The Safari Island Community Center

Name

The Safari Island Community Center

Legal name

Safari Island Community Center

Website

https://safariislandcommunitycenter.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Recreation and Fitness Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Aquatic Family Entertainment Centers (Splash Pads, Aquatic Playgrounds, Swim Parks) (THAJAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Recreation & Activity Services (Hiking, Boating, Climbing, Fishing—Guided/Authorized) (THAAAGAF)

Keywords

• Community recreation center
• Aquatic and fitness services
• Indoor swimming facilities
• Birthday party packages
• Senior wellness programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Waconia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual and monthly membership subscriptions providing facility access to fitness center, pools, courts, and track. Senior pricing available for ages 60+.
2. Birthday Party Packages: Two-hour party packages including room rental, party supplies, and facility admission for 15 guests. Members pay $205, non-members $225. Additional pool access available for $25.
3. Facility Rentals: Hourly rentals for courts ($40/hr), batting cages ($30-55), conference room ($40/hr), group exercise studio ($20/hr), and lap pool lanes ($27.50/hr per lane).
4. Program Fees: Revenue from group fitness classes, swim lessons, adult leagues, and childcare services.
5. Sponsorships: Business sponsorship program with tiered pricing: $500/year, $1200 for 3 years, $2000 for 5 years. Includes website link, company flyer display, employee discounts, and complimentary guest passes.
6. Day Passes: Non-member daily admission fees for facility access including pool, fitness center, courts, and track.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Safari Island Community Center is a single-location municipal aquatic and fitness facility that provides indoor recreation services including swimming pools with a 175-foot slide and diving boards, a four-level children's indoor playground (Lion's Den), a fitness center with group exercise classes and personal training, a four-court gymnasium with batting cages and an indoor track, plus birthday party packages, hourly facility rentals, childcare, and active older adult programming. Revenue is generated primarily through membership subscriptions, daily admission passes, program fees, facility rentals, birthday party packages, and tiered local business sponsorships, with senior memberships additionally funded through insurance fitness programs (Renew Active/One Pass, SilverSneakers, Silver & Fit).

Product overview

Safari Island Community Center is a single-location aquatic and fitness facility offering a comprehensive suite of recreational services organized as distinct program areas. The core offerings include an aquatic center with pools, slides, and diving boards; the Lion's Den four-level indoor playground for children; a fitness center with weight room, group exercise classes, and personal training; courts and track facilities for basketball, volleyball, pickleball, and batting cages; and childcare services. Additional services include birthday party packages (Splash, Gymcrazium, and Indoor Playground parties), facility rentals for courts, conference rooms, and lap lanes, membership programs with insurance partnerships, active older adults programming, and business sponsorships. The center serves the Waconia, MN community with over 110,000 annual visitors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aquatic Center Indoor aquatic facility with a zero-depth entry pool, lap pool with 1m diving boards, 175-foot water slide, pool basketball hoops, and spa. Offers multi-level swim lessons and private swim lessons; serves members, day-pass users, and lap-lane renters.
• Lion's Den Indoor Playground Four-level indoor play structure for children ages 10 and under featuring climbing areas, crawl-through tubes, tube slides, and regular slides, with adult seating areas for supervision.
• Fitness Center and Weight Room Fitness center with weight room equipment, certified group exercise classes, and personal training services for members and day-pass users.
• Courts and Track Four-court gymnasium divisible by ceiling-to-floor curtains with eight scoreboards, two regulation and four non-regulation basketball courts, two batting cages, and lines for volleyball, shuffleboard, four square, pickleball, and tennis; includes a 3-lane indoor track (approximately 1/10 mile).
• Birthday Party Packages Three two-hour party package options - Splash Party (pool with slides and diving boards), Gymcrazium Party (court with dodgeball, basketball, soccer, kickball, floor hockey), and Indoor Playground Party (Lion's Den exclusive use) - each including a decorated room, facility admission for 15 guests, and party supplies. Members pay $205, non-members $225, with optional pool access add-on for $25.
• Facility Rentals Hourly rental options for courts ($40/hour), batting cages ($30/30 min, $40/60 min, $55/90 min), conference room seating up to 15 ($40/hour), group exercise studio ($20/hour), and 8-lane competitive lap pool ($27.50/hour per lane); group rates available for 20+ paying guests.
• Childcare Services Drop-in childcare hosted in the Lion's Den for children ages 2-10, available Monday/Wednesday/Friday 8:30am-11:30am, Monday-Thursday 4:30pm-8:00pm, and Saturday 8:00am-10:15am, limited to 10 spots per session (socks required).
• Active Older Adults Programs Fitness and social programming for adults aged 55+ including age-appropriate fitness classes, Coffee Club meetings on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month, and partnership programming with the Waconia Senior Center for trips, seminars, and special events; accepts Renew Active/One Pass, SilverSneakers, and Silver & Fit insurance fitness programs.
• Membership Programs Recurring membership subscriptions (monthly and annual) providing facility access to pools, fitness center, courts, track, and indoor playground, with senior pricing available for ages 60+ and free memberships available through Renew Active, SilverSneakers, and Silver & Fit insurance programs.
• Business Sponsorship Opportunities Tiered local business sponsorships - 1 year at $500, 3 years at $1,200, and 5 years at $2,000 - providing website link placement, company flyer display in stairwell and lobby TV, a 10% employee membership discount, and complimentary 25-visit guest pass punch cards (3- and 5-year tiers).

Quantifiable outcome

• 110,000+ annual facility visitors
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Waconia High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShared use facility partnership with Waconia High School. The school uses the facility during school hours while Safari Island operates community programming outside school hours. Waconia Community Education also shares the space.
• Renew Active / One PasscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance fitness program partnership that provides free memberships to eligible seniors through their Medicare Advantage plans. Safari Island accepts these benefits for facility access.
• SilverSneakerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance fitness program partnership providing free senior memberships through eligible health plans. Safari Island is a participating facility accepting SilverSneakers benefits.
• Silver & FitcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance fitness program partnership offering free senior memberships through Medicare Advantage plans. Safari Island accepts Silver & Fit benefits for facility access.
• Waconia Senior CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-promotional partnership serving adults age 55+ in Waconia and surrounding communities. Safari Island hosts senior programming while the Senior Center provides additional community events and social programming.
• Sports Facilities CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFacility management company that operates Safari Island in partnership with the City of Waconia. Provides operational expertise and management for the community center.
• Awaken Aesthetics and WellnessminorOthersLocal sponsor receiving website link, lobby TV flyer display, stairwell flyer, and 10% employee membership discount in exchange for sponsorship.
• MediacomminorOthersLocal sponsor receiving website link, lobby TV flyer display, stairwell flyer, and 10% employee membership discount in exchange for sponsorship.
• Velocity AquaticsminorOthersLocal sponsor receiving website link, lobby TV flyer display, stairwell flyer, and 10% employee membership discount in exchange for sponsorship.
• Value DrainminorOthersLocal sponsor receiving website link, lobby TV flyer display, stairwell flyer, and 10% employee membership discount in exchange for sponsorship.
• Darabi DermatologyminorOthersLocal sponsor receiving website link, lobby TV flyer display, stairwell flyer, and 10% employee membership discount in exchange for sponsorship.
• State Farm (Nate Matousek)minorOthersLocal sponsor receiving website link, lobby TV flyer display, stairwell flyer, and 10% employee membership discount in exchange for sponsorship.
• TBC CounselingminorOthersLocal sponsor receiving website link, lobby TV flyer display, stairwell flyer, and 10% employee membership discount in exchange for sponsorship.
• Lakeview ClinicminorOthersLocal sponsor receiving website link, lobby TV flyer display, stairwell flyer, and 10% employee membership discount in exchange for sponsorship.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Life Time Fitness: Life Time operates large multi-amenity fitness clubs with aquatic centers, kids' programming, group classes, and family-oriented services. It targets a similar family/seniors use-case at a larger premium scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Gold's Gym: Gold's Gym is a national fitness chain offering membership-based access to fitness centers, group classes, and personal training. It overlaps with Safari Island's fitness-center and group-exercise programming, though it lacks the aquatic, indoor-playground, and party components.
• Planet Fitness: Planet Fitness operates low-cost membership-based fitness centers nationally. It serves a similar mass-market fitness membership use case to Safari Island, though without the aquatic, court, or community-recreation programming.
• Kalahari Resorts: Kalahari Resorts is a chain of indoor waterpark resorts featuring slides, splash pads, and family entertainment amenities. Comparable to Safari Island's aquatic and indoor-playground offering, though at destination-resort scale and pricing.
• Great Wolf Lodge: Great Wolf Lodge operates indoor waterpark resorts with slides, splash areas, family entertainment, and party packages. The indoor waterpark component overlaps with Safari Island's aquatic/slide offerings, though Great Wolf operates as a destination resort rather than a community center.

Direct peers

• Edina Community Center: Edina Community Center is a Minnesota municipal facility providing aquatic, fitness, and recreation amenities. Its membership and program structure, as well as its municipal ownership model, closely mirror Safari Island's operations.
• Sports Facilities Companies: Sports Facilities Companies is the management partner that operates Safari Island, and runs a network of comparable municipal/community aquatic and recreation facilities across the U.S. under the same operating playbook, making it the most directly comparable peer.
• YMCA: YMCA operates membership-based community recreation centers with pools, fitness, youth programs, and senior programming. The Y's membership-fee model, community-mission orientation, and diversified amenity mix closely parallel Safari Island's structure.
• Eden Prairie Community Center: Eden Prairie Community Center is a Minnesota municipal recreation facility offering pools, fitness, and community programming. It is a near-identical operating model to Safari Island, differentiated only by location within the Twin Cities metro.

Regional players

• Coral Ridge Mall / Coralville Community Center (Iowa): Coralville's municipal recreation offerings in Iowa are a comparable regional community recreation model with aquatic and fitness programming. Regional peer providing a benchmark for similar Upper-Midwest municipal facilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SafariIslandFun
• Instagraminstagram.com/safariislandcommunitycenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-safari-island-community-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 The Safari Island Community Center