Funworld April 2010

On the Shores of Music City

Why two industry veterans took interest in Nashville Shores Waterpark—and what they plan to do with it
by Marion Hixon

In November 2009, Kieran Burke, former chairman and chief executive officer of Six Flags Inc., and Gary Story, former president and chief operating officer of Six Flags Inc., formed Nashville Shores Holdings LLC and purchased Nashville Shores Waterpark (www.nashvilleshores.com). The 385-acre facility, entering its 13th season, sits on J. Percy Priest Lake, 10 miles from downtown Nashville.

The move sparked curiosity, as the two have only had peripheral involvement in the attractions industry since leaving Six Flags in 2005 and 2004, respectively. “Gary and I have been looking for special opportunities on which we could work together again,” Burke says.

“The previous owners felt like it was the right time to sell, as well as the right type of buyer for the property,” says Martin Strobel, general manager of Nashville Shores since 2005. “They felt that Burke and Story’s expertise in the industry and their means to improve the facility were the right fit.”

Now the two former executives from one of the world’s largest park chains are inspired by a small, quality attraction in an opportune location. Story says the Nashville market’s potential was especially appealing because of its familial nature and the many businesses in middle Tennessee. He also points out the area is not oversaturated with water attractions, as there is only one other, a city-owned facility in Nashville. “Since the closing of Opryland Themepark, there’s been something of a void of summer family recreation opportunities,” he says. “Nashville is a terrific market, and this is a very nice asset located in a particularly beautiful and serene spot. Nashville Shores has an opportunity to be the biggest and the best in middle Tennessee.”

Come May 22, 2010, a revitalized Nashville Shores Waterpark will open under the same management, but with renovations supported by Burke and Story. Their plan is to grow the waterpark into a top-rated family recreation destination, starting with two major additions: a wave pool and a lazy river. “They’re two components any world-class waterpark needs in its arsenal,” Story says.

Strobel agrees, saying the additions will help complete the park and the facility is ready for a growth spurt. “Every year, the product and value we provide guests has gotten better,” he says. “And now we plan to keep progressing and become a first-class waterpark.”

A Full-Blown Waterpark
Strobel says the two new attractions are the most requested by guests in past surveys. “But what we’re doing is much more than a facelift,” he says. “We’re doubling the size of the park.”

Design and construction group Aquatic Development Group leads both projects, and they are on schedule for opening day. The wave pool is approximately 25,000 square feet, and the lazy river will be 17 feet wide and more than 1,000 feet long.

With the new attractions, management is hoping to draw more people from its core family demographic. “With all the exciting changes and additions at the park this year, we’ve added additional resources to our advertising schedule,” Strobel says. “And we hope to attract guests from farther distances away than we have in the past.”

More Renovations and Resources
While the new wave pool and lazy river are sure to steal most of the spotlight, Burke and Story’s financial backing is apparent in the strategic improvements being made throughout the rest of the park. The food and beverage program will experience significant changes with the additions of a new full-service restaurant, a tiki bar with a menu including adult beverages, and an additional snack location. A new nautical seaport theme will help unify the park’s amenities, and new bathrooms and lockers will be installed before the season opens. One of the larger improvements is an additional 30,000 square feet of lounge and deck space.

“With the new capital improvements and guest enhancements in other areas of the park, we feel confident guests will be blown away with the new Nashville Shores,” Strobel says, noting he’s already received positive feedback. “By delivering these products in our first year—and keeping season pass prices the same—we’ve received tremendous support from guests, the city, the business community, and the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau.”

Threefold Fortunes
While Nashville Shores’ main attraction is the waterpark, the facility also has a campground and 310-slip boat marina on site. Story and Burke plan on additions to these assets in the coming years and recognize the potential the two amenities provide by allowing guests to stay overnight and turn a single-day visit into a multiday vacation.

“It is essential for our growth to connect the waterpark, the lodging, and the marina in different ways,” says Strobel.

He and Story count the beautiful location of the park— the stunning lake view and natural canopy of mature hardwood trees—as a definite factor in attracting visitors. That quality alone has already helped rapidly grow special events and group outings. In the past few years, Nashville Shores has grown to include more than 20 group event sites that host concerts, large company picnics, extravagant weddings, and more.

Management hopes the park’s rare setting and multiple attractions will create a new kind of experience for both locals and tourists. “We encourage Nashville Shores visitors to enjoy many of the other great attractions in Nashville,” Strobel says. “Middle Tennessee attracts more than 10 million visitors per year, and we hope to have as many tourists as possible visit us while they are in town. We want to take people’s breath away when they walk into the new Nashville Shores.”

Contact Departments Editor Marion Hixon at mhixon@IAAPA.org.