Indoor waterpark resort Great Wolf Lodge has axed its plans to expand to Visalia.
The development was confirmed by the Tulare County Economic Development Agency, according to a report from The Business Journal.
The big picture: Great Wolf Lodge had been looking at a project expected to deliver $2 billion in economic impact located at the Sequoia Gateway Commerce Center near Highway 99.
- The project would have consisted of a 500-700 room resort and an indoor water park.
- Great Wolf Lodge had initially proposed the development in January 2022 and was expected to break ground this year with an opening date set for 2025.
The backstory: Last year the Tulare County Board of Supervisors approved an $87 million economic incentive package.
- The package offered a 15-year rebate of bed taxes for the resort, something that Great Wolf Lodge said at the time was necessary for the project to be able to move forward.
- Tulare County would have received a projected $33 million from the transient occupancy tax on the resort.
What they’re saying: The decision is a matter of timing for Great Wolf Lodge, which is focused on developing locations at the moment.
- “As we look to expand the Great Wolf Lodge experience to more families, our current priorities are to continue investing in our existing resorts, successfully open the resorts currently under construction and pursue growth in areas most under-served by Great Wolf Lodge,” the company said in a statement. “Understanding these priorities, and with another interested buyer, we have reached mutually agreeable terms with the landowner in Tulare County to terminate our agreement.”
