Locals have been watching the project take shape for months, with
sky-high stacks of rustic timbers and pool supplies transforming into a
multi-story, 475,000 square-foot northwoods-themed family indoor
waterpark resort the likes of which this part of the country has never
before seen. And this week, just in time for spring break, Great Wolf
Lodge -Concord, the newest property in the Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.®
(NASDAQ:WOLF) portfolio, is ready to open its doors to families
itching to break out of their winter doldrums and jump into the pool –
make that four pools in a massive, four-story tall waterpark.
Great Wolf Resorts Chief Executive Officer Kim Schaefer knows a thing or
two about family spring breaks. "I have children myself, and I know that
by the time spring break rolls around, they’re more than ready to shake
off winter with a waterpark adventure,” said Schaefer. "We are excited
that the 22 local contractors and staff could open the Lodge in time for
the school vacation, giving families in the southeast their first taste
of what our family resorts are all about.”
The Concord resort is over 100 million dollars’ worth of pure fun.
Geysers, huge dump buckets, slides, suspension bridges and every
configuration of waterpark fun imaginable fill the 80,000 square-foot
indoor waterpark. The waterpark landscape includes toddler-friendly
areas, while other water attractions, like the Howlin’ Tornado funnel
tube ride and side-by-side racing slides, will have tweens and teens
declaring the place "awesome.”
When guests of the resort are ready to dry off, there are plenty of "dry
land” activities to keep the family busy: The Howl-In-One™
themed 18-hole miniature golf course; an arcade with more than 100 video
games; a children’s activity center called Cub Club™ which
includes programming developed by National Geographic Kids; a
resort-wide, live-action fantasy adventure game called MagiQuest™
that leads players through themed challenges; gr8_space™, a
teen tech center with computers, karaoke and movies; and Scooops®
Kid Spa designed for the under 12 years old crowd.
The resort has over 400 guest suites in nine different family-friendly
configurations. When the weather really warms up, the outdoor pool will
be another hot spot.
For grown-ups hoping to squeeze in a little downtime during their Great
Wolf getaway, they’ll be pleased to know there’s a full-service spa
featuring Aveda® products.
Great Wolf Lodge features two themed, on-property restaurants – a family
restaurant and bar with sweeping views of the waterpark, and an
action-style buffet, featuring a "Kids Only” food station. Guests on the
move can also choose from Pizza Hut Express®, a Dunkin Donuts®
featuring gourmet coffee and "Just Baked” pastries, a
confectionary café for other sweet treats, and a snack shop located
right inside the waterpark.
Schaefer was also pleased to point out the value inherent in a Great
Wolf getaway, given that families are watching their expenses, while
still looking for ways to spend time together. "Waterpark passes are
included with the cost of the stay, good from the day you check in right
through check-out day,” said Schaefer.
She was also duly pleased about the resort’s eco-friendly ways,
especially since the southeast is just coming out of a drought. "The
waterpark filtration system, the best in the world, makes it possible to
reclaim and recycle nearly every drop of water in the waterpark every
day,” explained Schaefer. Additionally, new technology in the laundry
area allows for recycling of 70 percent of the water used there. It’s
all part of the company’s environmental program called Project Green Wolf™.
While the resort opened on March 31, a very grand Grand Opening is
planned for late April. Phil Cunningham, general manager of the
property, said invitations have been sent to families from all over the
region for an April 24 blow-out featuring a concert by Walt Disney
Records Recording Artist Mitchel Musso, known for his role as Oliver
Oken on the Disney Channel sitcom, "Hannah Montana”. The concert and
other festivities that evening will be open only to guests staying at
the resort that night.
Reservations are available by logging on to greatwolf.com or by calling
1.866.925.WOLF (9653). The new resort is located off Bruton
Smith/Speedway Boulevard and I-85 at 10175 Weddington Road.
About Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.
Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.® (NASDAQ:WOLF), Madison, Wis., is
North America’s largest family of indoor waterpark resorts, and, through
its subsidiaries and affiliates, owns and operates its family resorts
under the Great Wolf Lodge® and Blue Harbor Resort™
brands. Great Wolf Resorts is a fully integrated resort company with
Great Wolf Lodge locations in: Wisconsin Dells, Wis.; Sandusky, Ohio;
Traverse City, Mich.; Kansas City, Kan.; Williamsburg, Va.; the Pocono
Mountains, Pa.; Niagara Falls, Ontario; Mason, Ohio; Grapevine, Texas;
Grand Mound, Wash.; and Concord, N.C.; and Blue Harbor Resort &
Conference Center in Sheboygan, Wis.
The company’s resorts are family-oriented destination facilities that
generally feature 300 – 600 rooms and a large indoor entertainment area
measuring 40,000 – 100,000 square feet. The all-suite properties offer a
variety of room styles, arcade/game rooms, fitness rooms, themed
restaurants, spas, supervised children’s activities and other amenities.
Additional information may be found on the company’s Web site at www.greatwolf.com.