Back in the good ole' days, the big city was the only place to find real entertainment.
Those seeking merriment usually traveled an hour or two to Salt Lake City for a day of fun, but that may no longer be necessary. Seven Peaks Water Park in Provo is expected to show Wasatch Front residents that there is excitement south of the Point of the Mountain.The new $4.5 million water park opened its gates this weekend with hopes of becoming "Entertainment Utah County" and even "Entertainment Utah," according to Seven Peaks Resort owner Victor Borcherds.
"We want to give people a first-class recreational facility at a very reasonable price," he said. "Utah families want to spend money on clean, wholesome entertainment. We have tried to create a peaceful, beautiful place, not just a water park."
Any recent passer-by might have doubted that the park, beautiful or otherwise, could be ready for its scheduled Memorial Day weekend opening, but construction crews have labored around the clock in recent weeks to finish the work. About 90 percent had been completed by Saturday's opening ceremony.
Water park general manager Paul Mix is expecting 150,000 to 200,000 patrons a year to visit the park, a level that would make it a great investment for the owner. But Borcherds says he would be happy with 120,000. "That would cover our debt service and would make this a good investment."
Located near the Utah State Hospital in east Provo, the project was financed by a group of four insurance companies, one being Borcherds' own company, Southern American. Most of the land was acquired from the state hospital.
Borcherds is a triathlete and loves the outdoors, but most of his business experience is in the insurance profession. To make his resort investment a success, he spent $100,000 on economic studies and visited nine of the largest water parks in the country.
He also brought in Mix, a man with 19 years of aquatic experience, including 10 years in water park management. Mix first oversaw the construction of Wild Waves in Salt Lake City and then went on to Raging Waters. He was general manager of both parks.
Unlike numerous water parks that seem to come and go with the seasons, Mix believes it will be a success year after year because of savings in operating costs. "We have another entity to share our operating costs," he said. "Other parks can't do that. We can share some of the costs for food and beverages, advertising, promotions and insurance through our own company."
The water park is only part of the planned Seven Peaks Resort package, expected to be a $50 million development when finished. The resort includes the Excelsior Hotel at Seven Peaks as well as a ski resort, 18-hole golf course, and recreational vehicle park all to be completed in 1990 and 1991.
The resort has been promoting an overnight sleep and swim vacation for $69.95. That includes one night at the Excelsior Hotel and all day passes at the water park. The hotel's catering services are also available to groups. "We will be the only resort to give first-class catering service," Borcherds said. "We supply quality food at a reasonable price."
By advertising Seven Peaks as a place to surf, soak, sleep, swim, sip and slide, Borcherds and his staff are now hoping it all adds up to sales at the 26-acre water park, which includes 12 acres of picnic grounds.
Their target market area is from Point of the Mountain south, but the company also expects to attract some of the Salt Lake market with the hotel and water park package.
"We want people to stop here instead of going up to Salt Lake for fun," Borcherds said. Both Borcherds and Mix expect the park to have a significant impact on the economy in Provo and Utah County.
"We have offered 150 jobs at the water park to the youth, which in Provo is desperately needed," Mix said. "To be able to put money in their pockets is an important benefit to local merchants."
Fast-food chains also may increase in the area once the park gets going, he said. Such was the case with Raging Waters.
"I think the water park is the biggest thing to hit Provo since the Excelsior was built," Borcherds said.
Alan Osmond will be a part of the resort as its promotions and entertainment director. He organized the grand opening ceremonies and will coordinate future entertainment activities at the park. Mix said clowns, mimes and jugglers will walk through the park as entertainment. "When people are at a water park, they would rather swim than listen to bands."
The water park includes more than 30 attractions, including the largest wave pool in the state. Mix said Seven Peaks is the only park in the Mountain West to offer a lazy river, aqua twist and free fall slides.
General admission for ages 10 and over is $9.95 a day and $7.95 a day for ages 4 through 9. Toddlers and senior citizens are free. After 5 p.m., passes are $5.50. Season passes are available starting at $39.95.
Following a Tom Sawyer theme, the park attempts to take its customers back to the Sawyer and Huck Finn days of floating down the Mississippi River and swinging over the waterin' hole.
With two other water parks under his belt, Mix said Seven Peaks corrects the mistakes made at past projects.
The park entrance was built with six ticket booths to eliminate lines, there is more shade at the park - 8,000 square feet of it under cabanas and pavilions, pools have warmer water and there are 600 free parking spaces - more than enough for the crowds they are expecting.
The park, located at the east end of Center Street, is open from 10:30 a.m. to dusk Monday through Saturday and from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.