Case Study: WhoaZone at Heron Beach

A new summertime destination arrived at Holly Recreation Area in 2018! The WhoaZone at Heron Beach—an elaborate and exciting water-based family entertainment center (WBFEC) in Holly, Michigan—opened in May 2018 as the second attraction of its kind in the Midwest. Made up of giant slides, towers, trampolines, ramps, bridges and other play features, the WhoaZone offers guests a variety of ways to bounce, slide, climb, jump and splash around on hot summer days.

Custom-designed by Commercial Recreation Specialists (CRS) using products manufactured by Wibit Sports, the WhoaZone at Heron Beach is a public-private partnership venture nestled off Interstate 75 in the Holly Recreation Area. The state of Michigan owns the beach while a concessionaire, Empire Recreation Management (ERM), operates the WhoaZone.

Mike Martin, Regional Manager of ERM, stated “We are confident this park will be as popular as our Whihala Beach Park in Whiting, Indiana, was last summer. People love it, and our joint venture with the state of Michigan means we are also providing a viable revenue stream that allows state and local governments to better provide goods and services to their constituents.” (Scroll to continue…)