it’s just a plan. Consider that a well
thought out aquatic parks can handle more people, move those people more efficiently through the
park, increase their spending, allow you to manage their activities with a smaller staff, and cost less to
operate.

From wave pools and rivers, to play structures and slides, water rides appeal to a large demographic
and can dramatically increase the number of visitors to your park in a short time. And, the fact is, you
will need this sharp rise in attendance to support your venture into the aquatic park business.

An alluring scheme of color splashes dotted through aquatic parks certainly entice patrons, the crux of
a successful aquatic park does not hinge on bold appearing slides and fancy graphics. Some park
owners fall victim to the allure of an engaging slide package before considering the fundamentals of a
well thought out aquatic park design – the need to capture the eye of our guests, and to capture the
maximum profit capacity through the placement of attractions and revenue venues.

Efficient water park planning suggest a feasible design through planning and review services that will
help you organize ideas into a functional plan suitable for presentation to investors, boards, regulatory
authorities and suppliers for a better venture and as part of this process, reviewing of the site,
examining existing infrastructure, analyzing optimal ride mix, and conducting a thorough review of all
agency requirements that provide you with a concept that is “shovel ready” from both a design and
cost perspective.
Brief history

The first water parks debuted in the late 1940s and quickly became a popular destination for families
during hot summer months. Almost forty years later, the first indoor water park opened, and since
then, entertainment centers with water-adventure activities have grown in popularity around the world.
Today, water parks typically feature attractions such as water slides, wave pools, lazy rivers, and
splash pads. Entertainment Designer seeks out the most dynamic and daring new water park
attractions, as well as unique and playful designs for water-based experiences of all types.

Outdoor waterparks have been around since the late 1940s, the world's first indoor waterpark was
built in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 1985.

Waterparks are one of the fastest growing entertainment categories, and the US has over 1,000 with
more opening their doors each summer. Although the first individual water slides and wet rides
opened in the 1940s, the first waterpark only opened in the 1960s. The world's first indoor waterpark
was built in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 1985.

First Indoor Waterpark

World Waterpark lies within Edmonton's West Edmonton Mall, one of the largest malls in the world.
Phase 1 of the West Edmonton Mall opened in September 1981, followed by Phase II in September
1983, and finally Phase III in September 1985. World Waterpark was part of Phase 3, a phase that
cost a staggering 12.2 billion dollars and occupying 120 acres. The waterpark alone sits on 20,000
square feet of land and can accommodate five thousand guests. The waterpark includes many types
of water-related fun, including 21 water slides, 2 hot tubs, and a surf simulator. It also includes the
world's largest indoor wave pool, known as the Blue Thunder wave pool, at 50.3 million litres.
Twister and Cyclone are the two biggest waterslides, both measuring 25 meters high. Being inside the
mall, the waterpark enjoys a temperature of 31 degrees Celsius and operates throughout the year
with approximately 50,000,000 guests per year.

Other Indoor Waterparks

The West Edmonton Mall's World Waterpark is not only the first indoor waterpark, it is also one of the
world's largest indoor waterparks. Germany's Tropical Islands Resort at 510,000 sq ft and a daily
capacity of 6,000 visitors, is another of the world's largest waterparks. Opened in 2004, the waterpark,
which sits within an airship hanger, is home to a large indoor rainforest, as well as swimming pools,
saunas, and a beach. The UK's biggest waterpark is Sandcastle Water Park with over 18 waterslides,
as well as a wave pool, lazy river, play areas, and saunas. Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin is known as
being the "water park capital of the world" due to its five indoor water parks, as well as its many
outdoor waterparks.

Water parks have grown in popularity since their introduction in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
The United States has the largest and most concentrated water park market, with over 1,000 water
parks and dozens of new parks opening each year. Major organizations are the IAAPA (International
Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) and WWA (World Waterpark Association), which is
the industry trade association.

Water parks which emerge from spas tend to more closely resemble mountain resorts, as they
become year-round destinations. For example, Splash Universe Water Park Resort is themed to
match the community in which it is located. The theme is intended to enhance the community's
destination appeal. Therefore, the amusement and leisure-time industry is becoming more
concentrated, as winter sports are becoming common themes in summertime water recreation.

A process of concentration can be observed in the hybrid versions of theme-, amusement-, and water
parks. Some water parks are more spa-oriented. For example, SchwabenQuellen has no water slides;
it has instead many saunas, steam rooms, "adventure showers", and relaxation-oriented water play
areas.
In the 2000s, an effort was made to reduce long waiting lines by introducing conveyor belts to lift
passengers or use water jets.

An unusual feature at a water park is ice skating. Deep River Water Park in
northwestern Indiana features ice skating, made possible by cooling pipes installed under their
massive plaza.

One of the first documented water slides came from New Zealand as part of the 1906 International
Exhibition. The “Wonderland” area at the exhibition included different types of rides and entertainment
experiences – basically a mini amusement park – and among them was a water chute.

Photos from the event show people dressed (or, by today’s standards, overly dressed) as they sat in
large wooden “chute boats” that ran down a track and into Victoria Lake, where they skimmed across
the surface. Sweet!

Even back then, people knew a cool thing when they saw it (or could slide down it). According to a
1906 newspaper account from a Christchurch, New Zealand newspaper – as quoted on the history
site, historygeek.co.nz – the Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives Arthur Guinness
took one look at the slide and had to give it a try. He rode with a boat full of shrieking girls, according
to the newspaper, “with his silk hat pulled over his ears.”

Another rider, according to the site, was Governor General Lord Plunkett, who also commandeered
his own cart on the nearby toboggan ride.

After the exhibit and “Wonderland” closed down, the water chute slide was sold to a business who
kept it going for a few years in Wellington, New Zealand. But eventually it shut down and was
dismantled.

George Millay and the First Official Water Park

Sellner’s invention led to people incorporating the water slide into existing water features such as
pools, lakes and, of course, the ocean. But the attraction was so popular that parks started opening
that were built around water attractions such as water slides.

George Millay had founded Sea World in 1964 in San Diego and later opened similar parks in Ohio
and Orlando, Fla. In the 1970s, he saw the potential for a park built around water attractions, and in
1977 he opened what is considered the first water park, Wet n’ Wild in Orlando, according to
Waterpark.com. The parked proved so popular that he opened more in the United States, Mexico and
Brazil. From the viewpoint of the history of water slides, this was a particularly important step.

Water parks in general had been so successful that they eventually moved indoors, starting with the
first one in Wisconsin Dells at the Polynesian Resort Hotel & Suites in 1994.

No area has taken to waterslides quite like Wisconsin Dells, which is a must-see for the true water
slide enthusiast, The area is the “Waterpark Capitol of the World,” according the Wisconsin Dells
Visitors and Convention Bureau, which goes on to say, “We have the largest concentration of outdoor
and indoor waterparks of any place on the planet.” There are 50 water slides just in Noah’s Ark
waterpark alone – one of the reasons why it is one of the Top 10 most visited water parks in the world.
21st Century Water Slides

In the more than 100 years since that water chute in Christchurch, the water slide has become a
staple of summertime fun around the world. Not only can you visit amusement parks to experience
water slides, but now you have the ability to rent your own party inflatable water slide and have fun in
your own backyard.

According to the most recent numbers, the most popular waterparks are in Florida, starting with
Typhoon Lagoon at Walt Disney World, which has more than 2 million visitors annually. Close behind
are Blizzard Beach, also at Walt Disney World, and Aquatica and Wet n’ Wild, both in Orlando.

These days, water slides come in a variety of thrilling styles. The tallest, free-fall slide – the 120-foot
high Summit Plummet – is at Blizzard Beach. The overall tallest slide is at the Aldeia das Aguas Park
Resort in Brazil.

So the next time you are on a water slide, think about Herbert Sellner alone in his shop, inventing
something that would entertain millions. Or those thousands of “Wonderland” visitors on a long-ago
weekend in New Zealand, flying down the water chute and trying to keep their silk top hats from flying
off.

Both amusement parks – and water slides – have come a long way.

Generally speaking, Water Park was introduced in the 1940s and it was firstly getting popular in North
America, mostly inAmericaandCanada. With the develop of globalization, more and more country build their
first Water Park and people around the world start to get used to visiting this thrilling place in summer days.
Designing an Aquatic Park

The aquatic park industry is growing and the municipality owned segment is growing even faster. In
order to better understand aquatic park industry dynamics and key success elements you may have
to render design consideration to restrain these factors and build better facilities that will both benefit
the client and the owner.

As a designer, you are advised to assess the actual physical and market conditions that will have a
great impact to the demand for recreation and aquatic programs and measure the capacity of the
market to respond to that demand. While there some ways to design an aquatic park these are factors
to consider for a more efficient design.

There are common characteristics that are required to operate a successful water park. Water park
feasibility should be seen through the lens of six key factors: site features, demographics, the tourist
market, competition, weather, and the yearly significant schedules. While site is one of the most
important factors that will affect potential water parks, the site must offer easy highway access and
surrounding amenities that help you venture and attract clients.

THE SITE

A checklist when reviewing the suitability of sites for developments of this nature consists of the
guidelines illustrated below. While not all are relevant in every situation, it is desirable to achieve a
significant proportion of the following criteria. Be of a size and scale to allow the creation of a critical
mass of activity required to generate

• Be proximate to tourist markets and various forms of tourism accommodation.

• Be within easy access of a significant resident market base.
• Have strong regional transport links by road.
• Have direct access to/from a major road and a major public transportation link.
• The site should: attendance, or be in a location that benefits from the interest generated by
other attractions
• Be large enough to develop sufficient on-site parking.

The site review evaluates the subject parcel’s size, access and visibility, topography, availability of
utilities (including water and sewer), and other site related attributes necessary for a successful
waterpark project. The waterpark’s proximity to leisure guests is an important consideration since
waterpark visitors appreciate convenient access from area highways. The study should compare the
number of youths and adults within specific drive times from the subject site with other successful
waterparks (indoor or outdoor) that are located in different locations throughout the United States to
determine whether the subject site has an adequate population base. The following are some
questions the study should answer.

• The size and shape of the site should be sufficient to account for the planned program and
Be in a location where surrounding land uses are compatible with leisure development, i.e.
• Be as flat as possible to minimize ground-shaping infrastructure costs.
• Allow for a suitable flow from element to element. Be in an area with a positive image and in
proximity to other complimentary visitor
• Be in single ownership or require purchase negotiations with few current owners.
• Not heavy industry or dense primary residential development. Not be bisected by any
significant natural or man-made features such as rivers, canals,
• Attractions or natural features. Not include areas of significant scientific, ecological or
environmental importance.
Demographics is an effective instrument for making conclusions about potential community
recreation and aquatic center users, and the likely demand for programs and services. Recreation
and aquatic interests vary based on differences in age, family status, income, education, and other
demographic measures. An examination of educational attainment and income, household
composition, and age groupings within the service area helps to make conclusions about the
likelihood of demand for programs and services and the ability to meet the demand.

Solar orientation can also be a tourist target for "sun bathing" is a popular pastime for many visitors
to a water park at all ages. Outdoor water park facilities are subject to the elements and facilities
should be designed to capture positive weather elements and diminish negative weather elements. In
addition, the proposed pavilion specs will be available to alleviate excessive heat which can also be
one revenue opportunity for the owner.

Prevailing winds are another major weather element that must be considered before the
development of a water park. A water park that is exposed to high winds will not provide a positive
experiencce for patrons. An also an obvious, but important aspect of maintaining a water park is the
safety of patrons at the facility.

Possible Target Patrons. It is important for the waterpark and RV parks to be designed with these
new neighbors in mind. There are many ways to diminish the perceived negative effects that the
facilities may have on the residents, such as landscaping with specific key trees and shrubs that
provide a natural buffer to reduce noise and enhance. Attractive and effective noise barrier walls can
also be constructed to lower noise and provide more privacy. These walls are commonly found along
major highways that are placed in dense residential areas.

Education is highly correlated with participation in parks and recreation activities including regular
fitness. The higher a community’s education level, the more interest there will be in regular fitness
activities. In addition, those who are highly educated tend to have diverse recreation interests when
compared to those who are not as highly educated. Children of highly educated parents are more
likely to be enrolled in afterschool enrichment activities than those whose parents are not as highly
educated. This includes participation in swimming and other aquatic sports. These factors were
considered in the estimates of participation

The area, demographic, and neighborhood analysis evaluates the local economy surrounding the
proposed development. The area analysis focuses on the social, economic, governmental, and
environmental forces that influence the performance and valuation of a waterpark facility.
Demographic information, including population, households, income levels, employment levels, etc.,
should be reviewed in detail to determine the number of people and potential customers who live
within the local and regional areas. The following are some questions the study should answer:

• Population trends: What is the population in the area and is the number increasing or decreasing?

• Household growth: How large is the typical household? How many children are there per
household? The number of children in the area is a particularly crucial data point since waterparks are
family-oriented facilities.

• Household economics: What is the unemployment rate? What is the median income? How much
disposable income do households in the area have?

• Area economics: Which large corporations are based in the area? Are there tourist attractions in the
area? When answering these questions, a consultant will look for existing and potential demand
generators that are under development or those that may be leaving the market soon.

• Area transportation: Access to airports, interstate highways, and rail stations greatly affects travel to
an area.

A neighborhood analysis of nearby commercial and tourist establishments is important because

successful water park projects are typically located in areas with complementary real estate uses. The
most successful indoor water park resorts are located near other major tourist attractions that draw
overnight visitors. The most successful outdoor water parks are typically in areas that attract both
residents and tourists and may be near major retail outlets, beaches, or community facilities.

• Drive time demographics: What are the population and household income levels within various drive
times of the subject property, and how do they compare with locations such as Wisconsin Dells,
Sandusky, Orlando, or other established waterpark markets?

• Site: Is the site large enough to support the planned waterpark project? Is there room for future
expansions?

• Amenities: Are there nearby amenities that would complement the proposed project?

• Governmental impacts: How do the subject’s ad valorem taxes, zoning, sales history, governmental
restrictions, environmental regulations and other factors affect the subject property?

PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATIONS AND COSTS

The consultant should review plans for the facility, the scope of the development and
projected costs. Some clients provide their development plans, which are then reviewed so the
consultant can recommend changes and appropriate improvements. Other clients request that the
consultant recommend the scope of the development based upon their market research for the
feasibility study. For an outdoor water park, the scope of recommendations includes the size of the
outdoor water park, rides and attractions, food and beverage outlets, size of gift shop and arcade, dry
attractions, and other amenities to include.

An indoor water park resort receives the same recommendations along with the number of
guestrooms, size of indoor water park, rides and attractions for indoor water park, number of
restaurants and lounges, amount of meeting space, spa, and other amenities to include. The
consultant may estimate a range of costs for the proposed development based upon recently
constructed water park projects, or the client may hire an architect and/or engineer to perform a
formal cost estimate for the proposed development. The following are some questions the study
should answer:

• Physical plant information: Have any architectural plans been developed by the client?

• Facility size: How large should the project be? How many rides and attractions should the water park
offer? How many guestrooms should the hotel offer? How many food and beverage outlets should be
developed within the hotel and water park? What is the design day size for the park?

• Branding: For an indoor water park resort, should the hotel have a franchise affiliation?

• Theme: What type of theme should the water park have? How elaborate should the theme be?
MARKET ANALYSIS

A thorough market analysis of the local and regional hotel and indoor waterpark resort or
outdoor waterpark market is essential. The projections of financial performance for the project will
depend heavily upon the data gathered. Typically, an indoor waterpark resort will attract primarily
overnight guests with some local users while an outdoor waterpark will attract primarily local users
with some overnight guests.

WATER PARK RESORT MARKET

An analysis of the existing indoor and outdoor waterparks’ attendance and pricing is very
important. The consultant will need to research a variety of published sources and conduct interviews
with managers of the various waterparks to determine the number of attendees, average prices, and
total revenues at the comparable properties. In some cases, waterpark managers are unwilling to
share this information, and there is no STR type organization that tracks waterpark attendance. Our
firm consistently collects waterpark performance data that is maintained in our proprietary database.
Below are things to consider:

• Existing and potential competitors: How many indoor and outdoor waterparks are in the area? How
many are proposed?

• Attendance: How are existing waterparks performing in terms of attendance and usage?

• Demographics: What is the population for a 20-, 40-, and 60-minute drive around each competitor on
a per attendee basis compared to the subject site?

• Amenities of competitors: To what degree will existing and potential waterparks be competitive in
terms of size, amenities, pricing, theming, etc.?

• Waterpark pricing: What are the rack rates for the competitive waterparks? What is the average
ticket price per attendee at the competitive properties? For an indoor waterpark resort, the focus
should be on other indoor waterparks attached to hotels. For an outdoor waterpark, the focus should
be on existing outdoor waterparks.

OUTDOOR WATERPARKS

For outdoor waterparks, the key figures to estimate include the number of attendees and the
average ticket price. Outdoor waterpark attendance varies depending upon location, pricing,
amenities, attractions, number of rides and slides, size, climate, and marketing efforts.

The study should thoroughly analyze each of these factors. The pricing for outdoor
waterparks will heavily depend upon the investor’s criteria. Many municipally owned outdoor
waterparks charge much lower prices because they will not have to pay debt service and are
taxpayer-funded, while most privately owned outdoor waterparks try to achieve the highest possible
prices to provide sufficient funds for payment of debt service and investor profit.
The following are some questions to consider:

• Usage: What are the historical and projected usage levels and pricing of existing waterparks and
amusement parks within the region?

• Facilities: How do the subject property’s proposed facilities, location, and size compare to the
existing properties?

• Population: What is the population base within a 30- to 60-minute drive radius around the subject
property, and how many youths are in the area who would potentially utilize the proposed waterpark
during the season?
• Pricing: What should the pricing be for season passes and day passes?
• Projections: Based upon the data gathered, what type of attendance levels will the subject achieve
for the first five years of the analysis? What type of pricing levels are reasonable considering the
proposed attendance levels?

• Climate: How many days per year are over 80 degrees Fahrenheit? How many rainy days typically
occur during these warm weather days?

Building designs are to provide visual interest to the street by creating active building façades
(predominantly glazed and preferably with visible access points or openings) and/ or other creative
solutions that engage and respect the streetscape. Glazing should bring day lighting to customer
service areas and provide surveillance of the street. Building entries should be clearly visible from the
street and provide intuitive way-finding for visitors and present a positive corporate image. Refer to
the Estate Architect for additional explanation. Additional shading devices may be required on east
and west elevations.

KEEP DIFFERENT PORTIONS:

First of all, you are suggested to keep different sections in the park. There will be two separate for
men and women. Kids can enjoy with the men. Think about the modern separation techniques. You
can make a big wall where sliding facility should be present. It will be a big fun for the people coming
to enjoy the water games. Water park designs for both sections can be obtained with the help of
designers. However, you must take care about the privacy of people coming to the park. Most of the
water park services offer separate small portion for the families.

STRAIGHT, SQUARE, ROUND NO MORE

Remember, the swimming pool designs are changing. Conventional pool designs are no longer being
used. You will rarely see square, straight and round pools in the parks. Multidimensional swimming
pool are being used commonly. It is necessary to change the interior layout and plan according to the
running trends. People always love to visit a water park where they can find something new in the
form of entertainment. Choose the appropriate as well as attractive water park designs in order to
make this business more profitable.

ADD GREENERY IN THE PARK

Gardens, grassy plots and plants are normally used in the water parks. It has been observed that
modern parks have big spaces for gardens and lawns for the people. It is good because people prefer
to have where they can enjoy swimming and picnic parties. Trends are changing quickly and these
parks are being used different types of parties. Birthday parties, anniversaries and engagement
parties are frequently organized in the famous water parks of city. Adding the big lawns and grassy
plots will make your park appropriate for multipurpose use.

MAKE SHOPS AROUND

It is more relevant to the economic strategy, but it is also helpful to make a design. There must be
food shops selling different food items, it makes the environment of a water park more suitable for the
people outside the park. Consider it in order to create a peaceful place for the customers.
LIST OF RIDES AND ATTRACTION

PLANNING AND CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

Through building a new waterpark, expanding or renovating, with planning services that help you to
develop your ideas into a functional plan that works. Through goals and brand, that is needed to
create a water park like none other. From parking to pools and everything in between, integrated
concepts and approach that takes into consideration the complete park experience.

BOOGIE BOARDING WAVE POOL WITH

HIGH CAPACITY THROUGHOUT

With the capability to dispatch two riders every 10

seconds, guests spend their time on the ride and
in the water. And with a skill-based component, no
two rides are ever the same! Guests will want to
experience the attraction again and again as they
work to master the perfect ride. Benefits

• Greatly appeals to teen market, as well as the entire family

• Increased throughput for shorter wait time

• Skill-based ride with repetitive trials increases time spent on property

• Include decking for lounge, F&B and retail to enhance ROI Features

• 3 ft spilling breaker waves for an authentic ocean experience

• Innovative launch peninsula with optimal wave crest entry

• Dispatch two riders at a time, every 10 seconds • Option to run as standard wavepool when desired.

TIDAL RIVER TIDAL WAVE RIVER

RIDE WITH SHALLOW BEACH ENTRY
From gentle family recreational waves in the
shallow wave pool to fast paced and exciting
wave action in the wider pool and river channel,
this ride offers something for everyone. Our
unique configuration powers both a zero-depth
entry wave pool and a fast paced wave action
river for better efficiency and unequaled
performance!
 FLOWRIDER® COVE A COMPLETE
ENTERTAINMENT DESTINATION WITH
MULTI-DEMOGRAPHIC APPEAL

Cove combines both skill and leisure based

activities into one premiere water ride attraction.
This Wave PoolSurfing combination creates the
ideal family setting that boosts ROI in more ways
than one!

Features :

• Skill based FlowRider® surf simulator with max teen appeal

• Zero depth entry wave lagoon

• Active play features

TWIN TIDES DUAL-BEACH, DUAL-ENTRY

WAVE POOL PROVIDES MAXIMUM
CAPACITY

Easily access the wave pool from either end and

offer your guests a one-of-a-kind experience as
they swim through the currents. A 4 ft shallow
swim area and gradual beach entry makes this
pool easily accessible to all for the ultimate in
family recreational fun.

Features

• 2 ft high-frequency diamond waves

• Easy walk through access from end to end

• Shallow depth, gentle wave action suitable for all guests • Gradual beach entry on both ends

Benefits

• Destination setting - greatly appeals to the whole family

• Extra deck space for additional lounge area

 ADVENTURE LAGOON MULTIPLE
INTERACTIVE PLAY FEATURES COMBINE TO
INCREASE RIDE CAPACITY

Crossing pool, climbing walls and inflatable

obstacle courses create a unique combination of
ride features that appeal to every age group and
skill level. Multiple access points for easy ride
entry throughout the attraction means less time
waiting and more time enjoying.

Features

• Inflatable adventure course, rock scramble and a crossing pool

• Multiple access points for maximum throughput

• Customizable feature options available

Benefits

• Multiple skill based activities encourage repeat trials

• Innovative layout fits in compact footprint

• Features that appeal to the entire family

MINI HARBOUR KID-SIZED ACTION WAVE

POOL FOR MAXIMUM FAMILY-SIZED FUN

Active and passive play features come together

perfectly in this unique kid focused, family-centric,
shallow-depth multi wave pool attraction. With 1 to
1.5 ft waves, kids can jump, play and splash the
time away while parents watch from the comfort of
wide, low-set seating throughout the entire area
creating the perfect ocean oasis — designed for
kid-sized fun and adult-sized comfort!

Features

• Gradual beach entry with wall seating throughout

• Two wave zones with gentle kid-sized waves

• Interactive spray features and mini slide area

• Center island play area.

FlowRider

High-Performance Surf Machine in a Compact Footprint

The FlowRider Single is the go-to ride for surfboarding enthusiasts around the world, including
National and World Flowboarding Champion Sean Silveira who grew up surfing the waves on a
FlowRider Single.

Throw the power switch on and you’ll instantly bring joy to many different groups of people, from the
newbie flowboarder to the champion-level riders. The FlowRider Single is ready to handle any attack;
with 121 hp under the hood and a ride surface over 400 sq ft, it delivers the highest performance of
any single pump product in the world.

Double the Surf. Double the Revenue.

The FlowRider Double brings twice as much of the Southern California surfing lifestyle to your venue,
doubling the capacity of the Single, and doubling your revenue. The patented Flow FenceTM creates
two lanes for flowboarders to ride in, increasing rider capacity. Remove the Flow Fence and you
double the ride area – perfect for special events, or special ride times for expert boarders.

FlowRider Triple
The Most Popular Surfing Attraction in the World – Big Enough for the Whole Family!
The FlowRider Triple takes the same patented and cutting edge design from the single and double
and adds in another layer of thrills. Instantly triple your ride capacity when up to three guests can
share the thrills and ride together at the same time.

Set up for one, two, or three guests and you can give advanced riders the thrill of dropping in, carving
turns, throwing spray and performing an unending array of maneuvers, while beginners can boogie
board at the same time in the safety of their own channel. Set it up as one large surfing platform and
put on a show for our guests with expert riders on a surfing stage like no other.

WaveOz

The World’s Only 180° Surf Rider

WaveOz™ brings a whole new playing field to the sport of surfing! Flowboarders surf across a totally
inflatable surface measuring over 187 feet to either bodyboard or stand-up and ride. The sheer linear
space on this attraction allows for more speed, more back to back tricks, and overall more exciting
ride experience.
LAWS GOVERNING AMUSEMENT PARKS INCLUDING AQUATIC CENTERS/PARKS

Local laws and regulation from amusement parks to be implemented on Aquatic Parks that includes
safety, maintenance and economic standing that will affect local community and foreign clients.
Aquatic Parks including all kinds of amusement park located locally in the Philippines implements the
same regulation with regards to the said considerations.

International Standards that needs to be implemented as a global responsibility for this kind of venture
includes:

ASTM International F-24 Committee on Amusement Ride and Devices

We adhere to ASTM International standards. ASTM International is a global forum for the
development of consensus standards. The basic minimum requirements for amusement rides and
devices are the ASTM Committee F-24 Standards. In 2012, these standards were adopted as
Philippine National Standards for Amusement Rides and Devices by the Bureau of Product Standards
(Philippine Department of Trade & Industry). The ASTM F-24 standards cover:

• Design/Manufacture
• Testing/Quality Assurance
• Inspection/Maintenance
• New Rides/Used Rides
• Practices/Procedures/Classification
• Responsibilities of manufacturers, owners, operators and patrons

In the same light, we deploy only rides and amusement equipment from Europe, Asia and the US
regulated by safety standards contained in EN 13.814 or ASTM F-24.

Emergency Facilities and Services

• Enchanted Kingdom is equipped with the following emergency facilities and services:
• Ambulance and medical equipment
• First aid clinic with registered nurses and doctor
• Certified first aiders
• Fire truck and firefighting equipment
• Firefighting and rescue team
• Emergency lighting system
• Back-up power generators
• Park-wide communications and public address system
• Floodgates and mass exit facilities

The utmost safety of the guests is a responsibility that our company takes seriously; hence, safety is one of our
core values that govern our behavior and actions.
As with organizations that have a fundamental Culture of Safety and Risk Reduction, we at Enchanted
Kingdom:

• Have a genuine care for guests and employees;

• Think long-term success rather than short-term gains;
• Will rather prepare and prevent, than repair and repent; and,
• Never assume and never take short-cuts.
EXAMPLES OF AQUATIC/ WATER PARK

LOCAL

As the Philippines has only two seasons, namely wet and dry, locals and foreign travelers take
advantage of the summer season to get into the waters and spend an entire day cooling down at the
beach or nearby swimming pool. Tourists regularly head over to the country’s many waterparks to
make a splash, explore thrilling slides and rides, and escape the heat of the sun. Here’s our pick of
the best.

Inflatable Island

Inflatable Island, Subic Bay, Philippines | Inflatable Island

For a whimsical summer treat where you can run, bounce around, and make a splash, head over to
Inflatable Island and have fun in an exciting aquatic playground that spans nearly 45,000 square feet.
Known to be Asia’s biggest floating playground, the inflatables range from kid-friendly to more
challenging – a human launcher, trampoline, and giant Tarzan swing, to name a few. The most
irresistible part is the Unicorn Island that features a giant unicorn surrounded by rainbows and
adorable creatures. Enjoy a day at this floating zoo and take lots of Instagram photos for your feed!
Whiterock Beach Hotel + Waterpark in Subic

Located only twelve minutes away from Subic Bay Freeport, this seven-hectare park-like property
boasts a wide beach area, and recreational facilities such as their waterparks that are both kid and
adult-friendly. Make sure to try all their amazing waterslides and their inflatable waterpark, too. The
property’s convenient location allows you to enjoy the panoramic view of the sunset, and nearby
scenic mountain ranges. Plus, they have a lot of room accommodations to choose from so if spending
a day splashing with the waters is not enough, you can book their rooms for a night or two.

Adventure Beach Waterpark

This newly-opened waterpark occupies an area of 7, 442 square meters and can accommodate up to
700 guests. While it’s smaller than the usual giant parks found in the country, adventure-seekers love
the place because every attraction in the waterpark is within easy reach. All of their waterslides are
child-friendly so families with small kids don’t have to worry about any unfortunate incidents. With a
fixed entrance fee, visitors have the chance to explore their twin-twister slides (with spectacular views
of Subic from the top), splash all day, and try a thrilling ride that mimics whitewater rafting!
Amana Waterpark

Rated by Google as the second-fastest-rising summer destination in the Philippines, Amana

Waterpark takes pride in having a 3,500 square meter wave pool that produces the biggest kind of
wave in the country called Tsunami Wave. Apart from their Tsunami Wave, they also have 13 other
kinds of gigantic waves that anyone will want to experience! Kids will love the many life-sized
Hollywood movie character statues in their various character-themed pools such as Batman Pool,
Avatar Pool, Jurassic Pool, and Interactive Pool that features the minions from Despicable Me.

Fontana Hot Spring Leisure Parks

One of the main attractions of this business-friendly resort is a water theme park that features giant
slides and fun water facilities. They have a world-class Wave Pool that electronically produces six
different kinds of waves that can go as high as three feet tall. Their slides facilities are also a must-try
namely the Three Giant Agua Thrill Slides, Big Horn Slide, and Water Cottage Slide. For those who
prefer to take it slow and chill, try the Lazy River to enjoy a relaxing, long trip in their 500-meter-long
pool.
INTERNATIONAL

Chimelong Water Park Expansion

Guangzhou Water Park is one of the largest in the world and the most successful in Asia. When
Chimelong Group wanted to revitalize this park and put guest comfort first, they turned to FORREC.
Later, when they were ready for a major expansion, FORREC came back with a lush indoor-outdoor
equatorial jungle theme where evidence of lost civilizations abounds.

Amid overgrown stone temples and tombs, tube slides plunge through the jungle foliage into deep
pools. Water cascades down ancient structures, bursts through fissures in the rock and forms rushing
rivers, underground grottos, a snorkel swim experience and aquarium slide. Much of this lush
environment is captured within spectacular clear glass cubes and prisms, providing bright, natural
light and comfort year round.

California Beach, Gyeongju World

The complete redevelopment and re-imagining of an existing water park is exactly the FORREC
specialty that Gyeongju World was seeking. More than anything, this popular regional park needed an
infusion of energy, excitement and personality. Our solution? Re-create the best of the California
beach scene with state-of-the-art attractions and immersive theming unlike anything in the Korean
market.

High thrill experiences like extreme body slides, freefall plummets, turbo tunnels, a wave river and
boogie pools are combined with gentler children’s water play areas and more laid back relaxation
spas to give everyone the complete California beach experience. As a result of this project’s success,
FORREC now enjoys a working relationship with Gyeongju World that includes several other major
projects.

Beach Park (Fortaleza, Brazil)

Beach Park's most famous ride is Insano, which ranks as the world's tallest (135 feet/41 meters) and
fastest (65 mph/104 kph) water slide.

Equally petrifying is Kalafrio, a giant half-pipe slide.

Younger visitors can check out an enormous big top-themed play area or the Acqua Show, with water
cannons, synchronized water jets and eight water slides just for kids.
World Waterpark (Alberta, Canada)

Located inside Alberta's West Edmonton Mall, this is the world's second-largest indoor water park and
has the world's largest indoor wave pool, with 2.7 million gallons of water.

Attractions include a looping water slide and Blue Thunder, a bungee jump tower suspended over the
wave pool.

Siam Park, Spain

It’s easy to see why this park was voted best water park in the world by TripAdvisor. There’s
something for everyone as the attractions are divided into three themes: relax, family and adrenaline.
Located in the beautiful Canary Islands, this is a bucket list stop if you’re vacationing in Spain.
CRITERIA FOR WATERPARK CATEGORIES & DEFINITIONS

What is a waterpark --- really? When thinking about ways to compare waterparks, several questions
emerge:

• Location: Is it outdoors or indoors?

• Ownership: Who owns it? Public or private?

• Management: Non-profit or profit, public or private? • Features: Low or high entertainment value?

• Size: Small, medium, large or mega-sized?

• Affiliation: Is it part of a national brand/chain or independent?

• Design Integration: Is it self-standing, attached or integrated with lodging and other recreation resort
facilities? Outdoor Vs Indoor Waterparks.

Outdoor vs Indoor. Today, the biggest distinction among waterparks is whether they are outdoors or
indoors. Outdoor waterparks evolved from theme parks and outdoor swimming pools. Indoor
waterparks were an extension of hotels, resorts and indoor swimming pools. Outdoor waterparks are
loosely spread over acres. Indoor waterparks are tightly compacted into cubic spaces. There are over
400 outdoor waterparks in the USA compared to about 76 indoor waterparks.

Outdoor waterparks stand alone and attract day visitors. Indoor waterparks are attached to lodging
and attract overnight guests. Outdoor waterparks are a mature industry while indoor waterparks are a
growth industry.

Public Vs Private Ownership. Another major difference in waterparks is ownership. Cities, counties
and park districts have long owned both outdoor and indoor swimming pools. Built with taxpayer
money, these public swimming pools were pretty austere --- intended for swimming tournaments or
community recreation. “In the 1970s, these public facilities became more sexy,” according to Judith
Leblein of Water Technology Inc. “They called them Community/Family Aquatic Centers, as more
programs, services and food were added.” In fact, the term aquatic center is used more in the public
sector while the term waterpark is used more in the private sector, according to Leblein. With the
addition of waterslides, rivers and more thrills, the more competitive municipalities and park districts
have adopted the term waterpark. Five of the most effectively-managed public waterparks include:
Hyland Hills Water World in Federal Heights CO, NRH2O in N. Richland Hills TX, Magic Waters in
Rockford IL, Lake Lanier Island GA and Deep River Waterpark in Lake County IN. In contrast, small
business owners and corporations have owned outdoor and indoor swimming pools, amusement
parks, theme parks, hotels and resorts. Built with equity and borrowed money, these privately-owned
water attractions were designed to satisfy market demand for recreation and entertainment. Privately-
owned waterparks were built with high entertainment value.

Management: Non-profit vs For-Profit. Public facilities tend to be managed by public employees

and operate at a deficit subsidized by taxpayer dollars. Very few public waterpark owners have
contracted with a private management company --- but the trend is up. The more competitive
municipalities and park districts have adopted break-even or profit goals for their facilities and have
contracted with professional management. Privatelyowned facilities tend to be managed by the
owner’s employees or a third-party management company on a profitable basis.
Features: Low to High Entertainment Value. Publicly-owned & managed pools, aquatic centers and
waterparks are typically designed for community recreation by local taxpayers. Features include learn-
to-swim lessons, seniors’ days, handicapped access, day camps and birthday parties. Facilities are
pretty basic. Privately-owned & managed pools, hotels, resorts and waterparks tend to be designed
with high entertainment value to attract customers with discretionary dollars to spend. Features
include waterslides, activity pools, kiddie pools, hot tubs, lazy rivers, wave pools, water coasters,
heavy theming and animated characters. Facilities are state of the art. However, many public facilities
have upgraded to better compete with private facilities.

Size: Does It Really Matter? Yes, it does, especially when trying to contrast and compare similar
properties. Developers, consultants and lenders all want to know what the apples to apples
comparisons are --- you know, the competitors, development costs, operating expense ratios etc. You
can’t compare David with Goliath! You gotta know who you are up against. And when WWA, IAAPA
and Aquatics International give out their annual awards, you want the contest to be fair, don’t you?
Outdoor waterparks are basically measured by their annual attendance. We recommend attendance
categories as follows:

Regarding indoor waterparks, only one is self-standing, not attached to lodging, and that is H2Oasis
in Anchorage AK. Some hotels have indoor waterparks that are so small (less than 10,000 square
feet) we hesitate to call them waterparks or resorts. We recommend the following categories for hotels
with small indoor waterparks:

A resort by definition can be a location or a facility. For example, a hotel in a resort location, such as
Wisconsin Dells, may be called a resort. Or a hotel waterpark can have such a high entertainment
value that the facility is called a resort. In our opinion, hotels with indoor waterparks over 10,000 sf
may be called hotel waterpark resorts --- due to their high 4 entertainment value. Therefore, we
recommend the following categories for hotel waterpark resorts:

Affiliation With a National Brand/Chain Vs Independent. Outdoor waterparks affiliated with a

national brand include: Disney, Wet ‘N Wild and Six Flags. Chains or large corporations owning
multiple outdoor waterparks include: Walt Disney Attractions, Six Flags Inc, Universal Studios
Recreation Group, Anheuser-Busch Theme Parks, Cedar Fair Ltd, Paramount Parks, Palace
Entertainment, Grupo Magico Internacional, Tussauds Group and Blackpool Pleasure Beach. The
largest independents are: Schlitterbahn, Raging Waters, Water Country USA, Noah’s Ark and Soak
City.

Indoor waterparks affiliated with a national brand include many hotel brands: AmericInn, Baymont,
Best Western, Comfort Suites, Country Inn & Suites by Carlson, Days Inn, Hawthorn Suites, Hilton,
Hojo, Holiday Inn, Marriott, Microtel, Quality Inn, Ramada, Sleep Inn and Wingate. Great Lakes
Companies of Madison WI is establishing its Great Wolf Lodges as an emerging brand name in the
waterpark resort industry. Kalahari Resort of Wisconsin Dells WI is expanding its name to a second
location in Sandusky OH. Chains or large corporations owning multiple indoor waterparks include:
Great Lakes Companies and the Marcus Corporation of Milwaukee WI. The largest independents
include Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort, Kalahari Resort, Treasure Island and Lodge at Cedar Creek,
all in Wisconsin, and Scott’s Splash Lagoon in Erie PA, H2Oasis in Anchorage AK and Castaway Bay
Resort in Sandusky OH.

Self-Standing Vs Attached or Integrated. Outdoor waterparks are considered selfstanding or self-

contained. Some may have lodging on site, adjacent or nearby. Regarding self-standing indoor
waterparks, almost all are publicly-owned. There is only one selfstanding privately-owned, commercial
indoor waterpark --- H2Oasis in Anchorage AK. All other indoor waterparks are attached to hotels or
integrated into a resort. Future design trends include a combination of outdoor & indoor waterparks
integrated into a larger recreational resort environment.

For starters let’s say that you have a site selected and are ready for your designer to begin. The
feasibility study has provided a projection on annual attendance and design-day recommendations. At
this stage, big picture site diagramming will be used to break the site down into major areas like
vehicle entry, parking, drop-off, main gate, waterpark, operations, and service. The locations of these
elements are driven by the site shape, access to roads, views of the waterpark from highways,
topography, and ownership’s philosophy on operations. Generally, two or three site diagrams will be
prepared to look for the best arrangement. If you are thinking of charging for parking, now is the time
to consider vehicle entry requirements like space for booths and vehicle queuing lanes; a drop-off
loop that bypasses pay parking should also be incorporated.

One of the factors considered when selecting which site diagram to be used is the shape of the land
left for the actual waterpark. Shapes that are circular or square are preferred for most plans. Long and
narrow shapes are difficult to work with because they have longer patron circulation cores and are
difficult for placing large bodies of water. Influences such as topography, natural buffers, and internal
and external view corridors are noted since these factors may help decide which site diagram to use
for further development into a plan. The development of this big idea diagram will eventually
determine the location where guests will enter the waterpark and will provide a shape to begin water
feature planning.
SPINE, RADIAL, LOOP

Pedestrian circulation can be organized into three categories. These are not literal but diagrammatic
and help with selecting major feature locations.
• Spine – single main path that connects all major elements.

• Radial – sometimes referred to as hub and spoke, has a central core and paths that extend out to
major features and promotes cross circulation.

• Loop – major elements are organized on a single path that connects back onto itself or loops.

In each of these park designs food, beverage, and retail opportunities are strategically
located to take advantage of the circulation system with water feature locations helping to
move people through thepark.

PROGRAM

The feasibility study gives us a target design-day so we now revisit the program to get a better feel for
what the park will have with respect to features and support buildings. This is a good time to consider
front gate operations, cash storage, retail area requirements, food and beverage as well as
maintenance support. It’s also a good time to think about the sizes of these elements and how they
could be combined if necessary to consolidate utilities and staff. Does the feasibility study address
group sales? If the market is heavily corporate and dedicated facilities are needed, how involved does
the operator want the kitchen and serving area to be? Do we want to be able to section off portions of
the park to run on reduced staff at the beginning and end of the season?

You may have noticed that we have not discussed ride mix much. The early stages of park design are
less about water elements and more about organization and identifying site opportunities. With the
program reviewed, we can now move to placing elements on the site.

CONCEPT

At this point there is a “big idea” site diagram and a pedestrian entry point. There is no right or wrong
way to begin developing the concept. This is an individual effort and may require a number of
sketches. The site diagram will guide you, however these early decisions may need to be reevaluated
if new opportunities arise as the concept develops. Pay attention to guest lounge areas. These areas
are typically associated with large water bodies like the wave pool or activity pool. Keep them away
from the front entry so you can draw guests deeper into the park and increase contact time with
revenue opportunities. Promote circulation within the park by locating major features away from each
other. Guests will be dispersed within the park, which will help increase passive capacity and
spending. Leave room for expansion. When developing the plan leave a few areas where additional
features can be added between existing features. This allows growth without having to expand into a
new area. Once the concept is organized, begin refining the features. This may involve adding play
components and focal points through theme design. This is also an opportunity to think about
lifeguard locations; adjusting the feature layouts can reduce the number of guards and make their
positioning more efficient. For this phase of the design, use vendor-specific slide and play structure
layouts. This helps ensure that the right amount of space is reserved for the rides as well as allowing
for the addition of ride queues and tube corrals. Concept development is about looking at options,
developing several solutions and then stepping back.
Planning Standards

One method for determining the necessary amount of surface waterto serve a population is to apply a
planning standard. The National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) standards are the most
widely accepted. The current NRPA standards recommend that one (1) publicly accessible pool
should be provided per 20,000 residents. The standards also recommend that the pool or pools
accommodate 3% to 5% of the total population at one time. The NRPA recommends each person in
the water be allocated a minimum of 15 square feet and the preferred standard is 25 square feet.
Based upon these guidelines, the recommended water surface area to serve the District’s current
population of 124,722 is 56,000sf. The District’s two pools are 25-yard x 6 lanes with a total water
surface area of 6,750sf. This is a 49,365sf deficit in meeting the minimum guideline. Applying the
same guidelines to the population within a 10-minute drive time (98,524) of one of the proposed sites
(2177 Humboldt), the deficit is 37,585sf of surface water.

Demographics

Demographics are an effective instrument for making conclusions about potential community
recreation and aquatic center users, and the likely demand for programs and services. Recreation
and aquatic interests vary based on differences in age, family status, income, education, and other
demographic measures. An examination of educational attainment and income, household
composition, and age groupings within the service area helps to make conclusions about the
likelihood of demand for programs and services and the ability to meet the demand.

Demographic data presented in this report uses US Census data, unless otherwise stated, provided
by the Nielsen Corporation SiteReports. Detailed demographic data can be found in the Appendix.

Primary, Secondary & Tertiary Service Areas

To estimate the demand for programs, classes, and facilities; participation, and the sale of daily
admissions and passes, demographic data was collected and examined by primary, secondary, and
tertiary service areas. Due to the high proportion of agricultural and overall low population density in
the County (130 people per square mile), slightly longer than average travel distances are customary
and acceptable in the Chico Area.

Including a chapter on parks, recreation, and open space in the District Elements of the
Comprehensive Plan is important for a number of reasons:
• First, the District itself owns over 900 acres of parkland and there is a need for a coordinated set of
policies for their management.
• Second, access to quality parks and open space is a top priority for District residents—regardless of
who owns the land. The fact that most of the city's open space is federally controlled suggests that
joint policy planning for these assets is essential.
• Third, the city is changing, which means recreational needs also are changing. Policies are needed
to make sure that new park and recreational opportunities are provided and existing parks are
improved to meet the needs of a changing and expanding population.

The Comprehensive Plan is supplemented by a more detailed Parks Master Plan prepared by the
District Department of Parks and Recreation in 2005- 2006. That document should be consulted for
more detailed guidance on facilities, recreational programming, and direction for specific District
parks. Key data from the Parks Master Plan, including “benchmarking” data that compares the District
to peer cities and the findings of a 2005 resident survey, are cited in this Element to provide context
for the policies and actions.
The feasibility study includes several components:

A detailed examination of the water park industry and market dynamics

The water park industry is growing quickly, especially in the state of Texas. Almost a third of all large
water parks nationally are municipally owned. Nationally, average attendance at water parks has
been increasing by 1 to 3 percent each year. Water parks of all kinds have been found to benefit
communities because they appeal to a broad demographic.

A site assessment

The Brazoria location is within a 90 minute drive of almost 5 million residents, many of whom live in
the Greater Houston area. The site meets the criteria that outdoor water park developers find
necessary, such as a generally warm and sunny climate, a mostly flat parcel of undeveloped land,
and low to moderate average prevailing winds. Other site features were analyzed as well. The site is
not in a flood plain, can achieve strong visibility due to its proximity to State Highway 36, is near
police, fire, and medical emergency services, and proposed visitor traffic flows show that visitors from
the Houston area can easily reach the site via State Highway 288 or State Highway 36.

A market analysis of the unique natural tourism (eco-tourism) market in Brazoria County
A major strength to the Brazoria location includes its proximity to many natural amenities, such as
rivers, state parks and wildlife refuges, and the Gulf of Mexico. In particular, outdoor hobbies such as
fishing, hunting, boating, and birding can do particularly well. The demographics of average RV
patrons are similar to the demographics of “eco-tourists” who enjoy bird-watching and outdoor
recreation.

An economic analysis, including detailed prospective attendance scenarios, per capita

spending projection, revenue and operating expense projections, and recapture rate and
supportable debt calculations

The analysis indicates that the park would exceed the required 45,207 visitors needed to achieve
100% recapture of projected operating expenses, but fall short of the 90,534 visitors needed to fund
projected operating expenses plus debt service. The economic analysis begins with three likely visitor
scenarios (low, high, and most likely) in order to provide a range of likely financial performance for the
proposed water park. Projected Year 1 results include:

A transportation analysis including accessibility options and connectivity to the surrounding

communities and the greater Houston area
The Brazoria location is easily accessible by automobile, but other forms of transportation to the site
are absent. Most visitors to the site would travel on Highway 288, Highway 36, or Highway 322 (from
Lake Jackson/Angleton). By automobile, visitors from the Greater Houston area could reach the
location on Highway 288, a four-lane expressway or State Highway 36, a typical 2-lane highway. The
location is not currently connected to the city of Brazoria by sidewalk.

• An analysis of the RV park industry and area market

The RV park industry is currently rebounding from the 2008 recession. A combination of better
economic conditions and emerging demand from aging baby boomers has caused the RV
industry to expand again. At the national level, the average age of an RV owner is 48 and the
average household income.. State and national parks and other natural amenities, are large
draws for RVers. The region has an assortment RV parks and campgrounds, likely clustered in
the region because of the large presence of natural amenities.
An analysis of potential complementary commercial and recreational uses that might further
develop or enhance the appeal of and financial return from a municipally owned water park.

An inventory of recreation, hospitality, and food and beverage service surrounding the water park
location showed that the area can offer potential visitors the following services: a large Golf Course, a
bed-and-breakfast, three RV parks, and many fast-food restaurants, specifically in the Lake Jackson
and Angleton area. It was found that the lack of hotel or other recreational activities in Brazoria could
be an obstacle in creating a vibrant water park destination.

The water park industry is growing, and the municipally owned segment is growing even faster. In
order to better understand industry dynamics and key success elements, the feasibility study
examines various successful water parks throughout the state of Texas and the United States and
identifies what amenities are found in tourist-generating water parks. In addition, the study also
identifies specific success characteristics, attractions, pricing, and development costs for seven water
parks chosen for their locational similarity to Brazoria and other releveant features. Key findings
include: appropriate variety of attractions, likely construction costs, likely revenue and expense
ranges, successful combination of RV and water parks, possible complementary commercial and
recreational activities such as restaurants, retail service businesses, and public amphitheaters.

The City expects that the addition of a water park to the community will not only add recreation and
entertainment for the citizens of Brazoria, but will also become a source of revenue for other city
projects.
The goals for the study include the following:

• Identify if a water park will be fiscally sustainable and will bring in revenue dollars for the City
of Brazoria.
• Identify what are the needed water park amenities to ensure the facility will be competitive
with other pools and water parks and will be attractive to tourists throughout the region.
• Identify options to include a Recreational Vehicle (RV) park on the available land, in addition
to the water park.
• Evaluate the potential for adding restaurants, shopping, and other recreational activities in the
vicinity of the water park.

To best assist the City meet their expressed needs and analyze whether the proposed project is
feasible, members of the IUS implemented the following strategies during the project:
Evaluate publicly and privately owned water parks in Texas and across the country in similar
demographic and geographic areas as Brazoria
Understand the range in size, level of amenities, and historical attendance and fee structure for a city
owned waterpark.
• Analyze core demographics for Brazoria and the surrounding region
• Evaluate existing area/regional aquatic recreation providers
• Identify alternative water park amenities to present to the City of Brazoria
• Develop project development cost estimates
• Estimate potential revenues, labor costs, and operating expenses
• Determine recapture rates and supportable debt levels

The water park industry is diverse and growing. Municipally owned water parks are among the fastest
growing segment of the market. 1 Approximately 69% of outdoor water parks are privately owned,
while 31% are municipally owned. As of 2009, there were 330 outdoor water parks and more than 130
indoor water parks located throughout the United States. Texas has the third highest number of
outdoor water parks in the United States. From 2005 to 2009, attendance at the largest North
American water parks increased by about 11%, compared with less that 3% at large theme parks.

Water parks continue to offer increasing consumer appeal for a number of reasons. These include
increased disposable incomes , less desire to swim in natural bodies of water, and the appeal of
“thrill” rides to younger citizens.4 Municipalities have often found that providing citizens with a mix of
activites and experiences that cannot be found in the traditional “public pool” results in increased
attendance and revenue. For example, the attendance at Brownwood Texas’ aquatic facilties
increased from approximately 2,200 to over 15,000 upon completion of the Camp Bowie Family
Aquatic Center.

While a water park can be either privately owned or municipally owned, success is often measured
differently in the public versus the private sector. For municipally owned water parks, a successful
park is defined as one that earns enough through revenues to cover the daily operating costs,
provides a surplus to fund expansion, helps fund other facilities within the city’s parks and recreation
system, and/or funds the repair costs of existing municipal pools.

Average attendance at water parks in North America has been increasing by 1 to 3 percent each
year. The construction of water parks within the state of Texas has been increasing. Counsilman-
Hunsaker, a major water park design and construction firm, has built 28 water parks in Texas within
the past decade. This growth is driven by a number of factors. First, waterparks offer a relatively high
level of safety and security that appeals to a broad audience for aquatic recreation. Second,
waterparks can take advantage of their primary appeal to children, tweens, and teens. Waterparks are
increasing their appeal to the aging baby-boomer generation by not only providing entertainment
options for children and grandchildren, but by providing older adults with access to hydrotherapy,
aquatic fitness, and spa services.

Local and regional water park industry dynamics can be derived from an analysis of similar water
parks. To that end, IUS researchers interviewed various water park managers throughout the state of
Texas and across the nation. The goal was to find trends in the industry and to find water park sizes
and attractions that are appropriate for the researched Brazoria demographics. Wherever possible,
water parks were chosen and pinpointed for further research based on whether they contained broad
similarities to Brazoria in terms of demographics, geographic location relative to a large urban area,
and geographic location relative to natural amenities, like the ocean or state and national wildlife
areas.

The site offers easy highway access to the greater Houston area. A 90 minute drive from the site can
reach the majority of Houston and its suburbs. A proportion of potential visitors, therefore, would likely
be from the Houston area. It should be noted, however, that the location is not easily reached by any
means other than a car. The location is not currently connected to the City’s sidewalk network, nor is it
on a transit route. All visitors to the site would rely on auto transport.
The 2010 average daily traffic counts on Highway 36 to Brazoria is 12,400.23 Highway 332, which is
accessible from Highway 288 (likely to be used by visitors travelling from Houston, eastern suburbs of
Houston and Angleton), has an average daily traffic count of 6,800. This high traffic count on State
Highway 36 and Highway 332 further strengthens our observation that these routes are most likely to
be chosen by the visitors of the potential water park. The map below shows the highways to approach
the park and Traffic counts on the Highways.

Potential Visitor Trip: A large portion of the potential visitors to the water park would be from
Houston and its suburbs. Visitors traveling from Houston and the eastern suburbs of Houston would
likely take Highway 288, travel south on Highway 288, and then travel west on Highway 322.
Likewise, visitors traveling from Fort Bend County and other western suburbs of Houston would likely
take Highway 36 south to reach the water park

Those visitors who would opt to stay in a hotel would likely reside in Angleton or Lake Jackson, where
there are many nearby hotels. Angleton visitors would travel south on Highway 288, then west on
Highway 322. Lake Jackson visitors would travel west on Highway 322 to get to the water park.

Solar Orientation: “Sun-bathing” is a popular pastime for many visitors to a water park. Outdoor
water park facilities are subject to the elements and facilities should be designed to capture positive
weather elements (like sunshine) and diminish negative weather elements (like rain). In addition, the
proposed pavilion spaces will be available to alleviate excessive heat from the Texas sun. Pavilion
rental is also an additional opportunity for in-park revenue.

One aspect of Brazoria County tourism presents a potentially large market opportunity to expand the
number of visitors to the proposed water park and RV park. The Brazosport area’s many natural
amenities accommodate a variety of parks and wildlife activities that many tourists can enjoy year-
round. This pattern of tourist activity can serve to expand the time frame for activity and revenue for
the proposed water park and RV park.

Brazoria County’s popular tourist attractions include the Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge, San
Bernard National Wildlife Refuge, and Justin Hurst Wildlife Management Area Wilderness Park.
These national wildlife areas are highly valuable to the United States because wetlands are
necessary habitats for many aquatic and terrestrial species. They also play a vital role in water
systems by maintaining water supplies and the quality of water.49 The number and quality of natural
areas also provide scenic environments and opportunities for outdoor recreation that cannot easily be
found elsewhere.

These wildlife areas also enable patrons to participate in year-round outdoor activities. Bird watching
is an activity regularly practiced there. Some of the favorite birding spots include the wildlife refuges
mentioned earlier in addition to the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, the Great Texas Coastal Birding
Trail, Quintana Beach Bird Sanctuary, and the Justin Hurst Wildlife Management Area Wilderness
Park. Bird watchers have found approximately 300 bird species in the area50, half the number of
species in the state of Texas.51 In 2006, a total of 48 million Americans considered themselves
birders. Of these, 20 million travel away from home to bird watch.

In a 2006 study conducted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, a total of 48 million birders were
reported in the nation. Of that population, the highest age participation rate of 27% are among people
who are at least 55 years old, followed by 25% between the ages 45 to 54, and 23% between the
ages 35 to 44. 53 Of particular note, 68% of RV park and campground customers in 2011 were age
45 or over.54 Furthermore, 25% of baby boomers indicated intent to buy an RV in the future.55 So,
the age groups interested in birding are also the age groups that, in general, are most interested in
RV travel and RV camping.

Birders and many other nature oriented tourists enjoy other sports and activities that are regularly
practiced in the area. Bank and boat fishing are permitted throughout the year at designated
locations. The Bastrop Bayou fishing area is accessible 24 hours a day. Also, the Clay Banks and Salt
Lake fishing areas are open every day from sunrise to sunset. Diving is rapidly becoming a popular
activity at the Texas Flower Gardens, an underwater attraction located off the Freeport shore.
Brazoria County’s park system also offers 21 boat ramps for those who enjoy water sports.56 Patrons
can also participate in many other activities including— but not limited to— camping, golf, and tennis
at their many tourist attractions.

A water park and RV park offer affordable accommodations and family friendly outdoor activities that
can appeal to the “eco” or nature tourist market. Younger family members or spouses who may not
participate in birding, fishing, hunting, or diving can spend their day at the Waterpark.

Projecting potential business that will serve patrons at the water park should be based on current
demographics, existing/complimentary businesses, and categories of clients that patronize these
facilities. This information is examined first at city level then within an estimated market threshold of
approximately twenty miles (covering the nearest urbanized area).

Unlike golf course and country clubs, water parks do not necessarily attract a large number of
clients who can be defined as wealthy. Water parks tend to appeal to blue collar individuals more than
white collar individuals. The most prevalent clients are preteens and teenage cohorts. These may be
individuals or families.

Currently the city has mainly domestic small businesses that cater to household service. There are
some car dealerships and medical services which might be registering the highest sales volume.
Many municipally owned water parks are situated near sports complexes. Many municipal sport
complexes feature amenities such as basketball courts, tennis courts, and baseball fields. For
example, Baytown’s Pirate’s Bay is located at the Wayne Gray Sports Complex. This facility offers
tennis and baseball to potential patrons. The center easily becomes the community’s recreation hub
by offering water park activities and sports recreation opportunities.

The City could offer an outdoor amphitheater within the study parcel. Point Mallard, presented above,
has a similar facility. A city owned outdoor gathering place could become the site for festivals and
events, including Christmas pageants and Fourth of July fireworks, and serve as a community
gathering place. Brownwood, Texas’ Camp Bowie Family Aquatic Center and Arlington, Texas’
Randol Mill Pool are also surrounded by sport complex amenities.

Financial feasibility in the waterpark industry can be expressed in three ways: recapture ratio, net
operating income, and amount of supportable debt. Recapture ratio represents the percentage of
operating expenses that are covered by generated revenue. Net operating income is surplus or loss
of operating revenue minus operating costs. A supportable debt calculation provides the amount of
debt that can be serviced through the surplus of operating revenue over operating costs.

Four determining factors affect the profitability of a water park. Based on the three pro-forma visitor
assumptions, the water park would in its first year:

Capacity analysis is crucial to estimating attendance. As previously discussed, the size and number of
amenities a water park offers determines its attractiveness in terms of average time spent in the park
and the distance potential customers are willing to travel to visit the waterpark. In terms of capacity, it
is assumed that recreational swimmers require a minimum of 25 square feet of pool area per
person.60 Considering the average projected stay, and an average 10 hour park open time, the
visitors in the park will turn over 2.5 times in an average day.

Market penetration declines over distance. This decline represents that families and individuals close
to the park will be more likely and more regular attendees than those living at a greater distance. This
is important to the assumptions, given that the majority of the market area population lives in the
Greater Houston area, at a distance from the proposed park location.

There are two primary methods for estimating operating expenses. The first is to use industry average
expenses, generally represented as a percent of revenue per expense line item. A second method is
to establish a per square foot average operating expense cost based on similar waterparks. Both of
these methods provide overall guidance, but do not fully account for local difference in prevailing
wage and utility rates. Therefore, results for either estimation method should be “sense checked”
where possible with operating data of similar facilities in similar locations, and adjusted where
appropriate.

Large tourist attracting waterparks are much more individual in terms of numbers and type of
attractions as well as size and design of open pool and splash areas. Because of this variability, the
operating expense estimates in the figure below utilize a percentage of revenue method, adjusted
where appropriate for expense items where local experience indicates a significant difference in
expense levels versus industry average. For complete performance projections for all three visitor
scenarios.

Financial performance is measured at several levels. Net Operating Income identifies whether or not a
waterpark can generate enough revenue to cover its day to day operations. Another way to express
this is the recapture rate, which represents the percentage of operating expenses produced as
revenue by the park. Both of these measures occur before accounting for contingencies and cost to
service the construction debt.
Projected Net Operating Revenue for the Most Likely Scenario is strongly positive from the first year
of operations. However, once provision is made the cost of debt service, Total Net Revenue is
negative. The projected revenue from park operations cannot support debt service at the projected
level of million in construction cost.

There is no optimal scale of development for a water park. That being said, appropriate waterpark
sizing is critical to achieving optimal return on investment of scarce resources. Too small a park, with
too few features could result in overcrowding and diminished appeal, whereas too large a park wastes
capital investment as capacity remains idle.

In addition, it is important to ensure that the visitor experience at a given waterpark remains fresh over
time. Therefore, it is essential to consider and plan for periodic facility expansion and addition of new
attractions. It is better to start smaller, develop a loyal customer base with the minimum required initial
capital investment, and then expand the number of attractions to retain existing and add new
customers. Several of the comparable waterparks in this study, notably Splash in the ‘Boro and
Pirate’s Bay, have followed this model.

Two methods of estimating likely development costs are presented below. The first utilizes a cost per
square foot method, based on attractions and infrastructure sizes of similar waterparks, adjusted for
inflation and including contingency estimates. The second uses an industry standard cost based on
park capacity.

Data collected from RV associations at the national level and from direct conversations with RV park
managers, however, suggest that the links between water parks and RV parks are fluid, mainly due to
the different demographic groups that the two attract. In short, water parks attract a younger
demographic while RV parks attract an older and more mature demographic.

RV parks located near water parks and water features (such as rivers, lakes, and oceans) has
become a growing trend.68 An RV park located near water attractions make them a destination RV
park, where patrons would be willing to stay for an extended period of time. Branson, Missouri is a
tourist community with over 67 RV parks and campgrounds in a 25 square mile radius. RVers flock to
the area to enjoy the many theme parks, water parks, theaters, shopping, and restaurants located in
Branson.

Frontier Town, a Water park and RV Park located in Ocean City, Maryland, is an example of a joint
water park and RV park/campground located near a large tourist attraction— the beaches and
boardwalks of Ocean City. Frontier Town’s campground features over 500 campsites that cater to
tents and RVs alike.69 In 1995, it was rated one of the top six family campgrounds in the United
States by Trailer Life Magazine.70 The camping rates start at $28. All activities at the neighboring
Frontier Town waterpark are free to anyone who camps at the Frontier Town RV Park. The water park
offers a lazy river, a restaurant, mini-slides, fountains, water sprays, lounge areas, and more.

The water park industry is a growth industry in Texas. Municipalities nationwide, especially in the state
of Texas, have been building water parks in their communities to promote community and economic
development. Water parks, depending on design (e.g. number of wet and dry amenities, RV sites, and
outdoor venues), can bring tourism dollars to the City as well as create a location for community wide
events of regional appeal.

The report suggests that Brazoria has many strengths that are helpful in creating a successful water
park. The proposed location is within a 90 minute drive of 5 million residents, is located near many
tourist attractions (as featured in the ‘Escape Down 288’ tourism campaign), and there is a lack of
competing tourist-generating water parks in the surrounding vicinity. Eco-tourism opportunities are
plentiful in the region and present Brazoria with unique amenities that do not exist in other cities
across the state of Texas.
The RV market also appears to be strong in the region. RV owners tend to frequent places that offer a
wide-variety of natural amenities. The region offers RVers the Gulf of Mexico, the Brazoria National
Wildlife Refuge, the Justin Hurst Wildlife Management Area, and the Sam Bernard National Wildlife
Refuge. These natural reserves offer nature enthusiasts ample opportunities for fishing, hunting, bird-
watching, and many other outdoor leisure activities. Further, these attractions offer year-round appeal,
presenting the opportunity for Brazoria to attract visitors beyond the summer months.

The combination of water parks and RV parks are becoming more commonplace across the nation as
facilities attempt to cater to a wider demographic. Jellystone in Burleson, Texas, Point Mallard in
Decatur, Alabama, and Splash Way in Sheridan, Texas are examples of a successful RV and water
park combination.

The RV park market and the water park markets are different; yet intersect. RV Parks tend to appeal
to older populations and those who desired to invest large sums of money into personal RVs. By
appealing to an aging baby boomer generation that is becoming interested in RVing and also
participate in the kinds of outdoor and natural tourism opportunities that Brazoria County provides,
Brazoria can also provide recreation to baby boomers’ children and grandchildren.

The benefits to a community that adds a water park are many: seasonal jobs for the city’s youth,
larger sales tax revenues at local businesses like gas stations and restaurants, and the potential for
complementary recreational activities. The water park can also create a community meeting place to
hold festivals and events to celebrate the community and bring in more visitors.

Throughout the development of the feasibility report, members of the IUS developed many
recommendations that the City should consider if they choose to develop a municipal water
park.

1. Research and the case studies presented in this report identify key attributes of successful
waterparks to follow:

Carefully chose the mix of wet and dry amenities

Different amenities appeal to different age groups and demographics— for example, young patrons
tend to prefer fast slides and flow riders and older patrons tend to prefer lazy rivers. Consider in–park
dry amenities such as playgrounds and shaded pavilions.
Build a solid core of amenities first, then expand the water park over time.

This will encourage more visitors and ensure a fresh experience over time for repeat visitors, while
minimizing initial construction costs.

Seek to maximize in-park revenue

2. Careful site consideration is important

• Site visibility should be maximized on State Highway 36.

• Amenity placement and signage encourage drive-by visitation and wayfinding
• Be aware of and respectful to interaction with neighboring uses such as the Austin Colony
subdivision
• Determine infrastructure needs for the park at build out
• Ensuring adequate provision of water, sewer, electric, and other utilities for the largest desired
facility up front minimizes expansion cost.
• Consider the addition of pedestrian pathways to the site.
• Walkways assure pedestrian accessibility to and from different uses within the site and offer
provision for later connection to nearby complementary commercial and recreational uses.
• Strategically place the water park on the site to make additional land uses on the larger parcel
accessible.
 • Design and place the parking lot with enough space for future expansion while not hampering
the site.

3. Complementary activities (sports fields, entertainment, etc) should be considered for future
expansion around the water park and RV park.
Recreational amenities such as laser tag, paintball, sports fields (tennis, baseball, and
soccer) should be considered nearby the water park.

The addition of these forms of recreational activities expands the overall recreational appeal of
the waterpark, and can help make the water park/RV park a regional recreational attraction.
Consider including handicapped accessible attractions in the waterpark.

Handicapped-accessible water parks are uncommon and considering the needs of this
population would help distinguish Brazoria’s waterpark while appealing to a broader
demographic market.
Develop the water park/RV park as a community focal point.

Adding a welcome center, amphitheater, or meeting facility would offer opportunities to host
events year round, such as summer musicals, Christmas Pageants, and Halloween events, as well
as serve local community groups.
Develop on-site services to cater to the unique demands of RVers.

On-site laundry and grocery facilities, for instance, can be franchised to private firms.
Consider future placement of complementary business activities near the park.

Restaurants, gas stations, and bait-and-tackle shops may be complementary to the region’s eco-
tourism demands. Local zoning ordinances should be referenced to address any zoning conflicts.
The City should work to attract hotels to the City if the goal is to attract multi-day visits from
tourists.

The City of Brazoria currently lacks a hotels and motels for potential visitors. Offering additional
opportunities for overnight stays in proximity to the water park can expand the market range
and provide the potential for multi-day visitation.

4. Marketing is crucial to waterpark success

Develop a branding strategy to identify the park with the unique amenities in the Brazoria region.

The water park and RV park should take advantage of the natural amenities in the area and the
related tourist potential that these amenities provide. This involves creating a branding image that will
appeal to visitors who frequent the area’s state parks and wildlife refuges.

• The water park and RV park facility should participate in the ‘Escape Down 288’ campaign.
This campaign works to attract visitors from Houston and can be a boon to the potential tourist
visitors that the water park can receive.

Place billboard signage along major routes like Interstate 10 and Highway 288.

Travelers along these routes in the Houston area would have easy access to the water park via
Highway 36 and Highway 288.
Utilize social media.
Social media is an inexpensive way to create buzz about the facility and to make connections to
potential visitors. Websites like Groupon and popularize.com are also effective ways to encourage
new and repeat visitors to the facility.

5. We recommend that coordination between the water park and RV park be established.

Discounts and “stay and play” packages should be offered as incentives to encourage RVers to
choose the Brazoria facility.

Concession stands should be conveniently placed in the facility so that both water park patrons and
RV park patrons can access them.

Third, the addition of cabins at the RV park facility should be considered.

Cabins may help encourage more people to stay at the RV park and frequent the water park.

The RV park should be open-year round to be available during winter months.

Market to “snowbird” or “winter-Texans” as well as hunters and “eco-tourists” taking advantage of high
winter bird counts in the nearby wildlife refuges.

In general, we recommend that the City of Brazoria think “big” when planning for the future of the
acres of developable land. Long term possibilities could include the development of a golf course,
resort, and conference center serving the entire Brazoria area. The possibilities for both water parks
and RV parks are seemingly endless and the future positive effects on the City of Brazoria are equally
as endless.

Statistical Methods

Cluster analysis is the generic approach used to create a market segmentation system. There are a
number of different techniques or clustering methods that can be applied to identify and classify
market types. Each technique has its strengths and weaknesses. Previous generations of Tapestry
Segmentation have been built using a combination of techniques, such as iterative partition K-means
algorithm, to create the initial clusters or market segments, followed by application of Ward’s
hierarchical minimum-variance method to group the clusters. The combination has provided a
complementary match of the strengths of each technique. Tapestry Segmentation combines the
traditional with the latest data mining techniques to provide a robust and compelling segmentation of
US neighborhoods. ESRI developed and incorporated

these data mining techniques to complement and strengthen traditional methods to work with large
geodemographic databases. Robust methods are less susceptible to extreme values, or outliers, and
therefore, crucial to small-area analysis. The traditional methodology of cluster analysis has a long
track record in developing market segmentation systems. Complementary use of data mining
techniques and implementation of robust methods enhance the effectiveness of traditional statistical
methodology in developing Tapestry Segmentation.

For a broader view of consumer markets, cluster analysis was again used to develop the Tapestry
Segmentation summary groups. Summary groups are ideal when users want to work with fewer than
65 segments. The 65 segments are combined into 12 LifeMode groups based on lifestyle and
lifestage. The 11 Urbanization groups present an alternative way of combining the 65 segments
based on the segments' geographic and physical features such as population density, size of city,
location relative to a metropolitan area, and whether they are part of the economic and social center
of a metropolitan area.
Data Used to Build Tapestry Segmentation

Cluster analysis techniques are essentially heuristic methods that rely on exploratory procedures to
arrive at stable and optimal solutions. The key to developing a powerful market segmentation lies in
the selection of the variable used to classify consumers. US consumer markets are multidimensional
and diverse. Using a large, well-selected array of attributes captures this diversity with the most
powerful data available. Data sources include Census 2000 data; ESRI;s Updated Demographics;
and consumer surveys, such as the Survey of the American Consumer from GfK MRI, to capture the
subtlety and vibrancy of the US marketplace.

Selection of the variables used to identify consumer markets begins with data from Census 2000, the
most accurate source of data on the American consumer. Census data is collected directly from the
population, self-reported, then edited by the Census Bureau for consistency. Data includes household
characteristics such as type single person or family, income, relationships (single or
multigenerational), and owner/renter status; personal traits such as age, sex, education, employment,
and marital status; and housing characteristics like home value or rent, type of housing (single family,
apartment, or townhouse), seasonal status, and owner costs relative to income. In essence, any
characteristic that is likely to differentiate consumer spending and preferences is assessed for use in
identifying consumer markets.

The selection process draws on Esri's experience in working with the 1980 and 1990 censuses and
includes a range of multivariate statistical methods, in addition to factor analysis, principal
components analysis, correlation matrices, and graphic methods. Selecting the most relevant
variables is critical to defining homogeneous market segments; however, determining the most
effective measure of each variable is equally important. Is income best represented by a median, an
average, or an interval? Would household or disposable income best measure actual buying power?
In the end, selection was narrowed to more than 60 attributes to identify and cluster US
neighborhoods by market type.

From the neighborhood or block group level, Tapestry Segmentation profiles enable the comparison
of consumer markets across the country by state, metropolitan area, county, place, census tract, ZIP
Code™, and even congressional districts.

A waterpark will require funding to construct and operate. In general, a waterpark facility may be
directly funded by the city, funded through the capital markets, or some combination of both methods.
This section explores various funding options and presents the general funding scenario utilized in the
financial pro-forma analysis.

The City of Brazoria may elect to directly fund the development, construction and operation of the
waterpark. Direct funding options include city monies spent directly on the project, private donations,
and joint use agreements. Private contributions can be solicited from private and corporate citizens
via a wide range of programs. Joint use agreements may be formed with other area municipalities,
health facilities, and private businesses. In general, however, these contributions or joint use
agreements will account for a relatively small portion of overall funding needs.
Capital market funding includes numerous options. Three options presented below are: general
obligation bonds, certificates of obligation, and revenue bonds. Each has different issuance
requirements and costs.

General obligation bonds are debt instruments issued by municipalities that are backed by the full
faith and credit of those municipalities. Because municipalities pledge to dedicate sufficient funds to
cover these bonds, interest rates for general obligation bonds tend to be lower than other capital
market financing methods. Most often, general obligation bonds are used to fund projects that do not
generate revenue.

In order to issue general obligation bonds, a city must first undertake internal approval of the bond
issue, including approval by the City Council. Bond issuance amount must be in compliance with city
indebtedness limits based on aggregate property value on the tax rolls. In addition, because they
carry the full faith and credit of the municipality, general obligation bonds require voter approval.
Revenue bonds offer an option for a project like a waterpark, since the waterpark will generate
revenue that can be pledged to service and repay the bonds. In general, the revenue stream from the
financed project is dedicated to a revenue fund. Operating expenses are paid first, and then the
remaining revenue is dedicated to servicing the bonds. Revenue bonds would be most appropriate in
this instance if the city or another entity were to underwrite operating expenses so that the operating
revenue could be dedicated to bond service and principal repayment.

Since revenue bonds are not backed by a municipalities taxing authority, they normally carry higher
interest rates than general obligation bonds. The lack of full faith and credit guarantee also means
that issuance of revenue bonds does not need public approval. However, internal reviews and
approval and compliance with indebtedness limits still apply. Interest to investors from revenue bonds,
like interest from general obligation bonds is exempt from federal tax.

A final possible financing method is the issuance of certificates of obligation. A certificate of obligation
pledges the full faith and credit of the municipality to guarantee the certificate, but does not require
voter approval. According to the Texas Legislative Code, a certificate of obligation may be issued for:

(1) construction of any public work;

(2) purchase of materials, supplies, equipment, machinery, buildings, land, and rights-of-way for
authorized needs and purposes; or
(3) payment of contractual obligations for professional services, including services provided by tax
appraisers, engineers, architects, attorneys, map makers, auditors, financial advisors, and fiscal
agents.