The indoor waterpark resort now has a total of 686,000-SF on 45-acres, including 606 guest suites, a five-story atrium, a 27,000-SF conference center, a 72,000-SF indoor water park, and surface parking for 1,000-cars;
Expansion makes it the company’s largest resort
DALLAS, May 1, 2009 – Turner Construction Company’s Dallas office has completed construction of a $35 million expansion project at Great Wolf Lodge, a northwoods-themed indoor waterpark resort in Grapevine, Texas, located between Dallas and Fort Worth. The addition of the new facility comes about one year after the much-anticipated opening of Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, also built by Turner Construction, which has since attracted a loyal guest following with its extensive recreational offerings, including indoor and outdoor waterparks, and a full-service spa.
The expansion added 202 guest suites and a 27,000-square-foot conference center to the resort, making it the largest Great Wolf Lodge in the United States, with 606 guest suites. The new conference center, also a northwoods theme, was specifically designed with the needs of the Dallas/Fort Worth region’s business and social community in mind. The center features a separate entry, convenient parking near the entrance and a private registration counter.
The eight-story indoor waterpark resort now has a total of 686,000 square feet on 45-acres, including a five-story atrium, a 98,000-square-foot indoor water park, surface parking for 1,000-cars, and meeting space for groups up to 750 people, including a 27,000-square-foot conference center, a 7,500-square-foot Grand Ballroom, six breakout and meeting rooms, two board rooms, 4,000+ square feet of pre-function space, plus six outdoor event areas.
The entire project – both phase I and phase II (the expansion) – took Turner only 28 months to build, with a total of 1,262,084 man-hours spent without one lost time incident. Phase I was a design/assist, fast-track project that managed six major design bulletins and maintained a high level of quality and budget, and was completed early in time for the 2007 Holiday season. It cost $93 million in construction volume and was completed in only 16 months. Phase II cost $35 million in construction volume and was completed in less than 12 months, all while the existing resort was open and fully-operational 24-hours a day.
“The new conference center, combined with our existing meeting space, makes Great Wolf Lodge an ideal venue for hosting group gatherings, whether it’s an executive retreat for 10 or an upscale reception for 750,” said Jack Bateman, general manager of Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine. “At Great Wolf Lodge, we are committed to delivering creativity, excellence and innovation throughout the event planning process. In fact, we aim to enhance every group gathering with a foundation of focus, food and fun.”
The resort, located at 100 Great Wolf Drive in Grapevine (across from the Gaylord Texan Resort), has 605 family suites that sleep six to eight people, and a 98,000-square-foot indoor entertainment area. The highlight of the entertainment area is the resort’s signature year-round indoor waterpark highlighted by a 12-level tree house water fort, which provides an interactive water experience for the entire family that features more than 60 water effects, including spray guns, fountains, valves and hoses, has cargo netting and suspension bridges, and is capped by an oversized bucket that dumps nearly 1,000 gallons of water every few minutes. The indoor waterpark also features 5 high-speed body slides and inner tube waterslides that wind in and out of the building into a splash-down pool, a lazy river and seven pools, including an indoor/outdoor whirlpool.
Each of the resort’s Texas-sized family suites includes a wet bar, microwave oven, refrigerator and dining and sitting area, and complimentary wireless high-speed Internet access. Room rates include use of the waterpark by four to six guests, depending on the type of room.
The resort also houses a variety of themed restaurants, including Camp Critter Bar & Grille TM, which features a two-story realistic tree with a canopy of leaves and canvas-topped booths with hanging lanterns, giving guests the impression that they are dining in a northwoods forest camp. Various quick-service outlets, a craft and activity room, a technology center, an arcade, a fitness room, an adult spa, a kid spa, retail stores and an 84,000-square-foot outdoor waterpark were also constructed.
About Turner Construction
Turner is the leading general builder in the U.S., ranking first or second in all major segments of the building construction field. During 2008, Turner completed $10 billion of construction. Turner is the only builder offering clients a nationwide network of offices across the U.S. Founded in 1902, the firm is a subsidiary of HOCHTIEF, one of the world’s leading international construction service providers. For more information, visit Turner’s website at http://www.turnerconstruction.com.
About Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.
Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.(R) (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(R) and Blue Harbor Resort(TM) brands. Great Wolf Resorts is a fully integrated resort company and owns and/or manages 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; and Grand Mound, Wash.; and Blue Harbor Resort & Conference Center in Sheboygan, Wis. A Great Wolf Lodge currently is under construction in Concord, N.C.
The company’s resorts are family-oriented destination facilities that generally feature 300 – 400 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.
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Media Contact: Claire Bloxom
claire@coopersmithagency.com, (214) 329-9191
