Thermal Beach Club Will Bring Oceanside Living to Coachella Valley with Phase I Opening of Luxury Residential Development and 20-Acre Surf/Swim Amenity in December 2024

Thermal Beach Club by WhiteStar Development, a planned multi-generational private residential community, has passed important milestones in its design stages to break ground this summer with an expected December 2024 opening. As the first of its kind in the U.S., the development’s central 20-acre lake will boast authentic inland surfing as well as offer leisure water recreational activities to the residents of the 326 luxury homes surrounding it. This simulated ocean experience was designed and engineered by Florida-based Martin Aquatic Design & Engineering using the company’s patent-pending Blue Mar Basins™ system.

“After years of planning, we are thrilled to announce publicly the progress we’ve made in bringing the dream of Thermal Beach Club to a reality,” said Brian Grantham, co-founder of the project. “This project will not only be a catalyst for the real estate and surfing industries, but it will also be transformative for the local community in terms of job creation, infrastructure improvements, and overall economic growth.”

Located on 118 acres in the greater Palm Springs area, Thermal Beach Club has already received UNANIMOUS approval from the Riverside County Board of Supervisors for this billion-dollar project. In addition, the development has proposed regional enhancements such as clean water, park creation, and infrastructure upgrades.

With islands, private cabanas, a family splash area, towering rock caves, as well as on-demand surf, there is an abundance of amenities to appeal to any generation. “We’ve designed the basin at Thermal Beach Club with every possible water experience in mind—and then some,” said Josh Martin, president & creative director of Martin Aquatic. “Active-minded individuals can explore the entire basin by kayak or stand up paddleboard, while those seeking a more relaxing experience can rest along the shores or in the ankle-deep water of sunshelves. We’ve also built in special hidden moments for members to discover like an island speakeasy bar and cliff jumps out of the rockwork.”

The main feature of Thermal Beach Club is a multi-faceted 20-acre recreational water sports lake. A portion of the water sports lake contains surfing zones that use one of the premier wave-making systems in the industry. This will be the first man-made, recreational water sports amenity in the U.S. which includes a surf lagoon within it, rather than the more typical standalone surfing attractions being built around the world.

“We are delivering an authentic ocean surfing experience alongside an unrivaled beach experience, combining adventure and leisure in one place—all while 150 miles from the Pacific Ocean,” said Grantham. “And with the surf lagoon integrated into the larger body of water, this will categorically change the way developers envision future projects.”

Surfing at Thermal Beach Club will cater to every skill level from beginners to experts at the same time thanks to the wave technology and the shape of the basin. Mirror image waves—both left breaking and right breaking—will create 10 simultaneous surf zones based on varying wave types, some reaching heights of up to seven feet and offering rides up to 35 seconds. Additionally, two standalone stationary surf zones at the opposite end of the lake will further diversify the surf offering within the amenity.

In addition to the onsite amenities within the basin and around the site such as spa and fitness center, sport courts, pro shop, clubhouse pool and swim-up bar, dining facilities and more, members will have access to multiple off-site amenities. Thermal Beach Club has approved a deal for member access to 9 PGA WEST courses and amenities, as well as quarterly car/track experience(s) at BMW Performance Center, equestrian facilities, and use of the Thermal Airport only three miles away.

Project Status and History
Fully entitled and past major development milestones, Thermal Beach Club is on target to meet its construction timelines. The planning for this project has been years in the making, after the development team opened escrow in the summer of 2016. By 2021, Thermal Beach Club had cleared the public challenge period for the entire project including secured water rights for the 20-acre recreational water sport lake. As of March 8, 2023 there is no debt on the land or entitlements, with working capital in hand to complete the construction engineering and planning for the initial phase.

“As the project moves forward, we’re currently seeking accredited investors who share in our vision to participate in the construction capital round,” said Grantham. “Everything is on track to be pushing waves by the end of 2024.”

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