Poconos indoor water parks doubling in 2015 with $400 million investment

Camelback Lodge provided this fall 2014 photo of its Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark under construction ahead of an expected spring 2015 opening in Tannersville, Pennsylvania. (Courtesy Photo)

In 2015, Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains will make a strong argument as the indoor water park capital of the East Coast.

"I don't know about (of) the world yet," said Carl Wilgus, president and CEO of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau. "We are definitely having some major infrastructure in that industry coming on board."

Wilgus cautions against overlooking the Poconos' wintertime activities, but the water park fun expanding in 2015 is yearround. The region boasts two indoor parks already open: Great Wolf Lodge since October 2005 and Split Rock Resort H20ooohh! Indoor Family Waterpark since October 2008.

This coming year, Camelback Lodge Aquatopia Indoor Water Park, a $163 million addition to the outdoor Camelbeach Water Park open now during warmer months, is scheduled to open in spring followed in summer by the $230 million Kalahari Resorts and Conventions.

All offering overnight accommodations, the four indoor mazes of pools, slides and other novelties are separated by about 15 miles, with the closest about 25 miles from Easton.

Wilgus said he believes the market is there for all four to be successful.

"We are within a couple hours' drive of the No. 1 and No. 4 largest markets, with New York City and Philadelphia," he said, noting that water parks offer "universal appeal" to young and old. "One to 2 percent of the population are skiers, 2 to 3 percent are golfers, but upward of 85 percent are potential visitors to water parks. ... All you have to do is show up and have a swimsuit."

Beyond the four indoor water parks, Wilgus said other resorts in the Poconos have also invested in aquatic attractions, including a $6 million entertainment center with indoor pool at Mount Airy Casino Resort.

"We are very interested to see them come online and be successful," Wilgus said of the new indoor parks. "We're fully convinced that this incoming tide will float all boats."

Blue Mountain Ski Area in Lower Towamensing Township, Carbon County, also announced plans for a water park. Those plans have evolved after the final permit was secured, and Blue Mountain is redesigning plans into a multi-use facility that would feature both a hot springs-style pool and ice-skating in winter and activity pool in summer, said Barb Green, president at Blue Mountain.

The ski area has a $500,000 state grant to develop a plant that would generate heat and power for the water park and other operations on site, Green said; Blue Mountain is eying a spring 2017 opening.

Source: Lehigh Valley Live