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Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark is About to Splash Down in the Catskills
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Get ready for the big splash – a large scale resort and indoor waterpark is set to open in the Catskills later this month. The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark is positioned next to the Resort World Catskills casino, offering the chance for year ‘round family fun as well as gaming for adults. 

The park will feature a wide range of attractions from the relaxing Affinity Springs, geared for adults, to thrill rides such as The Krakken, based on an old sea legend, and placing riders over 48” on a massive saucer for a major dip and dive sensation. 


The rides are obviously a focal point of the attraction, but it also includes a lushly vegetated conservatory covered by what the developers promise is “the world’s largest Texlon transparent roof.” The park will have a covered 84-degree temperature all year long, and offers a unique admission angle: a visit to the park is included with guests’ stay at the new Kartrite hotel. 


The hotel itself offers 324 all-suite rooms, and the full resort will include a large arcade, spa, and eight dining spots and bars. The indoor waterpark is a big deal, too, billed as the largest in New York, encompassing two full acres, and providing 15 water slides and coasters, along with a wave pool, lazy river, and indoor beach.

Originally planned by Poconos Camelback resort, the facility is now managed by Texas-based Benchmark Global Hospitality.

The venue will be a boost to the local and regional economy, as well as providing big support for the $1 billion casino it adjoins that opened in February of 2018. With the Castskills region working to reinvent itself as a major tourist destination – which it was in years past – the waterpark should go a long way to drawing visitors to the area. 

According to Kartrite general manager David Kohlasch, the hotel and resort will “combine modern style and luxurious appointments, the natural beauty of the Catskills, and fun for every age.” The year ‘round nature of the waterpark should also be a huge draw, he believes, saying “warm weather just got a lot closer.” He adds that the resort and waterpark complex staff are “eager to welcome families this spring to a different type of adventure” in the region.

Certainly the resort is offering a whole new type of entertainment to the area. Locatd in the town of Thompson, the waterpark’s developer is the Aquatic Development Group, a suburban Albany company that has worked on over 100 waterparks throughout the U.S. and Canada. 

The development team previously designed Camelback Lodge & Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark at the Camelback Mountain Resort.

The waterpark is the final stage in the casino property’s development. The casino itself offers 100,000-square-feet of gaming, but has struggled somewhat to meet its revenue predictions. The waterpark will undoubtedly be a major assist to the year-old casino. 

The about-to-open waterpark and hotel is named for Kartrite Van Der Berris, a fictional explorer character introduced at the Camelback property. Along with its water attractions, the park and hotel both feature a vibrant contemporary design with a bright palette, and will afford the region a wave of employment options too, providing some 600 permanent jobs. 

The project focuses on family-oriented thrill rides, but the beautiful mountain setting and covered, all-season setting offers the potential to create a real destination resort for both couples and families. 

Kartrite features a nicely unobstructed column-free construction so that guests can soak up plenty of natural sunlight and the tropical vegetation throughout the park can thrive. Luxury cabanas are planned for the mezzanine. Holding up to eight, the cabanas feature amenities such as a basket of fruit, stocked mini-fridge, salty snacks, fresh towels, and 32” HDTV’s, as well as drink service. With luxe furnishings such as a love seat, chairs, coffee table and “outdoor” chaise lounges, they’ll offer the optimal in comfort.

Naturally, the rides themselves are the biggest part of the attraction, with the luxurious cabanas, all-suites hotel, and adjoining casino and restaurants adding heft to the venue, along with the natural beauty of the Catskills location.

The Krakken is positioned to be a major draw, with its exciting swirling action and mythological sea-creature name. Empire Bay, the lazy river attraction, allows smaller kids if accompanied by their parents. Time Warp, like he Krakken is for 48” riders and up, and is a fast-moving water slide that includes a dark tunnel feature. The racing ride Jiggerty Jaggerty features a mat that allows bouncing competitive slides for those 42” and up, and – can’t tell if this in jest, or true, the description of the ride on the park’s new website reads “Fell free to ask the casino manager if they’ll take wagers on your race.” 

Like The Krakken, the Nor’Easter is a thrill ride for older kids and adults, described as a 4-person experience that allows riders to experience a moment of weightlessness before flying back to the watery earth. It features banked curves, turns, and dips for added excitement. 

Kartrite Island is a full-on family fun fest with rides small enough for kids 36” and up as well as slides with a 48” height limit. The attraction is packed with water adventures and a large dump bucket, with slides of all sizes.

Puddle Ducks is for the littlest waterpark guests, and features slides and water features in a shallow lagoon setting that includes a zero-depth entry interactive water pool.  One of the more unique waterpark attractions is Cannon-ballers: waterpark basketball for family play; and the Later Gator Crossing allows rope bridge fun for kids.


Also unique is the Endless Summer Flow Rider, a wave attraction designed to mimic a board ride on a perfect Hawaiian wave.

All in all, the waterpark will be a thrill a minute for guests and for the burgeoning Catskills area revival.
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