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Darien Lake Pours Millions into Waterpark

by James Fink

March 30, 2010

The addition of a multi-million waterpark and other amenities has prompted Darien Lake Theme Park to create a park within a park.

Darien Lake, this spring, will be debuting a five-acre addition to its existing waterpark and calling both the existing space as well as the new attractions “SplashTown Water Park.” The new attractions include a series of water slides and rides its “Swirl City” complex, some of which peak at 41.5 feet tall and run 530 linear feet. Those additions are the centerpiece of a nearly $10 million investment Parc Management LLC, the park's Jacksonville, Fla.-based owners, is making in the popular Genesee County facility.

The Genesse County Economic Development Center, earlier this month, approved an incentive package covering the $7 million worth of new rides in the waterpark. Darien Lake’s full plans were revealed Tuesday morning.

In addition, two other attractions — a “Flotation Station” and “Lazy Days Lagoon” — will also open this year in the expanded and renamed waterpark.

Also in the works is the conversion of 10 rooms in Darien Lake’s Lodge into “Forts-O-Fun” themed rooms that offer children in-room, fort-themed play and sleep space along with such amenities as Playstation 3.

Darien Lake is also installing 24 “Brown Bear Cabins” in its campgrounds that allow visitors to have such modern conveniences as cable TV and wi-fi, but also enjoy the traditional campgrounds ambiance.

“Forts-O-Fun” and Brown Bear Cabins will debut when the park opens on May 8. SplashTown and its new attractions open, weather permitting, on Memorial Day weekend.

Collectively, the new waterpark and lodging additions represent the largest investment in Darien Lake in the past decade and is expected to increase its attendance.

“Theme parks need new attractions every couple of years to keep things fresh,” said Lynn Freeman, Genesee County Chamber of Commerce president. “It keeps bringing people back.”

Freeman said Darien Lake is the major tourism driving point in Genesee County, with some estimates pegging its annual economic impact at more than $275 million.

Freeman said he expects to lure of the new waterpark rides and attractions could give Darien Lake a 15 percent to 20 percent increase in attendance this year - and beyond.

“It adds another arrow,” he said.

Chris Thorpe, Darien Lake general manager, said the new additions will make Darien Lake’s water park “comparable with any in the country.”

Darien Lake visitors will have the option of buying an all-access admission ticket that includes the amusement and water parks for $39.99 per person or a water park only admission ticket of $29.99 per person.

Thorpe hinted that Darien Lake will be adding additional water park and amusement rides in the coming years.

“This is all part of the natural evolution of Darien Lake and taking the park to the next step,” Thorpe said.
 

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