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Is Great Wolf Lodge Private Equity Owned?
🔴 PRIVATE EQUITY OWNED
Great Wolf Lodge
Includes Great Wolf Resorts, Great Wolf
family resort · Chicago, IL
Acquirer
Blackstone Real Estate (65%) / Centerbridge Partners (35%)
Year Acquired
2019
“The water park where Blackstone makes a splash with your vacation budget.”
The PE Playbook
- •Blackstone acquired 65% controlling interest in 2019 in a $2.9 billion deal with Centerbridge
- •Blackstone has invested over $1.5 billion in the company since 2019
- •Aggressively expanding to 22+ resorts including new builds in Florida, Texas, and Connecticut
- •Family-focused pricing increasingly creeps upward as the PE growth machine demands returns
Since the Acquisition
- ▸Average nightly room rates rose from $241 to $274 by 2023 — a 14% increase under Blackstone ownership
- ▸Mandatory resort fees of $29.99-$75 per night hidden throughout booking and only revealed at checkout
- ▸The resort fee covers 'amenities' like life jackets, towels, WiFi, and the coffee maker already in the room — items most hotels include free
- ▸Multiple consumer complaints describe a 'bait and switch' where total cost is 20% more than advertised
Sources
- Blackstone Acquires 65% of Great Wolf Resorts — Blackstone(2019-10-01)
- PE backing fuels Great Wolf Lodge expansion — Hartford Business(2024-11-01)
- My Great Wolf Lodge bait and switch experience — Travel on Point(s)(2024-01-01)
- Great Wolf Lodge improves resort fee policy (a bit) — The Points Guy(2024-01-01)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Great Wolf Lodge owned by private equity?
Yes. Great Wolf Lodge is currently owned by Blackstone / Centerbridge Partners, which acquired it in 2019. The water park where Blackstone makes a splash with your vacation budget.
What happened to Great Wolf Lodge after the acquisition?
Average nightly room rates rose from $241 to $274 by 2023 — a 14% increase under Blackstone ownership Mandatory resort fees of $29.99-$75 per night hidden throughout booking and only revealed at checkout
Who owns Great Wolf Lodge?
Great Wolf Lodge is owned by Blackstone / Centerbridge Partners, which acquired it in 2019.