Kalahari Resorts debuts in Round Rock
After spending nearly 30 months building a resort that features a hotel, a convention center, five restaurants and a waterpark, the co-owner of Kalahari Resorts and Conventions said she was more than a little overwhelmed at its grand opening in Round Rock on Thursday.
“I actually teared up when the ribbon was cut because we are just so excited to finally be open today,” said Natasha Lucke. “We really hope everyone embraces us and comes out to have a wonderful time.”
The African safari-themed compound broke ground on May 15, 2018, and houses the largest indoor waterpark in the country.
“We are thankful to Round Rock for all of their support over the last three years,” said Lucke, who is also the interior designer for the company.
Even in the midst of the ongoing pandemic, Kalahari owner Todd Nelson said construction continued with safety precautions in place. In late April, work was halted in some areas after an unspecified number of workers tested positive for COVID-19.
“We really never ever stopped construction,” Nelson said. “We pushed and we pushed, and we never waffled. We’re proud to be able to open the Round Rock location as scheduled despite what a challenging year it’s been for everyone.”
The facility on U.S. 79 across from Dell Diamond created approximately 1,000 jobs in 2020 and expects to hire additional associates as demand grows in 2021.
“Everything is bigger in Texas, so it was the perfect place for our largest and most luxurious resort yet,” Nelson said.
Kalahari also has resorts in Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Along with a 223,000-square-foot indoor waterpark, the Round Rock resort features 3 acres of outdoor pools, a 975-room hotel, five restaurants, 10,000 square feet of retail space and a 200,000 square-foot convention center.
"I just booked Christmas weekend to surprise my kids because I didn’t know what I’d get them this year,“ said Round Rock resident Jannah Mersiovsky, who visited the resort after the grand opening. ”Experiences always seem to do better than toys for us.“
The city will continue to own the convention center and the land it will be built on as part of a lease agreement with Kalahari.
Round Rock’s chief financial officer Susan Morgan said that before the onset of the pandemic, the city anticipated earning approximately $4 million annually in revenue related to Kalahari. However, the city is not counting on receiving the projected $4 million in 2021 due to the impacts of the pandemic.
“We are projecting to get back to revenue levels within one to two years after opening,” Morgan said.
The resort will also host a grand opening ceremony on Saturday, that will feature a firework display and live music.
“From 2-year-olds to 82-year-olds, there’s truly something for everyone,” said Tim Arnold, general manager of Kalahari Resorts and Conventions. “You’ll never need to leave the resort because we have everything.”
