Indoor waterpak slated for Gurnee, Six Flags Great America announcement coming next week

Indoors??? Can you say attendance boost for Great America!!

Well now that that's almost out in the open & once SFGRADV announces their new toy for 05 we should soon see a few other SF parks announcing their 05 plans as well.

I don't think they plan on building SFGRAM's waterpark indoors....the owner of the land adjacent to the SFGRAM wants to build an indoor waterpark of his own as part of the hotel mentioned in the article.

How does that indoor waterpark convention center give Great America an attendance boost?

Well do you think anyone is going to stay in Gurnee just for the water park?

I don't see a lack of current hotels in the Gurnee area to accomodate the guests of Great America. Plus if this is like the Great Wolf Lodge in the Dells or one those other ones that has a water park, I would be spending my time at that hotel and not going to Great America, since the water park is included in the price of the hotel room($300+ a night).

People don't spend a lot of money on a room so they can sit in it all day.

People go to the Wisc. Dells which isnt a mecca of activity(unless you love tacky) for the sole purpose of spending the whole day being in the wapterpark. When you pay alot of money to go to Great Wolf/Wilderness/Kalahri you will spend most or all of your day at the hotel. It sounds from the size of the waterpark that it will be smaller than these 3 hotels so it will be interesting to see what they charge for a night.

I don't think people will just stay in the hotel. Gurnee Mills is a huge shopping mall that is very aesthetically pleasing. SFGAm is a great theme park, one of the best operated in the SF chain and one of the largest coaster collections in the U.S. Many conventions that come during operating months may get admission group rates to attend during off meeting days, or for their family members. At Universal Studios, many guests who stay at my hotel (Hard Rock) for conventions attend the parks in large groups. Even if the admission and food are paid for by the company, the parks are still getting the money, and it is good marketing for additional word of mouth, not that these large parks need any help.

I think this will be a great pull for Gurnee, and possibly will lead to deals with a hotel/park admission rate (the article didn't say that)