Photo courtesy of Great Wolf Resorts
Great Wolf Resorts Inc. has closed on the purchase of the Water Park of America in Bloomington as the company offered more details Tuesday about its plans to remake the family attraction.
Great Wolf purchased the water park and attached Radisson hotel for $39.1 million, according to a recently available electronic certificate of real estate value.
The complex, which is located near the Mall of America, was shuttered on Jan. 31 for renovations and will reopen as Great Wolf Lodge Minnesota. Great Wolf would only say the facility would reopen next winter though city planning documents indicated the refurbishing of the complex was to be completed in November.
While Great Wolf, one of the nation's largest operators of water parks, started in Wisconsin Dells and has locations across the country, it will be its first resort in Minnesota.
"Our paw print is expanding across the country, and we are excited to open our next Great Wolf Lodge in Minnesota," said Rubén A. Rodríguez, Great Wolf's chief executive, in a statement. "With a large number of tourists and its close proximity to the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul area, Bloomington is the ideal location for a Great Wolf Lodge."
The hotel and water park had been owned by an affiliate of Wheelock Street Capital, a Connecticut-based real estate investment firm.
Plans for the 75,000-square-foot indoor water park include Fort Mackenzie, a multilevel water fort treehouse, Crooked Creek lazy river, and other rides. The park will also have a full-service entertainment center complete with a ropes course, arcade, bowling alley and more. Kids will be able to play the MagiQuest live-action game and enjoy ice cream-themed manicures and pedicures at Scooops Kid Spa.
Great Wolf Lodge Minnesota will also have several branded dining options, including the Loose Moose Family Kitchen and Barnwood, a new restaurant concept that will serve small plates and cocktails.
Admission to the water park will be exclusive to guests who stay in the 404-room hotel.
