What Waterloo Greenway does

Waterloo Greenway Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit urban park conservancy that designs, builds, and operates a 1.5-mile greenway along Waller Creek in downtown Austin, Texas. The organization was founded in 2010 (originally as Waller Creek Conservancy) and renamed Waterloo Greenway in 2019; it operates as a public-private partnership with the City of Austin under a 2014 joint development agreement and partners federally with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on environmental infrastructure.

Its core products are physical: the 11-acre Waterloo Park (opened August 2021) and the Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park, a state-of-the-art outdoor concert venue operated with C3 Presents / Live Nation. Phase II, branded The Confluence, extends the park system to Lady Bird Lake and includes an 800-foot boardwalk, three pedestrian bridges, a 26.2-acre biofiltration pond (online October 2025), and over 1,550 new trees with 200,000 mature plantings; the grand opening occurred in June 2026. Supporting services include venue rentals across five named spaces, commercial photography and drone permits, the Community Ticket Giveaway (100 free seats per concert), and a free events slate (Two-Step Nights, D\u00eda de los Muertos, Wild Waterloo, Yoga & Sound).

The revenue model is a hybrid of philanthropic capital and earned income. Capital construction has been financed through voter-approved bonds ($13M, November 2012), a Waller Creek TIF amendment (~$110M, May 2018), the Moody Foundation ($15M, 2017), and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers federal funding ($9M, 2022). Operating revenue is generated through individual and corporate donations, memberships, signature fundraisers (Glow in the Park raised $1.55M in 2025), corporate sponsorships, venue rentals, and photography/film permits. Customers span Austinites seeking free public recreation, concert attendees, corporate event organizers, and a network of corporate, foundation, and individual donors.

Name

Waterloo Greenway

Legal name

Waterloo Greenway Conservancy

Website

https://waterloogreenway.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Waterloo Greenway Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the 1.5-mile Waterloo Greenway park system and Moody Amphitheater along Waller Creek in downtown Austin. It funds free public programming, concert series, and venue rentals through donations, sponsorships, memberships, and earned venue and permit revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Park Conservancy Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor Amphitheater & Open-Air Venue Operations (MPAGALAG)

Keywords

• Urban park management
• Conservation nonprofit
• Venue rental services
• Event programming services
• Public greenway development

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations & Fundraising: One-time and monthly donations from individuals support park beautification and free community programming
2. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships for events and programs provide revenue while offering brand visibility and community connection
3. Memberships: Annual memberships provide recurring support with various benefits levels
4. Venue Rentals: Moody Amphitheater and park spaces rented for private and public events
5. Photography Permits: Commercial photography and film permits with fees based on scale and requirements
6. Signature Event Fundraisers: Annual gala events like Glow in the Park and Pop-Up Picnic generate significant donations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Waterloo Greenway Conservancy operates and develops a 1.5-mile urban greenway along Waller Creek in downtown Austin, anchored by the 11-acre Waterloo Park and Moody Amphitheater concert venue. The organization provides free public park access, community programming, venue rentals for private events, commercial photography permits, corporate sponsorships, and oversees multi-phase capital construction including Phase II: The Confluence.

Product overview

Waterloo Greenway is an urban park conservancy operating a 1.5-mile greenway system along Waller Creek in downtown Austin. The core offerings include Waterloo Park (11-acre greenspace) and Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park (outdoor concert venue). Additional services encompass venue rentals for events, photography permits, community ticket giveaways, free community programming (Two-Step Nights, Día de los Muertos, Wild Waterloo, wellness programs), and the Past Deposits video art installation. The conservancy is developing Phase II: The Confluence to extend the park system to Lady Bird Lake.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Waterloo Park An 11-acre urban greenspace in downtown Austin featuring hiking and biking trails, playscapes, Hill Country Gardens, and gathering spaces along restored Waller Creek. Open daily 5am-10pm with free public access.
• Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park A state-of-the-art outdoor concert venue within Waterloo Park serving as Austin's premier live music and entertainment destination, hosting major concerts through a partnership with C3 Presents / Live Nation.
• Phase II: The Confluence The second phase of Waterloo Greenway expanding the park system from Waterloo Park to Lady Bird Lake, featuring pedestrian bridges, trails, an 800-foot boardwalk, three pedestrian bridges, and creek restoration with more than 1,550 new trees and 200,000 mature plants.
• Venue Rentals

Quantifiable outcome

• 26.2 acres of urban stormwater treated by biofiltration pond
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Downtown Austin AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership for Park Ambassador program maintaining park cleanliness and safety. Ambassadors provide general park information, local insider tips, and beautification services.
• C3 Presents / Live NationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2021Concert series partnership anchoring Moody Amphitheater programming. Partnership includes community ticket giveaway providing 100 free tickets per concert. Also hosts SXSW shows, Austin Blues Festival, and Austin Urban Music & Cultural Festival.
• City of AustincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2014Formal joint development agreement in 2014 establishes legal relationship for designing and implementing the Waterloo Greenway design plan. Partnership includes multiple City departments: Watershed Protection, Parks and Recreation, and Capital Delivery Services.
• Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates / Thomas Phifer & PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign team selected through international competition in 2012. MVVA awarded 2025 Honor Award in General Design by American Society of Landscape Architects for Waterloo Park design.
• Teresa Hubbard / Alexander BirchlermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtists commissioned for Past Deposits video art installation at Moody Amphitheater, on view through March 2029. Installation features historic artifacts from Waller Creek archaeological digs.
• Texas Master Naturalist ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial partner offering volunteer opportunities while enabling community members to assist in stewarding and preserving Austin's natural resources.
• Travis AudubonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducts quarterly birding surveys documenting diverse bird species at Waterloo Park and leads birding walks during migration season.
• Monarch WatchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinates monarch butterfly tagging efforts as part of community science project studying migration patterns and population health.
• Castle Hill FitnessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Waterloo Wellness programming including popular Yoga & Sound events at Moody Amphitheater.
• Native Texan Two StepminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDance instruction partner for Two-Step Night events at Moody Amphitheater, teaching basic steps and facilitating community dancing.
• FBR ManagementminorOthersHandles food and beverage concessions during concerts at Moody Amphitheater.
• The Peached TortillaminorOthersAsian fusion inspired food offerings at Moody Amphitheater concerts.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The High Line: New York City elevated linear park operated as a public-private conservancy with extensive programming, concessions, and venue rentals. Closest operational analogue to Waterloo Greenway's linear park model with mixed free programming and earned revenue.
• Bryant Park Corporation: Nonprofit conservancy operating Bryant Park in midtown Manhattan with year-round free programming, holiday markets, and event rentals. Directly comparable in mission structure, programming philosophy, and public-private operating model.
• Klyde Warren Park: Dallas urban park built over a freeway with a similar deck-park construction approach, free daily programming, food vendors, and a concert/event venue. Strong regional Texas peer with comparable size and programming mix.
• Discovery Green: Houston nonprofit urban park conservancy offering free public programming, signature events, and venue rentals. Similar mix of green space, amphitheater-style programming, and corporate sponsorship-driven revenue model.
• Millennium Park: Chicago's signature downtown park featuring the Pritzker Pavilion outdoor amphitheater, free programming, and major event hosting. Closest comparable on the amphitheater-as-anchor-venue component.
• Central Park Conservancy: The archetypal urban park conservancy managing New York's Central Park through public-private partnership with extensive programming, fundraising, and venue operations. Strategic analogue for mature nonprofit park governance.

Regional players

• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Austin-based nonprofit affiliated with The University of Texas at Austin focused on native plants and ecological restoration. Directly relevant local peer sharing Waterloo Greenway's native landscaping and environmental education mission.
• Zilker Botanical Garden Conservancy: Austin-based nonprofit conservancy operating Zilker Botanical Garden adjacent to Zilker Park. Local peer sharing the Austin market, similar nonprofit governance, and overlapping native plant and community programming audiences.

Broad incumbents

• The Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit that helps create and protect urban parks, often providing planning and funding support to conservancies like Waterloo Greenway. Represents the broader peer ecosystem and a potential partnership model for replication.
• Live Nation Entertainment: Largest live entertainment company and Waterloo Greenway's concert programming partner through C3 Presents. Relevant as the dominant industry incumbent whose touring economics directly drive Moody Amphitheater's concert programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/waterloogreenway
• Instagraminstagram.com/waterloogreenway

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Waterloo Greenway