Attendees who crave an ocean experience in a destination that doesn’t provide it can look forward to the creation of NLand Surf Park in Austin, Texas. The first inland surf park built in North America will offer customized surfing experiences for corporate groups up to 200 when it debuts in spring 2016.
Roughly the size of nine football fields, the park’s lagoon will feature 11 surfing areas with four different surfing levels ranging from beginner to pro. The lagoon will have 1-, 4- and 6-foot waves every 60 seconds—about 300 waves per hour. The waves will never lose power or shape, creating an experience for attendees to hang ten for a full 35 seconds per wave.
“We divide the group into three levels and team them up with a coach,” says Marian Melcher Hanson, chief marketing officer for the surf park. “We will have a number of options on how to work with each level individually and the group as a whole to achieve the company’s objectives. We customize the experience to reflect the goals of the planners and executives to ensure memorable and successful results.”
The waves designed for both surf pros and novices make it easy for attendees of all ages and skill levels to participate in the surfing experience. Surf professionals will help lead dry-land training and professional demonstrations. Part of the packages offered to groups includes the opportunity to be videotaped as well as have delicious onsite meals.
“We are building a world-class surf school and many of the principles we are discussing for the school are applicable for teambuilding and leadership training,” says Melcher Hanson. “Plus, due to the fact that the waves are generated so frequently, beginners will actually experience surfing during their session.”
The surf park is being created with Spanish engineering firm Wavegarden, a company known as a leader in wave technology. Both Wavegarden and NLand Surf Park are dedicated to environmental stewardship, and the park is being designed to be completely self-sustaining with rainwater.
“We designed the park to tread lightly on the land and all its resources, especially water. Even in the most challenging drought conditions, we will be capable of operating the lagoon with only rainwater,” says NLand Surf Park Founder and CEO Doug Coors. “We partnered with Wavegarden, the Spanish engineering firm that invented the wave technology, because they figured out how to create incredible waves that are super energy efficient.”
