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Adventure Cove season strong; aquatics program not yet fully revenue neutral
Summary
Parks staff reported Adventure Cove opened in mid-May, averaged about 417 patrons daily in May with roughly 4,172 visits for the partial month, and that aquatics programming is near but not at full revenue neutrality when splash pads are included.
Chris Gibson, assistant director of Parks and Recreation, and Leslie, parks staff, updated the board on the aquatics season.
Venture Cove (soft open May 17) and regular season opening May 27 produced an average daily attendance of about 417 patrons and a May total near 4,172 visits. The department said Adventure Cove’s on-site capacity is roughly 500 people and staffing typically requires about 10–12 lifeguards depending on operations and contractor staffing. Board members asked whether the facility reaches capacity; staff said there are occasional short holds at the gate until patrons exit, and front-gate counts manage capacity.
Programming highlights include Champions Day (a dedicated day for people with special needs), swim lessons (four-level curriculum), and seasonal events such as dive-in movies and possible Fourth of July programming. Swim lessons were described as a backbone program; staff said sessions cost $80 per set and the next lesson session starts in July and runs through Aug. 1.
Financially, Leslie said aquatics operations previously covered about 80% of costs when run in-house; contracted management (Sports Facilities) is in its third season and staff reported improved operational performance. Splash pads are not revenue-generating and are included in aquatics’ overall costs, so the full aquatics program is not yet revenue neutral; Adventure Cove alone is close but not fully self-sustaining. Staff said aquatics infrastructure requires ongoing forecasting for pumps, resurfacings and other lifecycle costs.
Board members asked about marketing and enrollment; staff said the contractor and city social media promote lessons and events, and that attendance and programming have grown after the city contracted management.
No formal action was taken; the update was informational.
