A $163 million construction project at Camelback Lodge & Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark in Tannersville is now complete. The owners hosted a tour of the new additions Thursday in preparation for a May 1 launch.
Aside from Aquatopia, the interconnected facility includes Arcadia, an indoor game space, and an eight-story, 453-suite hotel with 24 room styles plus one-, two- and three-bedroom condo units, several restaurants, a 20,000-square-foot flexible conference/meeting center, a 10,000-square-foot spa and several retail spaces.
Since buying Camelback Mountain Resort in 2005, co-owners Ken Ellis and Arthur Berry III have been making investments in the property. The latest marks a significant overhaul of the Pocono resort.
The owners broke ground on the project in 2013, but had been planning to build a hotel and indoor water park for 10 years, taking Camelback from a two- and three-season property since the 1990s into a year-round resort, Ellis said this morning.
THOUSANDS OF GUESTS, EMPLOYEES
“We felt the hotel and indoor water park would make it a true, four-season resort,” Ellis said. “We are looking at another 400,000 guests that would stay at the hotel over a year’s time.”
Camelback already attracts about 900,000 people per year who use other facilities such as the outdoor waterpark, snowtubing, ziplining and ski areas, he said.
With about 2,500 full and part-time employees, Camelback is adding about 650 full- and part-time employees with the opening of the lodge and indoor water park, Ellis said.
YEAR-ROUND WATERPARK
At 125,000 square feet, Aquatopia is Camelback Mountain Resort’s first indoor waterpark and features a Texlon roof that lets in natural sunlight to allow for year-round indoor tanning.
The waterpark includes seven pools, 13 waterslides and several water attractions, including a massive wave pool, lazy river and surfing simulator, as well as a water coaster and a family raft ride that combines three waterslide experiences into one slide.
From May 11-June 14, Camelback will offer a daily pass to Aquatopia for $39.99 per day for people to preview the indoor water park, Ellis said. Those who are 48 inches or shorter will pay $29.99 per person. After that, Aquatopia will only be available to guests who buy a hotel room. Aquatopia, the arcade and other activities are included in the hotel room price.
“For what Camelback Resort is now, we think it really is the most interactive resort in the country,” Ellis said. “The plan is to bring more people into the Pocono Mountains.”
The lodge and waterpark facility sit at the base of Camelback Mountain and offer outdoor personal-development and team-building activities for businesses.
FLEXIBLE CONFERENCE/MEETING SPACE
The conference center includes a grand ballroom that can accommodate up to 400 guests for a sit-down banquet or plated dinner function. A flexible air-wall system allows the ballroom to be divided and accommodate various sizes of groups and meeting needs. Groups also can use the lodge’s three restaurants for dining.
NEW RESTAURANTS
With the opening of the lodge and waterpark, three restaurants are making their debut, Hemispheres, Neptunes and Trails End Pub and Grille, in addition to several eateries and bars throughout the resort. All dining establishments are open to residents, guests and the general public.
Hemispheres offers a buffet-style family restaurant while Neptunes specializes in seafood. Trails End is a pub and grill with an outdoor patio and the ability for patrons to ski in and out of the restaurant.
Wisconsin-based Horizon Construction Group served as the construction manager.
Architectural Design Consultants Inc. of Wisconsin Dells, Wis., was the architect for the lodge.
