InPark Magazine Issue #54 (September 2014)

#54 • volume 10, issue 4 • 2014 www.inparkmagazine.com

12 WhiteWater’s Geoff & Paul Chutter on the family business & innovation in water attractions 18 Zoos and aquariums expand offerings 30 Waterpark attendance figures

#54• volume 10, issue 4

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Revisit, revitalize, reinvest

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Designing for bears, dogs, lemurs, humans, and other living things

The operational lifecycle of waterparks • by Glenn A. O’Connor

JCO creates habitats for all • by Judith Rubin

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Opening a new chapter at WhiteWater

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A tough year

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Liquid profits

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Around the world in 80 slides

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A return to the Wet ‘n’ Wild

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2013 attendance figures

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The art of COST

Geoff Chutter & Paul Chutter join forces • by Martin Palicki

Report from AZA 2014 • by Judith Rubin

Operators discover the benefits of adding water • by Joe Kleiman

A photographic look at Polin’s global installations

Behind the scenes at the Vegas hit waterpark • by Judith Rubin, Martin Palicki and Jill Bibby

A look at global waterpark attendance numbers • courtesy of TEA and AECOM

IPM does a little Midwestern bonding and visits COST of Wisconsin • by Martin Palicki

staff & contributors EDITOR Martin Palicki CO-EDITOR Judith Rubin CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Joe Kleiman Mitch Rily Kim Rily

advertisers All Things Integrated

DESIGN mcp, llc

IAAPA Attractions Expo

CONTRIBUTORS Jill Bibby Glenn A. O’Connor

The J Co Polin Weber Group WhiteWater West

SALES Martin Palicki

Zebec

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COVER: Father and son team Geoff and Paul Chutter pose on a prototype of WhiteWater West’s Slideboarding attraction at the European Attractions Show. Full story on p 12. Photo credit Martin Palicki.

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Just add water.

Judiciously.

Water: something we can all relate to

Martin Palicki, IPM editor

Judith Rubin, IPM co-editor

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ater goes with everything. Hotels first realized the benefit of adding an indoor waterpark in 1994, further strengthening the bond between hotels and water leisure. In recent years, malls, zoos and even cruise ships have beefed up offerings with slides, lazy rivers and water play structures. We are drawn to the water, it seems, and more visitor destinations are realizing that.

The traditional waterpark is still popular, but the scope of water play is expanding rapidly. Waterparks are popping up in new, unexpected places. Who would have thought the Black Sea region would be an up and coming waterpark market? And the desert of Las Vegas is now home to two waterparks: Wet ‘n’Wild and Cowabunga Bay. These are prime examples of how the water leisure industry continues to expand even as access to water sources is tightening and conservation efforts increase. The limited supply of fresh water in many parts of the world will only become more important to communities, media and governments. Our industry must be on the forefront of this issue, or it will come back to haunt us later.

As more markets turn to our industry to help them “just add water” it is up to us to do it responsibly and with an eye towards long-term success and sustainability. • • •

inTHEMED ENTERTAINMENT inWATERPARKS inMUSEUMS inDOME THEATERS inAMUSEMENT PARKS

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his issue of InPark has a spotlight on zoos and aquariums as well as waterparks. All three types of facilities are geared to families. All are providing ever more integrated attractions and environments.

And all are making the most of water features.

Our best zoos and aquariums are always improving, working to create ever-better habitat for the animals in their charge. They also work to foster an emotional connection and learning experience for the humans who visit, to spur and support action on urgent conservation issues and the threat of species extinction.

Water provides a universal connection - something all creatures on Earth need for survival, and seek out for play and respite. As human lives become more urban, and water resources more precious and endangered, both people and animals are affected. There are fewer opportunities to have water experiences in nature.

Waterparks help people fulfill their natural inclination to get in the water to play and relax. Animals have the same needs, and environments that serve animals’ full range of needs and behaviors must include suitable water features. We’re seeing zoos and aquariums accommodate that need more fully, and make the most of the bonding opportunity by designing in ways that people can feel a part of it.

Because everyone likes to go for a dip. • • •

InPark News Editor Joe Kleiman (joekleiman@gmail.com) corresponds for IPM online and in print, specializing in design and technology for attractions, museums and giant screen cinema. He lives in Sacramento with his dog, Bucky.

InPark Magazine (ISSN 1553-1767) is published five times a year by Martin Chronicles Publishing, LLC. 2349 E Ohio Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53207.

Shipping address: 2349 E Ohio Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53207. Phone: 262-412-7107. Printing by Short Run Printing Contents © 2014 InPark Magazine. All rights reserved. Nothing in the magazine may be reproduced or used in any manner without the prior written permission of the magazine. InPark Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations.

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Revisit, revitalize, reinvest

by Glenn A. O’Connor, OALA, CSLA ASLA Water parks have an operational life cycle.

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ake a critical look at your water park facilities to determine whether they are reaching a critical stage in their operational life cycle. Is the guest experience still exciting and appropriate? Is attendance all it could be?

Declining attendance and guest experience are influenced by many interrelated factors. Rather than asking “What things can I add to the park?” it is better to approach the problem in a more systematic way, following a few simple steps. The owner and operator can maximize Return on Investment (ROI) by revisiting, revitalizing and reinvesting in an objective, appropriate and creative way. There is more to it than water and fiberglass. It starts by putting yourself in the shoes (or perhaps flip-flops) of the guest.

With the passage of time, not only do park facilities mature, but guest demographics may change. With a shift in demographics may come a shift in guest needs and recreation habits, necessitating a shift in the guest experience provided. By imagining ourselves as guests, we are in a better position to consider what things we might be looking for: family needs (especially those of small children), food and beverage service, merchandise, washrooms and of course an appropriate level of entertainment.

Ideally, the guest experience you provide will keep guests coming back for repeat visits, enjoying longer stays and even tempted to spend more freely. Here’s a summary of how a professional analysis is conducted and implemented to revisit, revitalize and reinvest meaningfully in a water park. In order to make prudent business

decisions and prioritize the revitalization of assets, program decisions must be objective, based on professional experience and solid data.

Revisiting In order to increase attendance and overall park revenue, take a close, objective look. What is the mix of rides/attractions? What are the existing ride capacities? What about program, circulation, creative theming and all related facilities? What is the current attendance – annually, monthly and daily peak in park – and what should the targeted attendance be? In addition, we need to understand what rides and attractions are most popular and performing well at capacity, which are at an acceptable capacity and which are below capacity.

Understand what you have today, in order to build for tomorrow.

Part of the process, when planning for park revitalization, is to gauge regional and local market demographics. Only by examining current and future capacities, carefully and objectively, can we begin to make informed decisions about which rides and attractions require refurbishing, removal or replacement and which new rides and attractions we might consider adding. This same in-depth examination needs to be applied to all existing infrastructure – anything and everything that contributes toward enhancing the overall guest experience.

Revitalizing Once the analysis and evaluation of the existing water park have been completed, the planning and creative design work begin: addressing the issues that have been identified, understanding the opportunities and constraints, and formulating solutions that will enhance the

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park’s performance and guest experience. In particular, the mix of rides and attractions needs to be precisely balanced in order to meet the current and desired demographic profiles.

Other issues may have been identified within the existing infrastructure, operations or general guest experience, and must also be addressed. Based on ride capacity analysis data, decisions about ride renewal, removal and replacement can be made. Creative theming, layout refinement, reorganization and design solutions can now be organized into a plan that establishes strong relationships between elements and areas, including rides, attractions, food and beverage and back-of-house.

The integration of the program and site elements into a cohesive sequence of guest experiences throughout the park will be calculated to bring the desired result: a memorable place that guests will want to visit often and spend more time per visit.

Reinvesting The basic goal is to increase attendance over a sustained period of time by revitalizing current facilities. Setting priorities for renewal or replacement of infrastructure, rides and attractions, or other park assets, will help create a phased renewal program that will systematically enhance the waterpark.

The planning and design phase will also help to identify areas where park expansion can occur, if applicable, and what the sequence should be. Operational costs also need to be considered and strategies for water conservation, energy use, placement of rides and lifeguard staffing. The potential synergy of renewed and expanded facilities can be now identified and subsequent decisions prioritized.

Planning and design work will also allow capital budget forecasting for coming years and assist an owner to evaluate the potential ROI. Using both the existing and projected data will also allow capital budget forecasting and assist the owner or operator in evaluating the potential ROI. Using both existing and projected data, owners and operators are also able to track overall attendance changes and changes in guest distribution within the park, as implementation is sequentially rolled out. In this regard, any impact from renewed or new facilities can be compared to projected ride and attraction capacities, and used objectively to evaluate the success of a program change within the water park.

Simply stated, good planning and good design, combined with a depth of experience, can create places that make everyone happy: guests, owners and operators. • • • Glenn A. O’Connor OALA, CSLA ASLA is a Principal and Senior Director, Water Parks at FORREC. He can be reached at goconnor@forrec.com

Andean Bear Range provides a naturalistic habitat with water features and climbing structures.

Photo: Saint Louis Zoo.

Designing for bears, dogs, lemurs, humans, and other living things

by Judith Rubin

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n 2007, the Saint Louis Zoo mounted a $120M capital campaign, setting in motion a series of major changes and expansions, unfolding through 2017. A 10-year rollout is nothing unusual for this prestigious, Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited zoo, where large-scale changes entail a lengthy journey from visioning and master plan, through fundraising, bidding, fine-tuning and construction.

Saint Louis-based JCO was awarded the planning, design and execution contract for three projects at the Zoo. The 10-acre River’s Edge, reconfigured with three new animal habitats, opened in June 2014. The revamp of The Living World welcome center has gradually uncapped new features including retail, food, cinema and classroom space.

And the original Elephant House (circa 1918) – it hasn’t housed elephants in many years but served a range of other purposes - reopened in 2008 as Peabody Hall, a dedicated, 5,000-square-foot space for traveling exhibitions.

JCO founder Jumana Brodersen, a former creative director with Busch Entertainment Corp. (now SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment) put all her professional background, and her company’s skillset, into play for these projects. From her years with Busch, she had gained the operator’s perspective along with the ability to design for people, animals and exhibits, and the ability to reconcile vision with the realities and challenges of budget, timeline and construction.

These combined with her knack for envisioning a creative solution beyond the initial expectations and getting others to see it, too.

Purina Painted Dog Preserve comes to River’s Edge “What’s ultimately the goal of this project? What is the essence of this project? If this project were a 30-second commercial, what would it be? You go back to the parameters,” says Brodersen. “For River’s Edge, the goals included more animals, enriched animal habitats and enhanced guest experience, as well as improved animal care, infrastructure and operational efficiency.”

Collaboration of this kind is key to keeping things fresh at the Saint Louis Zoo. “It serves an institution best to work with a variety of design professionals who have animal experience as well with strong support teams to bring fresh approaches to this unique business,” says McGuire.

“River’s Edge is this big, immersion exhibit with a loop trail,” said David McGuire, AIA William Bernoudy Vice President Architecture and Planning, Saint Louis Zoo. “The donut hole in the middle was where we planned upgraded facilities for Andean Bear Range. We also wanted to expand the Sun Bear Forest, with space to build out for one more animal in the future. Being in the business as long as she has, Jumana recognized how to make the process more efficient at the front end. She was instrumental in helping us make the leap to go outside the original plan.”

Collaborating with Zoo executive staff including McGuire and Jack Grisham, Vice President, Animal Collections, the team exceeded original goals for populating River’s Edge with more animals – adding the new Purina Painted Dog Preserve - and realizing capital and operating cost efficiencies by supporting all three exhibits with one shared, main animal management area. A bonus result was that the Red Pandas, which had been behind the scenes at the Zoo, were relocated to the former Sun Bears area, coming into public view for the first time in their new, larger habitat.

The approach to Purina Painted Dog Preserve takes visitors into an octagonal viewing hut immersing them in the midst of the exhibit with unobstructed views through floor-to-ceiling glass.

Photo: Saint Louis Zoo.

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The Living World and Peabody Hall “The client’s goal for The Living World was to create a 21st Century zoo arrival experience to start visitors off right, and create positive first impressions,” said Brodersen.

The Living World occupies a 40,000-square-foot building at the north entrance of the Saint Louis Zoo, brings together many elements for welcoming and serving the homo sapiens who visit. An important aspect is the completely redesigned Welcome Center, where Zoo staff help guests plan their visits and purchase tickets. There are also expanded retail and food offerings, special events space, classroom space, the Monsanto education gallery, and digital cinema, plus offices for Human Resources, Marketing and Education.

The Peabody Hall exterior was authentically restored to its original 1918 charm and beauty. The JCO design team and the Zoo worked closely with preservationists. Photo by Roger Brandt, courtesy Saint Louis Zoo.

Some design reconfigurations were implemented when an analysis of guest numbers showed the likelihood of a crowd-flow bottleneck at the entrance, and questions came up about the accommodations for traveling exhibitions.

The exhibition hall was relocated to the former Elephant House, now completely renovated as Peabody Hall. “Having the traveling exhibition space at the front gate was not ideal, and Jumana helped

A sense of arrival: The expansive new welcome center at The Living World at the north entrance to the Saint Louis Zoo. JCO rendering courtesy Saint Louis Zoo. us realize that,” said McGuire. This, in turn, solved the bottleneck issue, freeing up 4,000 square feet at The Living World entrance and facilitating the design of a truly inviting orientation space that does full justice to one of Brodersen’s favorite phrases: “a sense of arrival.”

In collaboration with OWH Architects, JCO delivered an interior renovation of The Living World that is versatile, accessible and airy, and expected to be fully complete by the end of 2014.

Madagascar and MOBOT The Florida Aquarium in Tampa brought in JCO for a boutique project: Journey to Madagascar, a new themed, immersive environment on its upper level. Ring-tailed lemurs are the stars of the show, with supporting exhibits of amphibians and insects also from Madagascar.

JCO’s design scope included the public spaces and the holding areas, collaborating closely with Director of Exhibits & Graphic Design Pete Colangelo, and the animal care specialists at the Aquarium. “Because of the animals’ specific needs in terms of space, feeding, care and comfort when they are out of public view, designing the holding areas can be a more intricate task than designing the guest areas,” noted Brodersen. Journey to Madagascar opened in spring 2014.

For the Missouri Botanical Garden (MOBOT) in Saint Louis, JCO was awarded (via RFP process) the contract to re-imagine the Brookings Interpretive Center, an existing 4,500-square foot building adjacent

to the Climatron, a tropical greenhouse and guest favorite especially during the colder months. Expected to open in late 2015, the Center is being gutted and updated with a spread of educational exhibits and interactives designed to extend exploration and learning. “The new, family-friendly, digitally-equipped, year-round space will be configurable for multiple purposes,” says Brodersen. “Being among the plants at the Garden evokes a sense of beauty and curiosity.

The Center will augment that with relevant, changing themes and programs networked to the larger community. Guests will have many options to actively participate and create their own content.”

Brodersen is working closely with MOBOT’s internal engineering and education departments on the project. • • • JCO (www.thejco.com) creates immersive environments for theme parks, water parks, amusement parks, zoos, aquariums and marine mammal parks around the world. Services include themed entertainment master planning, attraction design and animal habitat design.

Opening a new chapter at WhiteWater Geoff Chutter & Paul Chutter join forces Since its founding in 1980, WhiteWater West Industries Ltd. has grown into a leading supplier in waterparks and attractions that “thinks outside the pool.” In September, WhiteWater announced the appointment of founder and CEO Geoff Chutter’s son, Paul Chutter, as Vice President, Sales Operations/Corporate Development. InPark editor in chief Martin Palicki interviewed the father-son business duo about company history, their individual backgrounds and the new dynamic this alliance brings to WhiteWater.

Let’s start at the beginning. Geoff, you’ve said that you saw an opportunity in this business after viewing Canada’s first waterpark in development. Tell me about that park visit - how did you realize this was going to become such a big industry?

Geoff: In 1980, I’d been working for KPMG for 5 years as a CPA. One of my audits was with the Jimmy Pattison group. During the audit I saw the first waterslide park in Canada called Wild Waters, which was located in Kelowna, BC. I was so intrigued by it and started looking for land. On December 15, 1980 a partner and I bought 18 acres of land in the Okanagan valley and built WhiteWater, the waterslide park.

Honestly, I had no idea that the industry would grow as it has and in fact the entire start was building and operating our own waterpark.

The vision of doing what we do today, came later.

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Geoff, what was your original plan for the company? To become an operator? Supplier? Both?

Geoff: The initial plan was solely park ownership and operations.

However, after opening that park, four different groups approached me wanting information on how to design and manufacture waterslides. We had manufactured our own waterslide molds, so we entered into contracts to supply waterslides to these groups, and the rest is history. I discovered that I enjoyed the development more than operations. The first waterslide I ever rode was testing our own when we opened the waterpark.

Paul, you grew up the same time WhiteWater did. What are some of your memories of being raised in a leisure environment?

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Paul: I have very fond memories of growing up alongside an industry that was equally as young and undeveloped as I. After-hours evenings spent riding slides as a toddler right through to lengthy stays in Europe and Asia during park constructions all formed part of a childhood intimately linked to this industry from the beginning. Today it is incredibly gratifying to look back at both of our evolutions.

Geoff, back in 1980 what background did you bring to launch this new business?

Geoff: When I opened up my first waterpark, I had no experience launching businesses. As a CPA I had worked with dozens of companies, from a financial perspective of course, but also got to talk to management teams and learn about their daily challenges and accomplishments of having a business. Also, my father, uncles, and my grandfather all did very well in business. I came from a family of entrepreneurs - so to a degree it was in my blood. Having them support me emotionally has been huge to WhiteWater’s success.

Tell us about some of those family businesses over the generations.

Geoff: On my Dad’s side of the family, my grandfather emigrated from the UK and ended up bringing to Vancouver with him a wire rope manufacturing business. With mining and forestry industries booming in BC, wire rope was in great demand and was up to that time imported, until my grandfather built a factory in what is today the Granville Island Market. He managed the factory until retirement, when my uncle took over.

of my studies, I began working first in corporate finance and M&A advisory, then in equity sales and trading, where I spent years working intimately with many of Canada’s largest corporations. I can’t think of any better foundational experience to then be applied to business operations.

Tell us about your new role at WhiteWater, Paul, and what you are bringing to the company.

Paul: I have joined as WhiteWater’s Vice President of Sales Operations & Corporate Development. Our team sits at the heart of our sales, design, engineering and estimating groups, coordinating the entire life cycle of a contract, from incubation to completion. Additionally, I personally will be assessing and evaluating any corporate development opportunities in our marketplace that may be accretive to WhiteWater. I hope to be able to incorporate my experience analyzing businesses in the public sphere to bring a distinct and objective mindset to WhiteWater. A fresh set of eyes and a new perspective can often be as valuable as all of the industry experience in the world.

Geoff, what are your thoughts on Paul working now for WhiteWater?

Geoff: I was caught completely off guard when Paul expressed interest in working for WhiteWater because for 32 years Paul and I have never, ever talked about him working here. It was just this past spring when I was out in Toronto for a board meeting that Paul told

My father and uncles also owned their own businesses, each with success. My father’s first 20 working years were as a professional engineer at Lafarge Cement in both France and Canada. I credit him for WhiteWater’s early entrance into the international market, having spent my high school years in Paris.

Paul Chutter, riding one of dad’s first waterslides.

Photo courtesy the Chutter family.

Paul, did you think that someday you wanted to work for the company?

Paul: It was always something that was in the back of my mind, yes. But for me it was incredibly important to forge my own path, to develop my own career prior to even contemplating joining the WhiteWater family. This was paramount not just for my own principled reasons, but critically, so that there was legitimate value I brought to the business when I joined.

Paul, tell us a bit about your professional career path and what inspired you to go in that direction.

Paul: After graduating from McGill University, I had great ambitions of living and working in one of the world’s true commercial centers, and therefore took the step of moving to London where I attended law school. Years of living in a global financial hub drew my attention to the fast-paced world of investment banking, where upon completion

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me of his interest in moving from the financial sector, working as the Director of the Canadian Desk for UBS Europe, into the manufacturing sector.

I then discussed the idea of Paul working for WhiteWater with many people and received overwhelmingly positive attitudes towards it. I give Paul tremendous credit for going out into the real world and working hard and proving himself before joining WhiteWater. His number one motivation for coming to WhiteWater was simply to work for his Dad, which frankly leaves me speechless and full of emotion.

How is the family dynamic now that you are working together?

Paul: My father and I have always had a great personal and now, working, relationship. We have each individually and independently acted as sounding boards for the other on various topics and at a variety of stages in our lives. This new chapter represents yet another iteration of that very meaningful and ever developing relationship.

benevolence, and his unrivaled understanding of business fundamentals. In life, my father, for all that he has taught me.

Geoff: My father, uncles and grandfather have inspired me in the business side of life. All were very successful and they operated within the basic principles of integrity, fairness and hard work. I have also been inspired by the books “Good to Great” and “The Toyota Way.” What sort of innovations, products or parks are you most proud of?

Geoff: An innovative acrylic Master Blaster that was installed on a cruise ship was an engineering feat that I’m extremely proud of, but the product that resonates with me personally and is consistently the number one ride in every park, is the Boomerango. The combination of sensations guests experience is unparalleled and has led to our introduction of Fusion waterslides which are slides with two or more iconic feartures.

The more recent innovation we’re excited about is Slideboarding, which we believe will be a game changer in both the waterpark and the amusement park industries.

Who has inspired you?

Paul: In the business world, Richard Branson, for his passion, entrepreneurial spirit, sense of adventure and dedication to conservation; and Warren Buffet, for his foresight, his unprecedented

What role does innovation play in the waterpark market, and at WhiteWater?

Geoff Chutter in WhiteWater’s Richmond yard, 2014. Photo courtesy WhiteWater West.

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The Boomerango Waterslide, a staple of a modern waterpark Photo courtesy WhiteWater West.

Geoff: Innovation is huge for WhiteWater and within the industry.

We have a significant budget devoted to product development and a 10-person team exclusively dedicated to the development of new products and the constant improvement of existing ones. In the last 2 or 3 years, they have brought us great things like the Python™, the Rattler™, No Boundaries™, AquaCourse™, Raft Battle, the mobile FlowRider® and the Anaconda™. As a result WhiteWater holds over 125 patents and has received upwards of 100 prestigious awards including IAAPA Best New Product Awards, the WWA Leading Edge Awards, Amusement Today Golden Ticket Awards and more.

Is there anything you would change if you could do it all over again?

WhiteWater has been around for almost 35 years - what do the next 35 hold? What do you think the waterparks of 2050 will look like?

Geoff: It’s fair to say that every day I learn something new. If there is one learning moment that stands out for the company - for me - it was recognizing that the company is better served if I surround myself with people who are better than I am at what they do. WhiteWater has been incredibly fortunate to attract folks who are top caliber from around the world.

Geoff: December 2014 will mark the 35th anniversary for WhiteWater, but I think it’s the next 35 years that will be the most exciting. There is a whole new generation of new young and inspired people who are excited to take the company to the next level. There is huge opportunity to evolve the industry in terms of technology, globalization and in terms of changing the basic definition of a waterpark. We think the next 35 years will define a waterpark quite differently that what they have been known as in the past 35 years.

Technology will be a big part of the waterpark industry’s future. We see lots of opportunity for change.

Geoff: I’ve made hundreds of decisions, and many that I’m sure I’d change if I had to do them all over again. They’ve all contributed to a greater body of knowledge that, in the long run, has resulted in a greater number of good decisions over the bad ones.

What is something you have learned that you didn’t know when starting the company?

What principles do you think are important for running any successful business?

Paul: Fundamentally, businesses must be run to be sustainable - that is, to be dynamic and able to thrive through all economic conditions, in multiple markets, providing meaningful, highly differentiated results to their customers. Such differentiation is key to survival. Equally important is respect for your employees. The best

businesses provide a work environment where each employee feels the organization and their leadership respects their dignity and the value of their contributions to the business. Lastly is a drive to be a leader in your space. If you are not disrupting things and creating new value for your customers, what are you doing today?

Geoff: WhiteWater has developed a set of fundamental principles that guide the running of the company. In the end, it really comes down to honesty, integrity, respect and hard work. When these are blanketed over the three axioms of “Good to Great”: economic viability, passion and the ability to be best in the world, great things can occur.

Globally, what have you discovered about investing in waterpark creation and bringing your products to international markets?

Geoff: WhiteWater has been able to defy cultural assumptions all over the world bringing waterpark success stories to places we

were told we would fail. There hasn’t yet been a group of people that haven’t found the joy in the combination of water, sun and the family.

Waterparks provide a place and activities where all members of the family of any age group, can have fun.

Theme parks generally make significant capital re-investments every 2-3 years to bring in a new attraction, ride or show. What should the reinvestment strategy be for waterparks?

Geoff: Similar to the theme park industry, waterparks can become stale and there should be an ongoing program of introducing a new attraction every 2-3 years to keep people coming back. Being a new industry, we haven’t faced a shortage of brand new products that push the boundaries. We were fortunate in 1980 in that we weren’t coming into a mature industry. As the ‘Original Waterpark Company’ the last 35 years have generated no shortage of new ideas. Our own reinvestment strategy, not surprisingly, has been to attract the next generation of stars to lead not only WhiteWater but also the industry.

•••

Paul and Geoff accept the European Star Award for Best Waterslide, 2014. Photo courtesy of WhiteWater West

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“A tough year”

Zoos & Aquariums address conservation, experience design and reframing the debate

by Judith Rubin

“We need to do a better job communicating to the public our mission of conservation and saving animals from extinction,” said Jim Maddy, president and CEO of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) at the 90th annual AZA conference in Orlando. He was introducing a new coordinated conservation effort uniting stakeholders with the common goal of saving species from extinction.

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment and Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, with leadership from Brad Andrews, Chief Zoological Officer, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment and AZA chair Jackie Ogden, Ph.D., VP Animals, Science & Environment, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts.

Zoos and aquariums today are re-examining both method and message. As wild creatures and wild places become scarcer and the world grapples with the attendant issues, zoos and aquariums are actively stepping up their positioning as leaders in conservation.

At the same time, there are new design approaches, technologies and media being incorporated to enhance and intensify the guest experience as well as that of the animals, often intertwining the two in unique ways.

The recession and staycation trends have supported attendance at local zoos in the same way as at regional amusement parks and museums. In his opening address, Maddy pointed out that no AZA members had been forced to close during the recession and that employment is up in the sector. He also stressed the importance of positive experiences in staying close to the hearts and minds of the public: “You are trusted by guests and by the general public.”

AZA 2014 took place Sept 12-18 in Orlando, in conjunction with the annual meeting of IMATA (International Marine Animal Trainers’ Association). Between AZA and IMATA, the number of delegates was just over 3,000. The event was co-hosted and co-planned by

Staying the course

“We are the real activists; we are the real animal advocates. Stand proud and stay the course,” said Bill Wolden, outgoing president of IMATA and Director of Training and Development at Dolphin Quest.

IMATA, an international organization, represents 1,800 trainers, researchers, educators and vets.

(2) Big Cat Crossing at Philadelphia Zoo

(1) Elephants of the Zambezi River Valley at Sedgwick County Zoo

(3) Heart of Africa at Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

(4) Avatar land concept art. © Disney

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Exhibit design

at some theaters running from November 1 through early January to meet popular demand.

Sessions about new and upcoming projects, and conversations on the AZA trade show floor, revealed a wide range of intriguing design approaches. Here are some highlights.

Avatar on Earth Joe Rohde of Walt Disney Imagineering showed concept art for the Avatar land (4) set to open in 2016 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the park for which he was a primary creative force. Noting that “a lot of Disney stories revolve around the relationship of humans to animals,” Rohde shared Director James Cameron’s intention that Avatar be a cautionary tale regarding conservation, a “broad and vivid metaphor to push to the real work and actual planet we have: Earth.” The new Avatar land will not have any live animal exhibits.

Tech not tanks Pacific Visions, the new wing of the Aquarium of the Pacific, is devoted to animals that are too big to keep in an aquarium, or too small to see with the human eye. In her design presentation, Ursula Currie of EHDD Architecture described a high-tech, media-rich approach in a similar vein to BBC and Sega’s Orbi in Yokohama, Japan. The primary attraction of Pacific Visions, opening in 2017, will be a 320-seat, 4D, immersive, multi-purpose theater with a 30-foot high screen and 180-degree field of view. The building’s biomorphic shape suggests a whale, and its nontranslucent glass façade will be projection-mapped.

Elephant Immersion Mark Reed, executive director of the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas, presented Elephants of the Zambezi River Valley (1). Opening in 2016, the $10.6 million, 7 acre exhibition includes an 18,000 square foot elephant barn with six stalls (to house the Zoo’s current pair, Cinda and Stephanie, and add four more). It is being touted as the third-largest elephant exhibit in the US and will have the further novelty of boat rides that put visitors in the same water as the elephants. Design is by Wichita’s GLMV Zoos.

3D and 4K On the exhibit floor, Janine Baker of nWave Pictures talked about 4K having emerged as the new standard of digital video. “You’ve got to have it,” she said. “It’s a must for any producer or distributor, and the consumer demands it.” Whether one is presenting current or vintage material, she said, “Everything needs to look new and ‘wow’ all the time no matter what it is.” nWave’s recent wildlife titles include African Safari 3D, Great Apes 3D, Galapagos 3D: Nature’s Wonderland and Penguins 3D. Family tradition Kate Magnusson of SimEx-Iwerks reports that Frozen Planet, the company’s new attraction film in partnership with BBC, is playing at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden and opens in February at the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Center. Rio 4D premiered about a year ago at the San Diego Zoo and will soon open at other locations.

SpongeBob SquarePants 4D: The Great Jelly Rescue, is going strong at theaters around the world. And it’s the 10th anniversary of Polar Express, which Magnusson reports has become an established family tradition,

Design/build Penny Peavler of The Weber Group Inc., a design, construction and specialty fabrication company based in Sellersburg, Indiana, was very busy with clients at her AZA booth. She talked about recent work in collaboration with Thinq Design on the International Orangutan Center for the Indianapolis Zoo. Weber Group’s many projects in the zoo sector include the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, the Louisville Zoo (Glacier Run), the Sedgwick County Zoo (1) (above-mentioned elephant exhibit) and the Indianapolis Children’s Museum (National Geographic Treasures of Earth). Weber Group emphasizes what Peavler calls “true design/build” or “integrated project delivery.” The company is also a key member of the creative team directed by George Wade for the new Crayola Experience (slated to open in 2015 in Orlando), with Callison Global.

End user Melissa Ruminot and Stephen Dodson of The Nassal Company, a fabricator and producer based in Orlando and well-known in the themed entertainment sector, talked about the firm’s substantial zoo portfolio. Among zoos, Nassal is especially in demand for its rock work.

Projects include Houston Zoo (African Gorilla exhibits), Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (3) (Heart of Africa), Zoo Miami (upcoming Everglades exhibit) and Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin at SeaWorld Orlando, which recently won an Eagle Award from the Association of Builders and Contractors, citing excellence in rockwork in Central Florida. Ruminot’s remarks attest to Nassal’s attention to detail and authenticity, as well as a sense of responsibility – an understanding that they are not just creating rock work or an aesthetically pleasing exhibit, but a home for specific creatures with specific needs. “The animal is the end user,” she said.

Other projects presented in the exhibit design sessions at AZA: • The Great Mayan Reef at Audubon Nature Institute • Sea Lion Cove at Fresno Chaffee Zoo • San Diego Zoo Safari Park Tiger Trail • Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ new Land of the Tiger • Greensboro Science Center SciQuarium • Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin at SeaWorld Orlando • Meerkat Hamlet at the Brevard Zoo • Akron Zoo’s Mike & Mary Stark Grizzly Ridge • Tentacles: The Astounding Lives of Octopuses, Squid and Cuttlefishes (Monterey Bay Aquarium) • Dwelling in a World of Nest Makers: Connecting Young Children with Small Birds (Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo) • Scovill Zoo Penguin Exhibit • International Orangutan Center (Indianapolis Zoo) • New Aquatic Exploration Center (Fundación Teamaikén) • Big Cat Crossing (Philadelphia Zoo) (2) • Primorsky Aquarium and Research Center • Asia and Cool Zoo2 (Audubon Nature Institute) • Houston Arrival Plaza (Houston Zoo) • North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoake Island • Kid’s Trek Play Area (Northwest Trek Wildlife Park)

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In a brief opening statement, Brad Andrews of SeaWorld, referred to a “tough year,” adding, “rough is good for you.”

Keynote speaker Cristián Samper, president and CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Society, overseeing what is said to be the world’s largest collection of urban parks including the Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium, shared sobering figures about human population growth, development, extinction and the loss of natural resources.

Samper pointed out that the 50% of the world’s 7 billion humans who live in cities are likely to experience nature only through zoos and aquariums, calling on conservationists to work with city planners and the agriculture sector, and to connect field conservation with the work of zoos and aquariums. According to Samper, zoos and aquariums are investing $160 million per year in conservation, “more than any government entity.” Citing 2,978 conservation projects in 127 countries, about half of those in North America, he indicated a need for rebalancing – that the projects emphasize mammals and birds when in fact turtles, primates and amphibians are the more endangered species.

Samper described the 96 Elephants project – a campaign that includes over 100 AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums, working to shut down the ivory markets and call attention to escalated poaching that is devastating the African Elephant population. He called on all AZA members to join the effort and to spread awareness stemming other, unsustainable rates of loss in animal populations.

Numerous conference sessions addressed these issues in more detail, including “The Elephant Poaching Crisis: How Action Can Turn the Tide,” “Join the Fight to Keep Giraffes in Africa,” “Conservation in our Backyards,” “Partnerships to Enhance Conservation Impact,” “Collaborative Zoo and Aquarium Regional Conservation,” and others.

Reframing the debate But while the AZA and IMATA communities fervently pursue their mission of conservation - and that mission has never been more urgent - they face considerable public relations obstacles. As Brad Andrews said, it’s been a tough year. In the panel discussion “Public Opinion Shapes Your Story,” Jill Allread, president of Public Communications Inc. exhorted the community to be more pro-active and take action quickly to reframe the debate. She pointed to the influence of the controversial documentary Blackfish and activist websites such as thedodo.com, and Millennials’ reliance on social media for their information. “You must address the issues,” she said, recommending the use of “simple, compelling messages,” “technology that connects,” and “making it personal.” As an example to illustrate her point, she described the turnaround in public sentiment that was helped by a refocusing in the same-sex marriage controversy. Harping on equality was replaced by an emphasis on love, family and children. Zoos and aquariums can and must, Allread said, “enter the discussion and own it. You have a better story.” • • •

Liquid Profits Operators discover the benefits of adding water

InPark News Editor Joe Kleiman dives into the discussion

A

dding and expanding water parks helps three park chains boost guest experience and surge to higher attendance and revenue. France-based Looping Group, US-based SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, and Australia-based Village Roadshow.

otherwise be interested in the ‘typical’ theme park experience. After all, a waterpark allows guests to spend much more time together than most theme parks.”

Interview with Arnaud Coste, COO of Looping Group:

“A recipe for both” - Looping Group How does a regional park differentiate itself within its market, and work to ensure repeat visitation of locals while also engaging tourists?

Looping Group, integrated waterpark attractions into the company’s existing theme parks.

Looping Group was founded in early 2011 when investment firm HIG Capital France purchased a portfolio of seven attractions from Compagnie des Alpes (CDA). Included in the sale were: Bagatelle Park, the Aquarium at Saint Malo, the Mini Château Park and Val de Loire Aquarium, all in France; the Bouveret waterpark in Switzerland; Avonturenpark Hellendoorn in the Netherlands; and Pleasurewood Hills in the United Kingdom. In 2012, Cobac Park in France was added and in 2013, Isla Magica in Sevilla, Spain joined the company’s portfolio.

Beginning in 2013, Looping Group worked in conjunction with Polin, a leading supplier of interactive water attractions, to integrate these new waterparks into two of its theme parks - Avonturenpark Hellendoorn and Isla Magica. According to Laurent Bruloy, CEO of Looping Group, “We know that these waterslides will help build guest loyalty because they are unique and thrilling.”

Guillermo Cruz, the General Manager of Isla Magica’s waterpark, Aqua Magica, adds another key benefit of the water attractions, “Waterslides and water play structure are appealing to families who might not

How has Compagnie des Alpes influenced Looping Group’s operational strategy?

Although CDA is no longer an investor in Looping Group, they influenced our strategy in a certain way in the beginning, mainly because they did such a great job at all their sites.

How does Looping Group differentiate itself from its Spanish competition?

We can say our business model is really a mix between CDA and the major Spanish companies (Parques Reunidos and Aspro for example) but is focused on regional parks. It means every operation is close to the local management.

You recently added full-scale waterparks with the assistance of Polin to two of your existing theme parks. How have these additions affected visitation numbers?

Waterparks / slideparks added to our existing theme parks significantly increased attendance and revenues of both Avonturenpark in Hellendoorn, Netherlands and Isla Magica in Sevilla, Spain.

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Why choose waterparks, given that the summer season in Europe is relatively short?

In Sevilla, we operate a real, full-scale waterpark in Southern European weather, and in Hellendoorn where we operate a slide park in Northern Europe with a very short peak season. Yet in both cases it’s clear the waterpark business model is a perfect tie-in with the theme park for improving profitability. We consider this to be at the heart of Looping Group’s innovation and what makes the difference between us and our competitors.

The waterparks are an upcharge experience on top of admission to the theme park. Why was this approach taken rather than operating them as a second gate? How has the guest response been to this strategy?

Asking about one or two gates is like asking “To be or not to be”… For economic reasons and based on our guest’s needs and experiences, the one-gate concept is better than a completely separate gate because visitors feel they are at an all-inclusive resort. But it depends on the market and in our case Isla Magica is different than Hellendoorn.

You have to choose between a lot of visitors (one gate/all-inclusive) or less (two gates/two rates) but with higher margin…We have a recipe that uses both…

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SEAWORLD re-themes and re-invents Another company that has found success integrating a waterpark inside a theme park is SeaWorld, which in 2012 transformed its existing Lost Lagoon waterpark in San Antonio into the company’s Aquatica brand. As part of the brand change, the waterpark changed from being free with admission to the main marine life park to imposing an upcharge.

According to Tim Morrow, Vice President of SeaWorld San Antonio and General Manager of Aquatica, “Re-theming of the existing areas of Lost Lagoon into the Aquatica brand was quite a challenge. We focused on keeping the attractions and areas that our guests loved and revitalizing them. We elected to keep many existing waterpark areas, and we basically doubled the size with many new attractions including first-of-their-kind slides, resort pools, swim-up bar, 42,000 square feet of white sand beaches, animals at every turn and much more. It truly became a new waterpark.”

The Aquatica parks are unique in their integration of live animals into the guest experience. Aquatica San Antonio took its cue from

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SeaWorld’s Discovery Cove, which Morrow refers to as “a hybrid waterpark” complete with elaborate animal interactions. “I was part of the opening team of Discovery Cove and wanted to bring that feel to Texas,” said Morrow. “We deliberately worked to create our Aquatica in Texas to have much of the aesthetics of both Discovery Cove and Aquatica Orlando. We really focused on the resort feel of a waterpark and especially the interactive aspects. Our reef and ray interaction and aviary are very similar to the past and present attractions at Discovery Cove.”

Morrow pointed out that Aquatica San Antonio is home to nearly 1,000 animals, including fish, stingrays, birds, tortoises and more. “We created Stingray Falls to allow guests to experience our Ke-Re Reef in multiple ways. Guest can view, touch, feed, ride underwater in a family raft ride, or get in the water and actually wade with stingrays.”

Roa’s Aviary, which opened in 2014, is an interactive, free flight aviary that features 50 species and some 300 birds, and offers many ways to experience the birds. Guests can float, walk or swim into the aviary through Loggerhead Lane river, enter through a resort pool or walk in through the aviary pathways.

One specific driver for the park is its dedication to cater to the family dynamic. Morrow elaborates on this strategy: “All of the new attractions we have added since we built Aquatica in 2012 have been family oriented. This is what our guests tell us they are looking for and we want them to have these shared experiences and memories here.”

Each Aquatica park has its own animal elements and attractions and the company is planning more overseas with its plans to expand the SeaWorld brands into a number of territories, including the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Asia, some of which is covered in the next segment.

Interview with Village Roadshow CEO Tim Fisher: A Wet ‘n’ Wild park is planned as part of the Ocean Paradise resort under construction on Hainan Island. Will this and other Asian parks under the Wet ‘n’ Wild brand resemble the new parks in Las Vegas and Sydney? What unique elements will there be?

Wet ‘n’ Wild Hainan is currently under construction as part of the Ocean Paradise resort. While there are similarities to our recent water park developments in Las Vegas and Sydney, all Wet ’n’Wild parks have their own style and character. This is one of the things that makes visiting a Wet ’n’Wild park a unique and enjoyable experience.

Does Village Roadshow have the rights to other parks in the South Korean resort area that will house the FOX World park?

Currently our primary focus is working with our partners on the development of Twentieth Century Fox World Korea. However, we look forward to being able to explore other opportunities within the market in the future.

Under the letter of intent with SeaWorld, how will ownership, design, and operation of new parks be split or shared between the two companies?

We continue to work with our colleagues at SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment to fully define details of our partnership in the China, India and Russia markets.

VILLAGE ROADSHOW – Taking the roadshow across Asia

With Hainan being the first, how many locations are feasible for Village Roadshow projects in China before the market starts to hit saturation?

Recently, as part of its international expansion strategy, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment signed a letter of intent with Australia’s Village Roadshow Parks to develop new parks in Asia, India, and Russia.

There are a number of great opportunities in the China market. We continue to be very excited about what the future holds for Village Roadshow Theme Parks in China, and the greater Asia market.

Already experienced in foreign park operations through investments in Wet ‘n’ Wild parks in Phoenix and Hawai’i, the company recently opened two new waterparks under the brand in Las Vegas and Sydney. Additionally, two waterparks are currently in the works in China: a Wet ‘n’ Wild park on Hainan Island which will adjoin Village Roadshow’s Ocean Paradise marine life park, both slated for a 2016 opening, and an unnamed waterpark in Gunaxi Provence.

What types of cultural considerations must be made for designing and operating parks outside the US and Australia?

We fully appreciate the cultural differences between countries, and the need to be sensitive to those differences in the various aspects of planning, design, product mix, and operation. As examples, we know that shows are preferred over rides in some Asian countries and there are distinct differences with regard to food preferences. • • •

Village Roadshow is also designing and will operate a Twentieth Century Fox-themed park in South Korea, and is presently in discussions for a number of projects in China and Malaysia.

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Around the World in 80 Slides Polin takes us on a journey around the globe to eight waterparks that opened or expanded in 2014 with their slides and water features in place. We will visit three continents and six countries, some of whom are new to the waterpark market.

Photos and captions courtesy of Polin

CN Amazone, Thailand Opened on October 3, 2014, Cartoon Network AMAZONE is a nod to the lush Amazon Rainforest while infusing the world’s most popular animated series and toon heroes including Ben 10, The Power Puff Girls, Johnny Bravo and The Amazing World of Gumball.

This one-of-a-kind waterpark features 30 breath-taking state of the art water rides and slides, live Cartoon Network entertainment shows, mascot meet and greets, thrill attractions and interactive water play fun for the entire family.

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Aqualand Maspolamas, Gran Canaria, Spain Aqualand Maspalomas kicked off its second season in a colossal way with the installation of one of the biggest waterslides in Europe-and the first of its kind in Spain: a Racer Twin Turbolance.

The waterpark in Las Palmas, a beach-resort city on the southernmost tip of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago, is part of the Aqualand waterpark chain, the largest in Europe. Owned by Aspro Group, the park is among 20 located across the continent in France, Portugal, Finland, Switzerland and Spain.

Cowabunga Bay Water Park, Las Vegas, USA Opened July 4 and sitting on 23 acres, the park features eight waterslides, three pools, three restaurants, cabanas and a family area just for children. Among its many attractions is the world’s first Surf Safari waterslide. Cowabunga Bay is marketing the ride under the name Wild Surf. Polin designed and created the attraction exclusively for Cowabunga Bay. The giant slide features a four-person raft that begins with a long, rushing trip through the dark followed by a dizzying 55-foot drop into the world’s largest manmade parabolic “wave.” Riders twist and turn along the ride’s path, speeding through unexpected changes in momentum until they shoot through the wave’s crest, get drenched by a water shower spilling from the lip of the wave and slide from side to side, forwards and backwards, before splashing into the pool below.

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H2O Waterpark, Rostov-on-don, Russia The waterpark is a part of the Horizon Megacenter Mall (also known as the Gorizont) after only five months of construction. The waterpark addition to the mall - the largest mall in Southern Russia - covers more than 24,000 square meters (78,740 square feet) with more than 6,000 square meters (64,583 square feet) devoted to the waterpark. While the mall offers a wide variety of amenities to patrons-including a multiplex cinema, a family entertainment complex, a bowling alley and a fitness center-owner NGO Gorizont LLC believed the new addition would be an important addition to the mall’s success. They invested 1.393 billion rubles (US$45 million) into the all-season complex, which accommodates up to 2,500 people and employs 160 people. Polin manufactured and supplied all waterslides in the park.

Pirates of the Cactus, Bodrum, Turkey Owned by the Cactus Hotels Group, Pirates of Cactus Waterpark opened in Bodrum, Turkey in June 2014. Located on 4,500 square meters (48,437 square feet), Pirates of the Cactus provides a range of aquatic attractions for all ages of family members. The waterpark features nine different slides, a children’s pool, a swimming pool, a wave pool, pool games, aerobics, competitions and terraces for relaxing. All food and beverage is included in the park’s entry fee.

Istralandia Waterpark, Istria, Croatia Owned by the construction firm Istrakop Ltd., a Poreč, Croatia-based company, the ground-breaking waterpark is located about an hour’s drive north of the city of Pula, near Brtonigla and Novigrad. It covers more than 8.1 hectares (20 acres) and exclusively features the award-winning waterslides of Polin Waterparks.

Istrakop spent €10 million (US$13.13 million) to build Istralandia and installed more than 1.2 kilometers (0.75 miles) of pipe beneath the park’s extensive grounds to supply the water that feeds the park’s 27-meterhigh (88.6-feet-high) waterslide and 2,500-squaremeter (26,910-square-foot) wave pool, the largest in the Mediterranean. The facility pulls its water from local groundwater wells and recycles 90 percent of it.

The additional 10 percent goes through a biological purifier.

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Santorini Water Fantasy, Cha-am, Thailand Santorini Water Fantasy is the new waterpark add-on to the existing Santorini theme park. The waterpark, as well as the existing amusement park and retail center, is located in the southern part of the Phetchaburi Province in central Thailand.

Sitting on about 4 acres (12 rai), the new waterpark has attracted increased numbers of guests to the area, which already drew up to 10,000 visitors a day before the waterpark opened. The aquatic options of Santorini Water Fantasy include a mix of rides. Designed by Polin Waterparks, the park features 12 water-play areas and can accommodate up to 3,500 guests. The park’s main attraction is its King Cobra waterslide.

Featuring bold red, black and white scales, the King Cobra’s impressive veneer extends along its massive 50-foot (15.24meter) height and 260-foot (790-meter) length.

Serra Palace, Antalya, Turkey The exclusive Club Calimera Serra Palace is located directly on the beach of Kizilot in Antalya. Spanning 1500 square meters, the hotel includes the largest water play structure (Pirate of the Ocean) in Turkey that is designed and manufactured by Polin.

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A Return to the Wet ‘n’ Wild

With WWA returning to Vegas for its annual conference, InPark decided to revisit Wet ‘n’ Wild Las Vegas for a look at what has helped the park succeed

by Judith Rubin, Martin Palicki and Jill Bibby

Last summer, Wet ‘n’ Wild Las Vegas opened and InPark took readers inside for a first look. (http://www.inparkmagazine. com/gettin-wild-in-las-vegas/). With the park completing a successful second season, we went back for a second look and conversation with the operators.

But first, a little history Wet ‘n’ Wild Las Vegas is a partnership between SPB Partners (a private equity fund managed by Roger and Scott Bulloch) and Village Roadshow Theme Parks (for more on Village Roadshow and their expansion plans, read our interview on p.21). Investors include Andre Agassi, Dr. Steven and Karen Thomas (Thomas & Mack Companies) and members of the Binion family. It opened May 25, 2013.

While not formally part of the ownership structure, Kevin Orrock of The Howard Hughes Company and Clark County District F Commissioner Susan Brager were instrumental in the development of Wet ‘n’ Wild Las Vegas. The land is being leased from The Howard Hughes Company LLC and is contiguous to a park controlled by Clark County.

According to Wet ‘n’ Wild Las Vegas General Manager Takuya Ohki, Howard Hughes owns most of the land in this area, and had earmarked a chunk of land for park or athletic field development.

With the county seeking a source of tax revenue, the deal with Village Roadshow was a win for everyone, taking half the land off Hughes’ hands for development, and providing tax revenue to the county which doesn’t have to develop or maintain the land.

Presentation matters Waterslides, says Ohki, are the “eye candy of the park” and a major part of the guest experience. He explained that to help keep the slides looking their best in Vegas’ unrelenting sun, Wet ‘n’ Wild opted to use SilkGel slides from WhiteWater, which come with a 10-year warranty against fading. “We ask WhiteWater to come to us with new technology for the park,” he says. “WhiteWater is a great partner to work with, and we provide a testing ground for them.” The park has recently been testing WhiteWater’s Slideboarding product, which will be available to attendees of the World Waterpark Association’s mixer on Wednesday, October 29th, 2014.

The Details of Defender Since Wet ‘n’ Wild uses the Defender filtration system, we asked the manufacturer, Neptune Benson’s Director of Marketing, Jill Bibby, to tell us more about the product.

What have the options been for water filtration?

Filtration and disinfection for attractions have changed dramatically over time. In years past, choices were limited to cartridge, diatomaceous earth (DE) and sand filters. Typically cartridge filters are hard to clean, expensive to replace and do not achieve the water quality you get when DE is used. DE, on the other hand, affords good water quality but is messy to work with and requires special disposal.

Sand filters tend to be user-friendly but have a large footprint and use extra energy and water for backwashing. For a waterpark in particular, the large number of sand filters required to do the job tends to take up quite a bit of space and consume a lot of water.

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2014 saw Wet ‘n’ Wild also add a major ProSlide feature: the ProSlide Tornado, designed for a shared thrill where guests can ride together and watch one another’s reactions as the raft navigates the slide.

Filtration and conservation

Waterparks serve community interests in more ways than one. “A season pass here is affordable compared to the cost of maintaining a pool at home, and a waterpark is a more efficient use of water resources than everyone having their own pool,” said Ohki.

The filtration system Wet ‘n’ Wild Las Vegas depends on is a Defender system from Benson Neptune. According to Ohki, the Defender is more commonly the choice of aquariums than waterparks, which tend to use sand filters. He reports that the Defender system filters to 2 microns as opposed to a typical sand filter’s 4 microns. He finds the performance, in terms of keeping the water clean and clear, worth the higher cost and declared, “I would not build a waterpark without Defender.”

The tech side

With water being a precious commodity in the desert, the park was designed to minimize water loss. Since evaporation is the primary enemy, the park stores excess water underground as much as possible. And instead of having a 3-4 foot deep pool at the end of slides, the park employs shallower run-outs that hold only about 12 inches of water and are sufficient to slow guests down at the end of the ride. Water that splashes from the run-outs flows through grates and to the filtration system and holding tanks. Ohki noted that the run-outs provide the additional benefit of reducing the height limit to 42 inches instead of the more common 48 inches.

Using digital signage systems for ticketing and in-park purchases allows the park to change prices and other information on the fly.

Ohki forecasts that the next round of park efficiency will usher in connected systems controls, rather than individual systems. He points to the Sydney Wet ‘n’ Wild (the newest park for Village Roadshow) as soon rolling out a single wristband for ticketing, queuing, purchases and more. Says Ohki, “We are the next to adopt [a wristband system] after Disney.” • • •

How does Defender work?

One of the other areas of financial benefit is the savings in energy, related to the reduced head or pressure loss in the system. In most cases, there is a drop of roughly 10’ TDH in an RMF designed system compared to sand. This is also related to the function of depth vs. surface filtration. Without having to push the water through the sand bed, the system pressure is favorably reduced lowering horsepower requirements and daily power consumption. While there is an up charge for the Defender (RMF) filters, some parks have realized paybacks in as little as one year.

The Neptune Benson Defender® filter utilizing regenerative media filtration (RMF) technology was an advancement in its ability to remove particles down to 1 micron in a single pass. The RMF system filters on the premise of surface filtration as compared to a depth filtration function with sand filters. With approximately 10 times the filter area in an RMF system, the dirt holding capacity was vastly improved compared to sand filters. Wet ‘n’ Wild’s Lazy River, Wave Pool and Children’s Play Area are all protected by Defender®.

What are the benefits and costs of the Defender system?

The primary benefits of the Defender filter start with a filter room footprint that is roughly ¼ of the space required by conventional sand filters. On a big park, this translates to major construction savings and possibly the option of including more attractions with the space savings. The technology of the design virtually eliminates the costly infrastructure of drainage systems and waste basins as required with sand filters. The unique design and operation of the RMF filter saves millions of gallons of water annually on average size parks due to the regeneration (bumping) process that dramatically prolongs the filter cycle. Some parks may achieve 3 week long filter cycles as compared to 1 day with sand filters. This translates to major savings in water, energy, waste and chemicals.

Wet ‘n’ Wild reflects the growing importance of technology infrastructure in parks. Ohki prefers revenue share systems with such vendors as Omniticket, which provides the park’s ticketing suite. “A revenue share gives the developer incentive to keep improving the product,” he says, noting that as a customer, he gets the benefit of feedback from the supplier’s entire client base, which tends to be reflected in software and system updates.

What else should facilities like Wet ‘n’ Wild consider when examining filtration systems?

Parks should think about, and account for, resources like water and wastewater, fuel and chemicals and electricity. The US average for water and sewer costs is $7 per 1,000 gallons. For electricity, it’s $0.08 to $0.12 per kilowatt hour. Fuel and chemicals include gas or oil for heating, chemicals for maintaining the water and storage for those chemicals.

Take a look at your facility’s footprint. Consider the labor costs to build or retrofit, your mechanical room space, backwash holding tanks and whether or not you are looking to earn LEED points or otherwise improve your facility’s environmental footprint. Finally don’t forget to take ongoing equipment maintenance into consideration. The systems you choose can have a dramatic impact not only for today but for tomorrow as well.

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TOP 20 WATER PARKS WORLDWIDE

2013 attendance figures PARK AND LOCATION

CHANGE

2013

2012

Published by the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) and the 2,172,000 Economics practice at CHIMELONG WATERPARK, Guangzhou, China 7.5% 2,021,000 AECOM, this excerpt highlights the top visited waterparks from around the world.

1 2

TYPHOON LAGOON AT DISNEY WORLD, Orlando, FL

2.0%

2,142,000

2,100,000

BLIZZARD AT DISNEY WORLD, Orlando, FL 2.0% 1,968,000 TOP 20BEACH WATER PARKS WORLDWIDE

1,929,000

4

OCEAN WORLD, Gangwon-Do South Korea

-1.2%

1,700,000

1,720,000

5

PARK ANDDOS LOCATION THERMAS LARANJAIS, Olimpia, Brazil

CHANGE 26.9%

2013 1,650,000

2012 1,300,000

1 6

CHIMELONG WATERPARK, Guangzhou, China CARIBBEAN BAY, Gyeonggi-Do, South Korea

7.5% 7.6%

2,172,000 1,623,000

2,021,000 1,508,000

2 7

TYPHOON LAGOON AT DISNEY WORLD, Orlando, FL AQUATICA, Orlando, FL

2.0% 1.0%

2,142,000 1,553,000

2,100,000 1,538,000

3 8

BLIZZARD BEACH AT DISNEY WORLD, Orlando, FL WET N WILD GOLD COAST, Austrailia,

2.0% 17.4%

1,968,000 1,409,000

1,929,000 1,200,000

4 9

OCEAN WORLD, Gangwon-Do South Korea WET 'N WILD, Orlando, FL

-1.2% 1.0%

1,700,000 1,259,000

1,720,000 1,247,000

26.9% 2.7%

1,650,000 1,189,000

1,300,000 1,158,000

3

5 THERMAS DOS LARANJAIS, Olimpia, Brazil 10 RESOM SPA CASTLE, Deoksan, South Korea 6

CARIBBEAN BAY, Gyeonggi-Do, South Korea

7.6%

1,623,000

1,508,000

7

AQUATICA, Orlando, FL

1.0%

1,553,000

1,538,000

8

WET N WILD GOLD COAST, Austrailia,

17.4%

1,409,000

1,200,000

9

WET 'N WILD, Orlando, FL

1.0%

1,259,000

1,247,000

2.7%

1,189,000

1,158,000

10 RESOM SPA CASTLE, Deoksan, South Korea

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PARK AND LOCATION

CHANGE

2013

2012

-7.7%

1,200,000

1,300,000

12 SUNWAY LAGOON, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

-8.3%

1,100,000

1,200,000

13 SHENYANG ROYAL HAWAII WATER PARK, Shenyang, China

10.0%

1,100,000

1,000,000

14 PISCILAGO, Girardo (Bogota), Colombia

0.2%

1,035,000

1,033,000

15 SCHLITTERBAHN, New Braunfels, TX

1.0%

1,027,000

1,017,000

16 WOONGJIN PLAYDOCI WATERDOCI, Gyeonggi-Do, South Korea

-0.6%

997,000

1,003,000

17 ATLANTIS WATER ADVENTURE, Jakarta, Indonesia

-2.0%

980,000

1,000,000

18 BEACH PARK, Aquiraz, Brazil

14.4%

964,000

843,000

19 SUMMERLAND, Tokyo , Japan

-5.2%

939,000

990,000

20 THE JUNGLE WATER ADVENTURE, Bogor, West Java

-7.5%

880,000

951,000

7.1%

26,887,000

25,100,000

11 AQUAVENTURE, Dubai, UAE

TOTAL Figure 3B

© 2014 TEA / AECOM

www.inparkmagazine.com

1731

TOP 20 WATER PARKS NORTH AMERICA Where are the top 20 water parks in North America?

1

2

PARK COLORADO, U.S.A. 9

2 PARKS

CALIFORNIA, U.S.A.

14 18

3 PARKS

PARKS OHIO, U.S.A.

12 11

10

3

PARKS TEXAS, U.S.A.

19 15 13

17 20

5

8

6

16

2

1 7

4

3

NORTH EAST U.S.A.

3 PARKS

SOUTH EAST U.S.A.

5 PARKS

FLORIDA, U.S.A.

VISITORS (MILLIONS) Up to 1 m 1 m–2m 2 m+ Figure 7A

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PARK AND LOCATION

CHANGE

2013

2012

DISNEY’S TYPHOON LAGOON AT DISNEY WORLD, Orlando, FL

2.0%

2,142,000

2,100,000

2

DISNEY’S BLIZZARD BEACH AT DISNEY WORLD, Orlando, FL

2.0%

1,968,000

1,929,000

3

AQUATICA, Orlando, FL

1.0%

1,553,000

1,538,000

4

WET 'N’ WILD, Orlando, FL

1.0%

1,259,000

1,247,000

5

SCHLITTERBAHN, New Braunfels, TX

1.0%

1,027,000

1,017,000

6

WATER COUNTRY USA, Williamsburg, VA

-2.9%

726,000

748,000

7

ADVENTURE ISLAND, Tampa, FL

-2.0%

638,000

651,000

8

SCHLITTERBAHN, Galveston,TX

0.0%

546,000

546,000

9

HYLAND HILLS WATER WORLD, Denver, CO

0.0%

538,000

538,000

10

SIX FLAGS-HURRICANE HARBOR, Arlington, TX

2.0%

518,000

11

SIX FLAGS-WHITE WATER, Marietta, GA

0.0%

505,000

505,000

12

WET ‘N' WILD, Phoenix, AZ

2.4%

472,000

461,000

13

SIX FLAGS HURRICANE HARBOR, Jackson, NJ

1.9%

432,000

424,000

14

RAGING WATERS, San Dimas, CA

-5.6%

423,000

448,000

15

SPLISH-SPASH, Riverhead, NY

-5.5%

411,000

435,000

16

WET ‘N' WILD EMERALD POINT, Greensboro, NC

-2.0%

398,000

406,000

17

SOAK CITY CEDAR POINT, Sandusky, OH

-6.0%

379,000

403,000

18

KNOTT'S SOAK CITY USA, Buena Park, CA

5.1%

368,000

350,000

19

CAMELBEACH, Tannersville, PA

0.0%

367,000

367,000

20

ZOOMEZI BAY, Powell, OH

-7.5%

360,000

389,000

-2.3%

15,030,000

15,386,000

TOTAL

© Disney

1

508,000

Figure 7B

-2.3%

15.0m

15.4m

2013–12 top 20 water parks North America attendance growth

2013 top 20 water parks North America attendance

2012 top 20 water parks North America attendance

© 2014 TEA / AECOM

www.inparkmagazine.com

3333

TOP 10 WATER PARKS LATIN AMERICA Where are the top 10 water parks in Latin America?

1 PARK 5

2 PARKS

THE BAHAMAS

9

8

MEXICO

1

4

PARK GUATEMALA

1 PARK

2

COLOMBIA

3

10 1 6

VISITORS (MILLIONS) Up to 1 m 1 m–2 m 2 m+ Figure 8A

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7

5 PARKS BRAZIL

PARK AND LOCATION

2013

1

THERMAS DOS LARANJAIS, Olimpia, Brazil

1,650,000

2

PISCILAGO, Girardo (Bogota), Colombia

1,035,000

3

BEACH PARK, Aquiraz, Brazil

964,000

4

PARQUE ACUATICO XOCOMIL, San Martín Zapotitlán, Retalhuleu, Guatemala

786,000

5

BAHAMAS AQUAVENTURE WATER PARK, Paradise Island , Bahamas

450,000

6

WET 'N WILD SAO PAULO, São Paulo, Brazil

395,000

7

RIO WATER PLANET, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

350,000

8

PARQUE ACUATICO EL ROLLO, Morelos, Mexico

300,000

9

WET 'N WILD, Cancun, Mexico

250,000

10 HOT PARK RIO QUENTE, Caldas Novas, Brazil TOTAL

250,000 6,430,000

Figure 8B

6.4m 2013 top 10 water parks Latin America attendance

© 2014 TEA / AECOM

www.inparkmagazine.com

3535

TOP 15 WATER PARKS ASIA-PACIFIC Where are the top 15 water parks in Asia-Pacific?

6

3 PARKS

CHINA

2 3 8 5 14 13

1

1 PARK

MALAYSIA

3

1 PARK 10

JAPAN

5 PARKS

SOUTH KOREA

1 PARK 7

SINGAPORE 15 9 12 11

PARKS INDONESIA

4

VISITORS (MILLIONS) Up to 1 m 1 m–2m 2 m+ Figure 10A

3644

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1 PARK

AUSTRALIA

PARK AND LOCATION

CHANGE

2013

2012

7.5%

2,172,000

2,021,000

-1.2%

1,700,000

1,720,000

7.6%

1,623,000

1,508,000

17.4%

1,409,000

1,200,000

1

CHIMELONG WATERPARK, Guangzhou, China

2

OCEAN WORLD, Gangwon-Do South Korea

3

CARIBBEAN BAY, Gyeonggi-Do, South Korea

4

WET ‘N’ WILD GOLD COAST, Austrailia,

5

RESOM SPA CASTLE, Deoksan, South Korea

2.7%

1,189,000

1,158,000

6

ROYAL HAWAII WATER PARK, Fushun, China

10.0%

1,100,000

1,000,000

7

SUNWAY LAGOON, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

-8.3%

1,100,000

1,200,000

8

WOONGJIN PLAYDOCI WATERDOCI, Gyeonggi-Do, South Korea

-0.6%

997,000

1,003,000

9

ATLANTIS WATER ADVENTURE, Jakarta, Indonesia

-2.0%

980,000

1,000,000

10 SUMMERLAND, Tokyo, Japan

-5.2%

939,000

990,000

11

THE JUNGLE WATER ADVENTURE, Bogor, West Java

-7.5%

880,000

951,000

12

OCEAN PARK WATER ADVENTURE, Jakarta, Indonesia

6.7%

800,000

750,000

13

PLAYAMAYA WATER PARK, Wuhan, China (new)

NA

740,000

NA

7.4%

685,000

638,000

NA

648,000

NA

6.0%

16,962,000

15,999,000

14 RESOM OCEAN CASTLE, Chungcheongnam-Do, South Korea 15 ADVENTURE COVE WATERPARK, Singapore (new) TOTAL Figure 10B

6.0%

17.0m

16.0m

2013–12 top 15 water parks Asia-Pacific

2013 top 15 water parks Asia-Pacific attendance

2012 top 15 water parks Asia-Pacific attendance

© 2014 TEA / AECOM

www.inparkmagazine.com

4537

The Art of COST

by Martin Palicki InPark’s editor-in-chief does a little Midwestern bonding and pays a visit to COST of Wisconsin

B

ehind the fantasy facades and intricate rockwork that are integral to so many guest experiences at theme parks, waterparks, zoos, and casinos, there’s a team of talented artists and artisans. Now in its third generation of family ownership, COST of Wisconsin (COST) has fine-tuned a specialized team to support the visitor attractions market with fabrication and construction services.

The company started out in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1957, creating rock environments for the Milwaukee County Zoo, and quickly began adding more construction services to its portfolio. As the company expanded in response to increasing demand, it moved from Milwaukee to Germantown and then to its current headquarters, Jackson (all in Southeast Wisconsin). Convenient shipping logistics are one of the advantages the company enjoys in its central US location. COST also has offices in Seattle, Orlando, and Winnipeg.

Touring the Wisconsin shop with Executive V.P. Lance L. Stanwyck, we learned that it covers 140,000 square feet and the company has

200 full time employees. The recent economic downturn has had an impact, but mostly in terms of which markets are flourishing. “We did a lot of casino work until 2007,” said Stanwyck. But as that market slowed down, zoo and museum work started to increase. Stanwyck attributed the rise to revenue sources shifting from government funding to attendance fees. Zoos and museums have been upgrading their facilities, recognizing the need for more themed environments to entice visitors. [See InPark’s AZA report on page 18 for more information about new exhibition directions at zoos and aquariums.]

The theme park market is also picking up. We saw solid evidence of this first-hand on the COST shop floor, in the form of giant Roman columns being fabricated. (They were later installed at the entrance of Six Flags Great America’s new Goliath roller coaster.)

COST of Wisconsin divides up its core services into three groups: Fabrication (25%), Shop Drawings & Fabrication (50%) and Design/ Build (25%). “Clients come to us for more than just building things,” said Stanwyck.

The company is especially proud of its model work. Even with digital technologies advancing, oftentimes a scale model is still the best option for determining how an area will look and function when complete. Scale models are not only used for approvals, they serve as a construction tool for fabrication and construction. “Knowing a project works in model form saves cost and time down the line,” said Chris Foster, VP, Sales and Marketing.

The company also uses technology to supplement artistic skills, recently acquiring a 5-axis cutter to carve out complex designs. But will there be a time when the artist disappears from the equation?

Could 3D printing change the formula? “The blending of artistry with technology is a great marriage,” said Stanwyck. “We will never get to the point where artists are not necessary. Whether the artist carves a model or the final piece, you still need an artist.”

On the consumer side, Stanwyck feels the technology we all have in our pockets has changed things. Our cultural attention shift towards phones has led us to interact directly with one another less. But it seems that has, in an ironic way, helped boost the demand for highquality fabrication and sculpture. “The most popular attractions are those where guests move through an actual environment,” said Stanwyck. “A virtual stimulus is never as effective as a natural one.”

That enduring need for placemaking has helped COST of Wisconsin survive and thrive over more than half a century of doing business.

The team at COST also credits their focus on pleasing the customer as a major factor in the company’s success. As Jon J. Stanwyck, president of COST says, “If the client’s dream is met, then my goal is accomplished.” • • •

Visit us at WWA Booth #617