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Bellevue Days Inn renovation/indoor water park

Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 10:58 pm
by eomaha
Yet Another Water Park proposed in the metro...  this time at the Bellevue Days Inn along Highway 370 east of Kennedy.  To be built at a cost of $5.25 million, the indoor water park would be 30,000 sq feet, have a 60 foot tall dome with wave pool, lazy river, and a 'minimum' of 5 slides.

The park would be available to hotel guests as well as the public in general.

So let's see... add this one to the proposed indoor water parks at Mid America Center, Elkhorn, and 72nd and I-80.

World Herald story: http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1636&u_sid=2065399

Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 11:03 pm
by MTO
So which project will be the biggest?

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 9:54 am
by omahahawk
I think its more like, which one will actually get built. Thats a lot of water parks for the metro area. At least with this many on the table, I would have to think chances are good for at least one of them.

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 10:19 am
by lpgforms
I bet the one in Bellevue gets built first, since the hotel is already there. The other ones will probably not happen for quite some time...

Especially Elkhorn and Council Bluffs.

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 2:04 pm
by jsheets
That Days Inn needs some serious remodeling though. I'm happy for the plans, but I'll believe it when I see it.

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 5:05 pm
by StreetsOfOmaha
Omaha doesn't have any water parks, nor does it have any plans for water parks. These are glorified hotel pools with standard, trendy water entertainment features for children. Nothing to get excited about.

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 11:29 pm
by eomaha
The owner of this Days Inn says they'll break ground on their indoor water park in 'a few weeks'.

What was a sand volleyball area, will become a 30,000 sq foot water park facility under a 60 ft high dome.

Included will be five water slides, a lazy river, and wave pool.

Along with the water park, the hotel will also add a day spa, winery, and meeting space.

The project is to be completed by fall.

KETV story: http://www.ketv.com/family/6226697/detail.html

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 11:32 pm
by omahastylee459
the rendering i saw on the news of the dome looked pretty cool. The slides and such inside looked fair. I hope that even though it is in Bellevue, it gets good business. Not being close to a major interstate would hurt it i would think.

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 11:42 pm
by Swift
A winery? Sweet!

Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 12:59 am
by Ingersoll1978
I can't believe a Days Inn would add something like that. I'm sure that water will be clean all the time... :lol:

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 8:27 pm
by eomaha
OmahaChannel.com wrote:Bellevue Breaks Ground On Water Park

BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Officials in Bellevue broke ground on a new indoor water resort on Thursday afternoon.

Great Adventures will be a 30,000-square-foot facility complete with 10 water slides, a pirate ship and a lazy river. The resort will connect with the Days Inn Hotel, located on Highway 370 at Hillcrest Drive.

"It's the equivalent to the Great Wolfe Lodge in Kansas City," said co-owner Tom Schmidt. "It's huge for the area. It'll become it's own attraction, we believe. People will want to come and stay here just because of the water park."

Work will begin on the $10 million project on July 1. Developers hope to have Great Adventures open on Oct. 31.

Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 3:48 pm
by Hellenistic Kshatriya
That sounds pretty nice. And it's started... excellent!

Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 8:17 am
by nebugeater
Looks like some has there nose bent out of shape over this one. Not sure from this who is a fault but this has the potential of slowing this down.

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=46&u_sid=2205637

A Minnesota company claims that a Bellevue hotel owner is using its "unique" plans for a water park without paying for them or getting approval.

USAquatics of Delano, Minn., filed a lawsuit Wednesday asking a judge to declare the plans its property and to stop the hotel owner from using them.
..........

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:05 am
by Stargazer
I forgot about this until I came upon a stand hosted by Days Inn at an Offutt Airbase event yesterday.  They are selling family memberships for $500 (not annual... but for seasons running from November through June and July through December.  They claim it will have more 'attractions' than the Holiday Inn waterpark.

Link to their website:  http://www.greatadventuresresort.com

Their grand opening is supposedly October 31st ... although I haven't seen the project in person to vouch for how far along it is.

Image

Image

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:14 am
by Brad
Stargazer wrote:I forgot about this ....
I forgot too, but I took construction photos the day of the space shuttle.

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:20 am
by Stargazer
So is the rates that they show here for the water park on a reg. bases or on the grand opening only?  If this is there rate it looks a bit steep to me if they are looking to supliment the hotel guests with water park only guests
I suspect these rates will be adjusted somewhat once we have 3-4 waterparks open in the metro.



Post them pictures Brad!

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 10:33 am
by the1wags
I'm not in construction but from what I saw I'd say the October opening is extremely optimistic.

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 11:06 am
by djc311
This place has been on "hold" or delays for what seems like forever. We were approached about putting a small shop inside of it for the guests, but after some thought, we decided against it. And, IMO, I'm glad we didn't move forward with it. Since the first contact we had, the Holiday Inn is nearly completed, and there are others on the planning books. This particular location doesn't offer anything spectacular, and honestly, unless the hotel was gutted in the last 12 months, it certainly isn't the best looking hotel in the area.

They're supposedly changing the name of the hotel and getting out of their franchise agreement w/ Days Inn, but I don't recall ever seeing a Days Inn with a $35 / day water resort attached. Can't you spend 2 days at Worlds of Fun AND Oceans of Fun for about $40? I think this is extremely steep for an indoor water park pass - and, for memberships for $500, that makes Lifetime Fitness look extremely reasonable for even a family membership. For $1200 a year, you can join a 24/hr gym!

But, to each their own I guess.

D

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 12:15 pm
by lpgforms
I  drive by this hotel almost every day, and the construction has suddenly lurched forward - they have put up a concrete shell for the building, and a crane is on site.  However, the shell is still open on the north side - probably for a glass atrium I hope, because their will be very little natural light otherwise.  The floor of the building is still dirt.  

I don't see where they will have any slides that will go in and out of the building, which is a disappointment. The rendering that have been posted look pretty cool, but as a Bellevue Resident, I don't see the market for this project, either as a tourist or a casual visitor.  the neighborhood is not attractive, their is no "fun" shopping within five or six miles, no nearby restaurants of note.  With three kids and me, I would spend $100 + just to get into the damn place......   No thank you. My prediction is that this place will be shut down and out of business within a year......


Now if they had built this out by  Shadow Lake, with a brand new hotel I could see a slightly better chance of success.


One thing I have seen recently is that we are getting a Jimmy Johns in front of the no-frills next door....

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 12:17 pm
by Brad
Jimmy Johns and taco Johns... I have pictures of those too I need to post.

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 12:44 pm
by Stargazer
I sure hope they renovate the surrounding strip mall.  Or at least get rid of all the Yellow!

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 1:25 pm
by djc311
Stargazer wrote:I sure hope they renovate the surrounding strip mall.  Or at least get rid of all the Yellow!
Good ol' Bellevue Pet Center was once there - but didn't they get shut down for selling exotic, illegal animals to people? Like monkeys???

In any case, exactly right, there is nothing, besides Offutt, that close to that place. And, I definitely wouldn't go out of my way to stay down there. Those prices are crazy high for the experience you'll receive at the place.

It's too bad, too. This place wouldn't be open to the public if the hotel could draw enough guests. I always welcome business growth and wish for the best, but the more I looked into this project, the more I wanted to stay away. I wish them luck, but I don't see it being a draw over there.

D

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 10:39 pm
by djc311
Obviously, almost done - http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1 ... d=10105995

I was a bit surprised to know the one in Bellevue is that far along as well. Considering there hasn't really been much for updates on here regarding it. I hope both do well - Although I'm honestly a bit surprised at the rates for admission into the park by itself. I'm not sure if it's that high because they feel they can get the $$$ for it, or if they're offering it to the general public, but would actually like to deter that type of use? Common sense says you can take a family of 4 to the park for the rate as a room for 4 people would cost including park passes, according to weekend-type rates.

But, you may as well take the room - one less place you have to clean up after yourself while partying!

D

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 10:57 am
by icejammer
Troubled water park now resorting to loan
After narrowly avoiding foreclosure this week, Great Adventures Water Resort in Bellevue is back on track with the promise of a new loan, its owner says.

The property was set to go up for public auction today, but that was canceled after an additional loan was approved, owner Tom Schmidt said. He hopes to have the water park open for summer 2008. . .

Construction halted this summer after financial difficulties arose. A dozen construction liens totaling more than $2.8 million have been filed against the property, according to the Sarpy County register of deeds.

Schmidt said the new loan will pay off all the liens. He expects to close on the loan after the first of the year. . .

Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 1:38 pm
by joebob12
Trustee's sale set for Tuesday



A public auction of the lot on which Great Adventures Water Resort, 1811 Hillcrest Drive, sits will take place at l0 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15 at the Sarpy County Courthouse. The auction, originally planned for Dec. 10, then postponed until Dec. 21, was scheduled because the hotel's owner has not complied with his existing lender, Centris Federal Credit Union.

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 5:22 pm
by annad
My general manager called Centris on Monday to ask about this - evidently it did not go to sale yesterday as originally planned; rather, the owners got an additional 8 day extension to try to work things out before the sale.  I'm not sure what another 8 days would do for them, though.  They had ordered their slides from China (only a few companies in the world make water park slides), and they tested positive for lead at customs upon arrival in the US, so they're still a long way (and a lot of $) from being able to open.  They had some neat attractions planned, but I don't know that the market can bear two water parks.

Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 12:21 am
by Brad
Hotel in Bellevue will be gutted

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1 ... d=10531212
CARRIE KREISLER THE BELLEVUE LEADER wrote:It has been a whirlwind year for the hotel formerly known as the Days Inn and once on its way to being Great Adventures Water Resort.

But what was most recently Bellevue Extended Stay, 1811 Hillcrest Drive, is now closed for remodeling. General Manager Gery Whalen said the hotel closed Dec. 31 and is scheduled to reopen in October.

"We'll open up under another name, but we're not sure what that will be," he said.

That's Amore restaurant, inside the hotel, also will remain closed for at least nine months. Tooter's Lounge has permanently closed and will be replaced with either That's Amore or a different restaurant.

Whalen said plans for the remodeling are still being drawn up, so work inside the facility has not begun. The general concept includes a 6,000-square-foot conference center, a large area for wedding receptions, a new indoor swimming pool and a renovation of all the hotel rooms.
CARRIE KREISLER THE BELLEVUE LEADER wrote:Also up in the air is what will be done with the building that was to be the water park.
CARRIE KREISLER THE BELLEVUE LEADER wrote:According to public records, Centris then sold it to Nebraska Hospitality for $750,000.

Tom Belford, spokesman for Nebraska Hospitality, said the previous owner left the hotel in "a state of disrepair that was unbelievable."

He said that after it is gutted and rebuilt, the hotel will be something the City of Bellevue is proud of.

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 11:15 pm
by nativeomahan
This was a half baked idea to begin with, for such a weird location, and then the economy collapsed and that was all she wrote.