Kalahari Resorts
Kalahari Resorts and Conventions is a water park resort chain with four locations, in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Texas. Named for the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa, occupying eastern Namibia, western Botswana and northwestern South Africa, the resorts are heavily decorated with African animals and plants, and other African motifs.
Kalahari Resorts operates some of the largest indoor water parks in the United States. The Round Rock, Texas location has the largest indoor water park in the United States at, followed by the Pocono Mountains location's water park, the waterpark in Sandusky and the Wisconsin Dells' park. A Fredericksburg, Virginia location was in development until 2013, when it was scrapped after problems with financing. Kalahari later returned to Virginia and broke ground on their newest resort in Spotsylvania County, which is set to open in 2026.
Conventions held at the Kalahari Resorts are typically by state and regional organizations, such as the Wisconsin Network Conference on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias in May 2014, Ohio Holstein Convention in February 2020, and Wisconsin District Ladies Ministries Retreat in April 2021.
Locations
Wisconsin Dells
The Wisconsin Dells resort opened in May 2000. It has 756 guest rooms, making it one of the larger resorts in the state. The convention center was expanded from to in 2011.The indoor water park at Wisconsin Dells is the largest in Wisconsin, at. It was also America's largest indoor water park until the Kalahari Resort in Sandusky finished its indoor water park expansion in December 2007. The Wisconsin Dells resort's Indoor Waterpark is home to the first indoor uphill water coaster, named the Master Blaster, and first indoor FlowRider surfing simulator. In 2011, the indoor waterpark went through an expansion, which included America's first indoor Super Loop slides. Wisconsin Dells Kalahari also has a outdoor water park with several water slides, a lazy river, and a three-story interactive play structure.
In December 2008, the resort added Tom Foolery’s Adventure Park, a indoor theme park.
Sandusky
Opened in June 2005, the Sandusky, Ohio, resort's waterpark is. In 2008, the resort expanded its water park by, making it the largest indoor hotel water park at that time. The water park contains a FoilTec roof system that lets in natural light.With 884 guest rooms, the hotel is the largest in the state of Ohio.
In August 2006, the resort opened a convention center that was later expanded to.
On March 12, 2018, a section of HVAC ductwork fell from the ceiling of the indoor waterpark, injuring five people.
In 2019 and 2020, the resort made some minor updates to the property. A new outdoor mini-golf course was constructed, the Zip Coaster roller coaster-water slide hybrid was torn down, and the water basketball area was closed and replaced with underwater virtual reality.