Legendary NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski took a seat outside a pool in Naples, Florida, with an exhausted look on his face.
It was not due to a lack of sleep or a busy schedule on Thursday morning. He was ripping the waterslides at the grand opening of Great Wolf Lodge South Florida, the company’s first resort in the Sunshine State.
Gronkowski spoke to FOX Business Digital after hours of going up and down the slides at the new 92,000-square-foot indoor water park, which also had a great charitable benefit. Gronkowski unlocked $60,000 for Make-A-Wish Southern Florida -- $5,000 for each slide in the water park – and several children in the program enjoyed time with "Gronk" as well.
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"I’ve been here at the Great Wolf Lodge since 7 a.m. this morning. I went down all 12 water slides. The Great Wolf Lodge also teamed up with Make-A-Wish. There’s been 12 Make-A-Wish kids as well here. We all went down the water slides, had a good time, and I feel like a kid again. Everyone looks at me as a big kid because I am a big kid near and dear to my heart," he said.
"I had a lot of fun. There’s no better way to start your day than going down the water slides. It wakes you up. Just the thrill of going down, getting water splashed all over your face as well. Just unbelievable. It’s the way to go, there’s no doubt about it. Just to see the smiles of all the kids going down the water slides as well, that’s what it’s all about."
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Gronkowski joined Great Wolf Resorts CEO John Murphy at the resort he described as much more than just a kid’s paradise. While it does involve the water park, as well as a 61,000-square-foot adventure park, Gronkowski knows adults will have a great time like he did.
"I’m about to pass out. I’ve been going for three hours, I went up and down the slides like 12 times. I’m telling you my quads are on fire. I don’t even have to work out today, I can tell you that.
"It’s great for the community, and what’s so much special about it is I’m a part of this community," he explained. "My mom lives 30 minutes down the street in Fort Myers, so I know all about this area. I know all about the Naples area, the Fort Myers area, and the Great Wolf Lodge sits right in Naples, which is super close to Fort Myers. My mom’s just been nonstop explaining to me how awesome this area is, and I visit her all the time because I’m a Tampa resident. I couldn’t be more proud to be here at the Great Wolf Lodge."
Other than impacting Make-A-Wish, Gronkowski pointed out how the resort is offering a special grand opening discount up to 40% off standard room rates, and with every booking, a $10 donation will be made to the American Red Cross to support hurricane relief efforts.
The $250 million investment by Blackstone and Centerbridge Partners will also be creating 675 full- and part-time jobs with an estimated 500,000 annual visitors. In turn, $5 billion in local economic activity is expected over the next 30 years.
"Over the past five years, Blackstone has seen firsthand the joy that Great Wolf Lodge resorts bring to families, and the economic growth and quality jobs they bring to communities, which is why we are so proud to have invested over $250 million alongside Centerbridge Partners to bring Great Wolf Lodge South Florida to life," Jacob Werner, Managing Director and Co-Head of Americas Acquisitions at Blackstone, said.
"If the demand we’ve seen at Great Wolf’s 21 other resorts across the North America is any indication, we’re confident that this lodge will become a special destination for countless families in the years to come."
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