Hartford Business Journal

HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | MAY 19, 2025 17 Quaint image That value proposition is also something that's motivating Quassy's Frantzis. "With all the scare of tariffs and cost of goods, that's going to hold well for us in the sense that our claim is always that we've been affordable family fun," he said. Quassy has also been investing in its infrastructure, and this season is debuting two new rides, the Crazy 8 Family Roller Coaster and Aladdin Wave Swinger. But Quassy also takes pride in its quaint and intimate image, and with its small size, there's a limit to how much the park can innovate. "Given our footprint, even if we wanted to change, I don't think we could," he said. "I think people understand who we are, and I think that's also part of our charm. The water park is something where we've seen significant growth in the last 10, 15 years. And that's been probably one of the biggest factors for this park's success." Frantzis did not disclose Quassy's visitor numbers, but said they have made a recovery to pre-pandemic levels, "if not better." He says the park mainly aims to draw from a two-hour driving radius. "We are seeing a much stronger influx of New York plates coming through our gate, some from Massa- chusetts, a little bit more than we have in the past," he said, "but we're strong through the valley as well." Capital investment For the new kid on the block, Great Wolf Lodge, a key differentiator is its 549-room hotel, which turns it into a potentially multiday destination for visitors, particularly with the synergy of being next to the casino. The Mashantucket location is the company's 23rd resort in North America and third in the North- eastern U.S., with the closest being in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. "We've opened five new projects in the last two years — we've been very active," said Great Wolf Lodge CEO John Murphy, speaking at the official May 6 opening of the Mashantucket location. "This is really a capstone event for us, where we've invested quite a lot of capital trying to grow the brand." The company is projecting 500,000 annual visitors in Connecticut, and says it's seen encouraging signs through its early, soft opening period. "We target a three- hour drive," said the park's General Manager Henry Tessman. "We're already seeing great results through the whole 95 corridor, all the way into New York and also that 395 corridor going up towards Massachusetts." Great Wolf Lodge is majority owned by asset manager Black- stone, which formed a joint venture with Centerbridge Partners to acquire the resort chain in 2019. The company had been in negotiations with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation for several years over the Connecticut development. "As a testament to the strength of this partnership, we weathered many, many fits and starts," Tribal Chairman Rodney Butler said during the park's opening ceremony. "It's a strategic investment in our long-term prosperity." The property has hired 500 employees, about half of them full time, and says employment will expand during the summer. That makes it a smaller affair — at least during the warm months — than Lake Compounce, which was targeting 1,000 seasonal employees this year. "Obviously, there's competition in markets, but the markets are large enough to really handle all of the different opportunities that guests have, and the choices they have out there," said Lake Compounce's Hemphill. "When other entities come in and they're successful, really we all become successful." Frantzis, too, thinks Great Wolf Lodge might be a rising tide for his water park. "I mean, obviously, we're all vying for a discretionary dollar, but at the end of the day, the more they market, the more they advertise, the bigger they get for us," he said. "It's bringing attention to our industry." Lake Compounce's Crocodile Cove water park in Bristol. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Henry Tessman

• Cover