| February 18, 2009 --- Mike Kaminski, president and owner
of Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells WI, is one of three keynote speakers
tapped to address waterpark resort developers, owners and operators at
a major conference scheduled for March 10-13, 2009 at Kaminski�s Wisconsin
Dells property.
Several hundred existing waterpark resort owners from across the USA,
Mexico & Canada are expected to meet at the Chula Vista Resort conference
center in March to learn more about How to Survive & Prosper in Turbulent
Times. Resort developers will hear about raising equity in today�s
environment and when banks will start lending again on hotel projects.
Other topics include marketing-effectiveness, energy-efficiency, operational-improvement
and how to add more adventure to the waterpark experience. More information
can be found at www.hotelwaterparkworkshop.com.
Mike just kept learning every aspect of the business and, in the early 1980s, he and his brother Tim, who is a partner, started taking over the family business. Kaminski is known in the hospitality-waterpark industry as an affable and knowledgeable resort operator who speaks with the bold confidence of having been there, done that. �Our family, and especially Tim and I, have always believed you�re either moving forward or you�re going backward. Our goal is to continue to find great people to work for us and to grow our resort. In 2005 Mike Kaminski embarked on a 4-year $200 million expansion plan that included 150 new condos and an 80,000 sf sports dome that can handle conventions and major sporting events. Future plans call for a 150,000 sf conference center, a second 80,000 sf sports dome and major additions to his existing 80,000 sf indoor waterpark. The workshop is focused on surviving the current recession but also on understanding the investors who are sitting on the sidelines and determining which banks are strong enough to lend money to hotel developers by mid 2010. Mike Conaghan of Capital Square Partners of Madison will explain the bank crisis and bailout. Mike Kwiatkowski of equity-raiser Virchow Krause of Madison will be a panelist along with Jon Bernander of the Bank of Wisconsin Dells and Merlin Zitzner of Baraboo National Bank to offer their opinions on equity and debt financing. Top planners, designers and engineers from the waterpark, theme park, ski, recreation, entertainment and leisure industries will be on hand to discuss the current challenges and share strategies about reviving the hotel & travel industry. Over 40 experts are scheduled to speak. Sessions include:
Sponsors include: Agilysys of Fort Lauderdale FL, American Structurepoint of Indianapolis IN, Architectural Design Consultants Inc of Lake Delton WI, Cloward H2O Design & Engineering of Provo UT, Counsilman-Hunsaker of St Louis MO, Firemans Fund Insurance of Milwaukee WI, Fish & Schulkamp Inc of Wisconsin Dells WI, The Neuman Group of Beaver Dam WI, Precision Dynamics Corp of Las Vegas NV, ProSlide of Ottawa Canada, Rain Drop Products of Ashland OH and Resort & Recreation Magazine of Grand Rapids MI. About 300 hotel, resort and attraction owners, managers and developers are expected to attend --- along with investors, lenders, city council members, economic development directors, CVB staffs and tourism officials. For conference registration, go to www.hotelwaterparkworkshop.com or Chula Vista Resort at 608-254-8366. Speakers, contact Jeff Coy at 480-488-3382 or email [email protected]. Sponsors, contact Bill Haralson at 575-802-1522 or [email protected]. |
