Schlitterbahn Waterpark and Resort

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GRID
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Schlitterbahn Waterpark and Resort

Post by GRID »

Score another bigtime win for KCK, this might just put the nail in the coffin for the NASCAR HOF too.

This is HUGE! It will truly push KCK over the top and into a super tourism destination for the entire midwest.

Schlitterbahn Waterparks of New Braunfels, TX plans to build a 300 million dollar resort on 300 arcres which would include a waterpark, covered river walk with shops and restaurants, 100 cabins and a 300 room hotel.

It will be built EAST of 435 right across from the speedway and could open in three years.

WOW.  Go KCK.
Last edited by trailerkid on Sun Jan 22, 2006 2:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: KCK to get 300 million dollar water park and resort!!

Post by nota »

Seems like it will be in direct competition to Village West.

Maybe too much all at once.

I want KCK to have their chance of course, but they shouldn't develop more and more and more and not be able to support the ones they have developed in the last phases.
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Re: KCK to get 300 million dollar water park and resort!!

Post by scooterj »

I still think KCK needs to work harder on landing a major development for downtown or at least east of 635 but this is definitely a big score.  If KCK's gonna lose all it's white collar jobs to JoCo, they might as well make all those expatriates bring their dollars back to spend on entertainment.
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Re: KCK to get 300 million dollar water park and resort!!

Post by Pork Chop »

GRID wrote: Score another bigtime win for KCK, this might just put the nail in the coffin for the NASCAR HOF too.

This is HUGE! It will truly push KCK over the top and into a super tourism destination for the entire midwest.

Schlitterbahn Waterparks of New Braunfels, TX plans to build a 300 million dollar resort on 300 arcres which would include a waterpark, covered river walk with shops and restaurants, 100 cabins and a 300 room hotel.

It will be built EAST of 435 right across from the speedway and could open in three years.

WOW.  Go KCK.
Here's the link to the KC Star Article about this:

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascit ... 647970.htm
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Re: KCK to get 300 million dollar water park and resort!!

Post by QueSi2Opie »

Personally, I think it's one of the stupidest ideas I've ever heard.  Locals will no longer stay at the nearby Great Wolf Lodge, in addition to the amount of business it will steal from Ocean's of Fun.  Why can't they build attractions that are more unique to the metro?  We don't have a Hollywood Wax Museum (or Louis Tussaud's), we don't have a Ripley's Believe It Or Not!, we don't have a Guinness World Records Museum, we don't have any major aquarium or natural history museums in the metro!  Or what about a drive-thru wildlife park that features animals native to Kansas (Bison, Elk, Antelope, Prairie Dogs, etc.) and offers cabin-type lodging?  Or how about a gigantic go-kart/speedway related fun park with multiple indoor/outdoor tracks, bumper cars, virtual reality games, etc? Can KCK land a Medieval Times? These might be common in other cities, but they'd be the first in Greater KC.      
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Re: KCK to get 300 million dollar water park and resort!!

Post by dangerboy »

It's great they landed such a project, but does the metro really need another water park, no matter how fancy?  At least it might push Hunt Midwest to do more to take WoF to the next level.

More STAR bonds for greenfield development?  Western KCK has been jump-started.  It's time to turn down the tax subsidy spigot and direct more of that money to urban KCK.  Imagine a $300 million STAR bond program to subsidize new housing and retail in Downtown and throughout their urban core...
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Re: KCK to get 300 million dollar water park and resort!!

Post by KCN »

This will kill Oceans of Fun.  Schlitterbahn is a very popular Texas waterpark....I've never been but I was supposed to go w/ some friends last week, they all came back raving about it.  KC's amusement park business comes a lot from out of staters who recognize Schlitterbahn as a big name, they will have no problem getting business from OOF.

Maybe if OOF does go under, Cedar Fair (not HM) will be able to concentrate 100% on making WOF the world class park it should be.

EDIT: Also, why are they expanding so far away?  There are only two Schlitterbahn's, one in New Braunfels (on I-35 between Austin and San Antonio) and the other in South Padre Island.  Odd to build a third so far away from Texas.
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Giant Waterpark by Racetrack?

Post by brett »

I was listening to the DA show on 610 Sports this morning and he mentioned something about the plans to build a mammoth waterpark by the racetrack (I assume over by Cabela's & NFM). I didn't get to hear any of this segment does anyone know any info?
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Re: KCK to get 300 million dollar water park and resort!!

Post by LenexatoKCMO »

nota wrote: Seems like it will be in direct competition to Village West.
How on earth does a Giant waterpark compete with a mall?  Thats like suggesting the power and light district will compete with the arena.  I would be willing to bet that there will hardly be a single out of town visitor to the water park that doesn't also visit village west and the other racetrack shopping attractions.  They are complimentary, not compeitive. 

I am sure that the village west developers are horrified at the idea of additional hundreds of thousands of tourists being lured to visit their neighborhood - Sure  ](*,)
Last edited by LenexatoKCMO on Thu Sep 15, 2005 9:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: KCK to get 300 million dollar water park and resort!!

Post by LenexatoKCMO »

KCN wrote: EDIT: Also, why are they expanding so far away?  There are only two Schlitterbahn's, one in New Braunfels (on I-35 between Austin and San Antonio) and the other in South Padre Island.  Odd to build a third so far away from Texas.
The star article indicated that they wanted their first park outside of texas to be somewhere in the central midwest as they thought this was where their strongest market was.  If you put it in that context, KCK makes enormous sense being located handy to both the major midwest road arteries of 70 and 35.  Its the same condition that has given KCK a strong hand for the NASCAR HOF

Personally, I think KCK turning itself into a major tourist destination is a big coup, not just for KCK but for the whole city.  With this, and possibly the HOF, there is no doubt that the city is going to get a lot more hotels, motels, etc.  With more people planning trips to these parts, all of the other attractions will benefit.  I am sure that having the Schlitterbahn will not hurt our ability to land conventions either.  KCK is building a tourisim industry for this city that no one could have imagined just a few years ago.  It makes the whole metro that much more attractive.  

As for Oceans of Fun, I wouldn't be surprised to see it become free with your WOF entrance.  
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Re: KCK to get 300 million dollar water park and resort!!

Post by GRID »

Yea, I think so too, your are truly creating a destination that will grow the market, helping everybody.  I think the city needs more unique attractions like Que mentioned.  I have always said a massive go-cart facility would be perfect for out there, and quite frankly I'm sure one will be on the way soon.

OOF and WOF should combine anyway.

It's too bad all of this stuff didn't happen right by WOF and the Casinos, but I really want to see KCK built up a bit.  I still think it's the most embarrassing way to enter KC.  It feels like you are driving into Salina, not a city of 2 million people when entering the city from the west.

But yea, 300 million would have done so much for Downtown KCK.
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Re: KCK to get 300 million dollar water park and resort!!

Post by brett »

I think it looks exciting. Big attractions bring big dollars.

Some of those rides are really neat. I like their surf waves and the idea behind rio aventura.
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Re: KCK to get 300 million dollar water park and resort!!

Post by GRID »

And whoever said this would hurt Great Wolf Lodge and the Legends is nuts.  It will help them.

You see there is no population density out there and there probably won't be enough to support the retail area alone for several decades.

So in a way, I think this is a good move for KCK to continue to build up its destination entertainment to keep people going there and supporting the retail because after the newness wears off and similar developments pop up in other parts of the metro, KCK is going to be hurting.  Take away northland, joco and jaco visitors and western KCK is toast.  For an example of how quick an area can boom and bust, look at bannister mall.  The water park and the nascar HOF will not be duplicated in other parts of the city.

KCK is practically giving it's city and tax revenue away though.  I don't see why they couldn't put 10 percent of that revenue into improving the east side of town.
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Re: KCK to get 300 million dollar water park and resort!!

Post by nota »

LenexatoKCMO wrote: How on earth does a Giant waterpark compete with a mall?  Thats like suggesting the power and light district will compete with the arena.  I would be willing to bet that there will hardly be a single out of town visitor to the water park that doesn't also visit village west and the other racetrack shopping attractions.  They are complimentary, not compeitive. 

I am sure that the village west developers are horrified at the idea of additional hundreds of thousands of tourists being lured to visit their neighborhood - Sure  ](*,)
I'm sorry you missed this part of the article:
Schlitterbahn Waterparks of New Braunfels, TX plans to build a 300 million dollar resort on 300 arcres which would include a waterpark, covered river walk with shops and restaurants, 100 cabins and a 300 room hotel.
I really don't think there ARE "additional hundreds of thousands of tourists" to be lured. Sure, they will lure some, but not in the numbers you are speaking of.

The Northland has found that out - many new restaurants are closing or just keeping their heads above water because there are so many.
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Re: KCK to get 300 million dollar water park and resort!!

Post by dangerboy »

GRID wrote:It's too bad all of this stuff didn't happen right by WOF and the Casinos, but I really want to see KCK built up a bit.  I still think it's the most embarrassing way to enter KC. 
Great point, Grid.  Some of this Village West stuff would have created great synergy near the casinos and WoF. Still no regional planning to decide where best to locate new development, irrespective of state lines. Yet again we are spreading our tourist attractions miles apart from each other. 
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Re: KCK to get 300 million dollar water park and resort!!

Post by LenexatoKCMO »

dangerboy wrote: It's great they landed such a project, but does the metro really need another water park, no matter how fancy?  At least it might push Hunt Midwest to do more to take WoF to the next level.
Hunt Midwest hasn't owned OOF or WOF for years.  OOF has had decades to develop a major attraction and hasn't done barely a thing since they opened to improve it or make it a major attraction - so were supposed to defend them and turn our backs when someone wants to come in and put in a legitimate major attraction that will draw people from all over the midwest, an attraction that will boost the destination status of the whole city?  Frankly I think that is short sighted.  

I don't get all the negativity about this.  I say let KCK build all the cheesey tourist shlock they can.  It will boost the whole area economy.   All of the cheesy stuff stays out in the burbs so there is no negative aesthetic ramification for the urban areas.  And in exchange, KC will draw tourists from much further distances. bigger conventions, etc.  I think this will net the city far more tourists overall rather than poach tourists from other attractions.  Think about it, with this and a steadily improving WOF, midwestern families looking to take their kids on an amusement park vacation will be much more likely to consider KC as their destination as opposed to St. Louis or some other city.  I could see Schlitterbon actually boosting WOF's draw.  
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Re: KCK to get 300 million dollar water park and resort!!

Post by nota »

dangerboy wrote: Great point, Grid.  Some of this Village West stuff would have created great synergy near the casinos and WoF. Still no regional planning to decide where best to locate new development, irrespective of state lines. Yet again we are spreading our tourist attractions miles apart from each other. 
That IMHO is a good thing. Why on earth would a giant metro area want all it's places of interest in one area? Spread the tourists around so that all areas get a share of the bucks.
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Re: KCK to get 300 million dollar water park and resort!!

Post by GRID »

LenexatoKCMO, I agree.

As a person who takes the family all over the county, I know how toursits choose and navigate attractions in a city.

The more the better.  People have no problem going to WOF and then driving over to KCK the next day, the Royals the next etc.

It's too bad we couldn't create a kick ass one stop entertainment region of the city, but in reallity, no city offers this, even Orlando's attractions are spread out.
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Re: KCK to get 300 million dollar water park and resort!!

Post by GRID »

Olathe, OP, Lee's Summit etc trying to do the same thing?  Now that will cause problems.
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Re: KCK to get 300 million dollar water park and resort!!

Post by LenexatoKCMO »

nota wrote: I'm sorry you missed this part of the article:

I really don't think there ARE "additional hundreds of thousands of tourists" to be lured. Sure, they will lure some, but not in the numbers you are speaking of.

The Northland has found that out - many new restaurants are closing or just keeping their heads above water because there are so many.
As to the hotel part of your qoute, I don't think that is an issue - the area is going to need everyone of those hotel rooms and probably a good deal more to deal with the folks this will draw.  I am willing to bet that every motel chain in the country is looking to aquire land in KCK to serve these attractions (jobs, jobs, jobs).  

As to the hundreds of thousands par,t you are probably right that my numbers are off - I am sure that Schlitterbon's parks probably attract annual numbers in the millions, not the hundreds of thousands.  
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