What you need to know
The resort has been long anticipated by both Webster officials and regional ones as they hope it could bring an economic boon to an area already loaded with tourism attractions, Community Impact has previously reported.
Great Wolf Lodge is expecting around 500,000 customers annually, which officials expect to bring more foot traffic to nearby businesses. The resort has also created more than 650 jobs for the area.
The all-inclusive resort, which is geared toward younger families, spans 92,000 square feet, including 61,000 square feet for a new Adventure Park, more than 500 rooms, over a dozen water slides and multiple vendors inside its walls.
The resort is the 22nd one Great Wolf Resorts has opened in the U.S. and the second one in Texas, according to its website. The first Texas location, in Grapevine, opened in 2007 and is also about to undergo upgrades to the tune of $40 million, Great Wolf Resorts CEO John Murphy said at the grand opening ceremony.
How we got here
Webster and Great Wolf Lodge entered into an agreement in 2021 that offered an incentives package for the resort to build out in the city, Community Impact has previously reported.
Great Wolf Lodge, for its part, was expected to invest at least $75 million into the area and produce around 350 jobs, both of which it has eclipsed.
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For bringing those elements, Great Wolf Lodge will receive:
- 90% of hotel occupancy tax, or HOT, revenue it generates for the next 20 years
- 33% of sales tax revenue it generates for the next 20 years after the first $200,000 goes to Webster
- $5 million in incentive grants, which will be paid out over the next two years out of Webster’s HOT fund
In their own words
The opening ceremony featured officials from the resort, city officials, Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia and surprise celebrity guest Kelly Rowland.
Speaking about the partnership created with Webster, Murphy called the city “very forward-thinking.” Both Garcia and Webster Mayor Donna Jasso talked about the importance of the resort and what it could bring to the area.
For those visiting the resort, Ashley Cox and her two children, Kayla and Travis, were planning to spend the day at the new resort. The family is from League City but said they had visited the resort in Grapevine several times.
Kayla said she was looking forward to playing MagiQuest, a live-action game that uses interactive elements in the resort.
Cox said they were waiting to spend the night until the resort had fully opened up and are looking at possibly October to do so.
“It is fun,” Cox said. “It’s geared toward the younger crowd. For [my children’s] age group, it’s perfect.”
What else?
Great Wolf Lodge will be the anchor tenant of Webster’s new Flyway area, which, once filled out, will feature dining, shopping and entertainment, Webster officials have said.
As of June 19, the district has three other businesses either open or opening soon and two of its other 26 parcels under contract, according to the Flyway website.
Jasso at the opening ceremony called Great Wolf Lodge “the catalyst” for the district.
