January 13, 2025
Kalahari Resorts & Conventions Plans 75,000 SF Indoor Waterpark Expansion
Featuring innovative WhiteWater attractions, the new waterpark area at the Wisconsin Dells resort was designed and engineered by Martin Aquatic and is housed in a retractable roof OpenAire enclosure.
Kalahari Resorts & Conventions in Wisconsin Dells will invest $85 million on a new indoor waterpark expansion, cementing its title of America’s Largest Indoor Waterparks. Planned to open in Fall of 2026, the expansion covers 75,000 square feet, combining leisure pools, thrilling waterslides, and kid-friendly attractions all under a retractable glass roof.
"Kalahari could not be more excited to announce this indoor waterpark expansion in the Wisconsin Dells, the Waterpark Capital of the World," said Todd Nelson, CEO, owner, and founder of Kalahari Resorts in a recent news announcement. “With new slides, pools, a swim-up bar, spas, and more, there's something for every member of the family to enjoy!”
The waterpark was designed by Martin Aquatic, a world-class aquatic firm, which brought together all new guest attractions by WhiteWater, a leading waterpark manufacturer. Two new waterslides are both six-person raft slides: the Wild Wildebeest, the world’s first Covered Boomerango which extends outside of the park’s glass walls; and the Green Python, an exciting watercoaster slide with an uphill section. A familiar attraction—the headfirst Cheetah Mat Racers—appears at other Kalahari properties, however, the rides coming to Wisconsin Dells have engaging new features from WhiteWater. The slides themselves are two Parallel Pursuits, which include conjoined sections with low separating walls where you can see and hear your fellow competitors. Each with its own curves and drop profiles, Cheetah Mat Racers offers four unique ride experiences that guests can try again and again. These new waterslide attractions start from a platform 70 feet tall, providing exciting thrills for the whole family. More children’s waterslides by WhiteWater will be found in the expansion’s Coral Cove Kiddie Slide Pool, which features seven themed slides entering a shallow landing pool.
“Kalahari wanted attractions that packed a punch, and our designers worked very closely with them to create surprising ride experiences not found anywhere else in the world,” said Onno Meeter, President, Water Parks at WhiteWater. “With the thrill rides complementing gentle slides in the beautifully themed kids’ area, we can’t wait to hear what guests have to say when the expansion opens.”
Along with the waterslides, Martin Aquatic designed the expansion to include the nearly 10,000-square-foot Watering Hole Pool, which offers guests a beach-styled zero-entry and tanning ledges with in-water lounge chairs. This main pool anchors the new waterpark area, with rentable cabanas right at the water’s edge. Adults will also be interested in the Lost Lagoon Spa Pool and The Grotto adult swim-up bar, which allows an outdoor, seasonal element to enjoy on warmer days.
As the waterpark capital of the world, Wisconsin Dells hosts a number of outdoor waterpark properties in the summer months, too, which makes this new indoor/outdoor expansion perfect all year round. The entire retractable roof enclosure can open at the push of a button to let in the fresh air, offering a natural climate above the new pools. This structure can also close during inclement weather, a technology pioneered by OpenAire, a leading designer and manufacturer of retractable roof buildings. The new indoor/outdoor waterpark building will feature the largest retractable roof at any Kalahari Resorts property and will be the first retractable roof waterpark in the Dells. In addition, this will be the first all-aluminum waterpark building in the Wisconsin Dells, serving as a nod to new technological advancements in building construction and engineering. This enclosure will include a cupola that soars up to 90 feet tall with incredible views through the glass walls to the surrounding area.
“While we have worked with the Kalahari team on other sites, this project in the Wisconsin Dells marks a turning point for our team,” said Mark Albertine, President of OpenAire. “We are pleased to offer a unique maintenance-free, corrosion-proof building to the team at Kalahari that will allow them to focus less on building maintenance and more on guest experience. We are confident that the introduction of fresh air and sunshine to this new venue will secure its position as the best park in the Dells, year-round.”
All three companies, WhiteWater, Martin Aquatic, and OpenAire, collaborated on the award-winning Island Waterpark at Showboat Hotel Atlantic City that featured 100,000 square feet of space within a retractable roof enclosure. Since opening in 2023, Island Waterpark has already been named one of the top ten best indoor waterparks by USA Today.
With ground already being cleared for this new expansion, the entire aquatic development will be constructed by Neuman Pools, which built the waterparks at two of the most recently opened Kalahari Resorts in Pocono Manor, Pennsylvania (opened in 2015) and in Round Rock, Texas (opened in 2020).
