Bonnet Springs Park

What Bonnet Springs Park does

Bonnet Springs Park is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public park operating a 168-acre urban-nature campus in Lakeland, Florida on the I-4 corridor between Tampa and Orlando. The park opened to the public on October 22, 2022, following approximately $100 million in privately funded development and remediation of a former industrial railyard site. The campus was master-planned by Sasaki and includes natural landscapes, gardens, playgrounds, the Crenshaw Canopy Walk, the GiveWell Community Foundation Nature Center with a live beehive exhibit, Zoey's Butterfly House, StoryWalk literacy trail, an ADA-accessible tram system, and four bookable private event venues (Kirby Center ballroom, Ann and Ward Edwards Boathouse, Hollis Family Welcome Center, Kiwanis Cares for Kids Treehouse). The Florida Children's Museum operates as a co-located nonprofit anchor within the park footprint.

The park operates on a freemium model with free general admission for all visitors, generating revenue through six streams: private event venue rentals ($150-$8,700 per booking), on-site food and beverage operations (Starbucks-licensed Roundhouse Coffee Shop, The Depot cafe with ice cream, Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits Rooftop Bar), gift shop sales, the four-tier Friends of BSP annual membership program ($30-$600 per year), donations and endowment contributions (Carol Jenkins Barnett Endowment with a 2:1 board match), and grants and sponsorships from state, regional, and private foundations. The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven, supported by digital channels (website, social media, email newsletter), outreach volunteers, and partnerships with Lakeland Regional Health, Visit Central Florida Tourism Development Council, and Citrus Connection public transit. Educational programming targets K-12 schools through guided and self-guided field trips aligned with curriculum standards, serving approximately 1 million guests annually.

Name

Bonnet Springs Park

Legal name

Bonnet Springs Park, Inc.

Website

https://bonnetspringspark.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bonnet Springs Park is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a 168-acre free-admission urban-nature park in Lakeland, Florida, generating revenue from venue rentals, food and beverage, memberships, donations, and grants while serving approximately 1 million annual visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lakeland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Private Event Venue Rentals: The park generates revenue through renting its venues for weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations. Venues include the Kirby Center ballroom (50-400 guests), Ann and Ward Edwards Boathouse (up to 100 guests), Hollis Family Welcome Center (up to 25 guests), and Kiwanis Cares for Kids Treehouse (up to 40 guests). Pricing ranges from $150/hour to $4,500-$8,700 for full-day rentals.
2. Food and Beverage Operations: Multiple dining venues operated within the park: Roundhouse Coffee Shop serving Starbucks beverages (8AM-6PM), The Depot cafe with indoor/outdoor seating (10AM-4PM/5PM), Ice Cream Crossing (10AM-6PM), and Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits Rooftop Garden Bar (12-7PM daily) with Happy Hour Monday-Friday 5-7PM. The park is cashless, accepting cards and mobile payments.
3. Gift Shop Sales: Welcome Center Gift Shop sells souvenirs, maps, sun protection, and BSP merchandise. Open daily 9AM-5PM.
4. Friends of BSP Membership Program: Four-tiered annual household membership program: Ladybug ($30/year), Dragonfly ($120/year), HoneyBee ($365/year), and Butterfly ($600/year). Members receive perks including stickers, newsletters, merchandise items, espresso drinks, ice cream, t-shirts, and early access to event tickets.
5. Donations and Endowment Contributions: The park relies on donor support to sustain operations. Carol Jenkins Barnett Endowment accepts various donation types including online gifts, mail-in checks, Donor-Advised Fund grants, Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRAs, stock donations, matching gifts, and legacy/planned giving. The board provides a 2:1 match for endowment gifts.
6. Grants and Sponsorships: Bonnet Springs Park receives grants from government and private foundations including the Florida Department of State Division of Arts and Culture, Mayor's Council on the Arts, Visit Central Florida Tourism Development Council, GiveWell Community Foundation, Tampa Bay Estuary Program, and others. Corporate sponsors support specific events and programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Bonnet Springs Park operates a 168-acre urban-nature park with free public admission, providing nature trails, gardens, playgrounds, a tram system, and educational exhibits for visitors. The park generates revenue through private event venue rentals, on-site food and beverage operations, gift shop retail, a tiered membership program, donations, and grants. It also delivers K-12 educational programming including guided and self-guided field trips aligned with school curricula.

Product overview

Bonnet Springs Park is a 168-acre urban-nature park in Lakeland, Florida operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The park offers a diverse portfolio of venues for private events (Kirby Center ballroom, Ann and Ward Edwards Boathouse, Hollis Family Welcome Center, Kiwanis Cares for Kids Treehouse), food and beverage services (Roundhouse Coffee Shop serving Starbucks, The Depot cafe with ice cream, Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits Rooftop Bar, Welcome Center Gift Shop), and educational programming (Nature Center, Butterfly House, guided and self-guided field trips for K-12). The park operates free admission with revenue generated through venue rentals, food/beverage sales, retail, membership programs (Friends of BSP with four tiers), and a volunteer program. Additional offerings include year-round events, tram service, and the Carol Jenkins Barnett Endowment fund for donations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Friends of Bonnet Springs Park: A membership program with four tiers (Ladybug, Dragonfly, HoneyBee, Butterfly) offering various perks to supporters of the park.
• Carol Jenkins Barnett Endowment

Products and services

• Kirby Center (Event Center Ballroom) Venue Rental Spacious ballroom venue for weddings, corporate events, and large celebrations accommodating 50-400 guests. Features large windows, foyer, built-in dropdown screens, modern A/V capabilities, two greenrooms, full-service kitchen, and outdoor lawn space. Priced at $450-475 per hour (3-hour minimum Mon-Wed) or $4,500-$8,700 for Thursday-Sunday 12-hour rental.
• Ann and Ward Edwards Boathouse Venue Rental Waterfront venue along the lagoon featuring a screened pavilion and private dock, ideal for ceremonies and relaxed corporate gatherings. Accommodates up to 100 guests with upper and lower levels. Priced at $3,500 for 8-hour rental (weddings, rehearsals, formal events) or $750 for 3-hour rental (casual events).
• Hollis Family Welcome Center Venue Rental Contemporary, flexible room ideal for meetings, showers, and family gatherings. Includes wood tables, 20 chairs, credenza, loveseat, and 70-inch TV for presentations. Accommodates up to 25 guests. Priced at $150 per hour with a 2-hour minimum.
• Kiwanis Cares for Kids Treehouse Venue Rental Rustic raised treehouse nestled within oak trees featuring three child-sized tables with benches, one adult table, ceiling fans, and on-site restroom. Accommodates up to 40 guests, ideal for children's events. Priced at $300 for a 3-hour rental. Catering must be provided by BSP.
• Roundhouse Coffee Shop Licensed Starbucks coffee shop serving espresso drinks, teas, Frappuccinos, pastries, and bottled beverages. Open 8AM-6PM daily in a cashless facility with on-site no-fee cash-to-card ATM.
• The Depot (Cafe and Ice Cream Crossing) Casual dining cafe with indoor and outdoor seating serving chicken tenders, hamburgers, wraps, and other casual fare. Features Ice Cream Crossing with eight flavors. Open 10AM-4PM Sunday-Friday and 10AM-5PM Saturday. Cashless facility.
• Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits Rooftop Bar Full-service rooftop bar featuring handcrafted cocktails, curated wines, and draft beers. Includes Happy Hour Monday-Friday 5-7PM with bar menu available until 6PM. Open 12-7PM daily in a cashless facility.
• Welcome Center Gift Shop Souvenir shop offering BSP merchandise, maps, sun protection, and gifts. Open 9AM-5PM daily within the Hollis Family Welcome Center.
• Guided K-12 Field Trips Standards-aligned guided field trips for students in grades 2-12 covering science, nature, and environmental topics. Programs include Metamorphosis (2nd grade), Plant Structures (3rd grade), Life of Trees (4th grade), Energy Everywhere (5th grade), Cells & Classifications (6th grade), Animals & Energy (7th grade), Technology in Action (8th grade), and high school Chemistry, Biology, Physics, and Environmental Science courses. Minimum 15 students required; registration through Checkfront.
• Self-Guided K-12 Field Trips Self-guided field trips for K-12 students with educational activity programs including Five Senses, Nature Narrator, Nature's Power, Plants & Animals, Investigate This, Pollinator Power, Art of Nature, and Ecosystem Explorer. Registration through Checkfront booking system.
• Educational Programs and Exhibits Hands-on educational exhibits and self-guided learning experiences including the GiveWell Community Foundation Nature Center with the Life of Bees Exhibit (live beehive), Watson Clinic Gallery, Zoey's Butterfly House featuring numerous butterfly species and host plants, and StoryWalk combining children's reading with outdoor trail exploration.
• Park Events Programming Year-round event programming including Summer Naturalist educational sessions, Sunset Dance Series, monthly Cars & Coffee meetups (first Saturday), Movie on the Lawn outdoor screenings, BSP Brainiacs trivia nights, Caribbean Carnival, Bienvenido, Light Up BSP, and cultural celebrations including Asian American Pacific Islander Celebration. Most events are free to the community.
• Friends of BSP Membership Program Four-tier annual household membership program: Ladybug ($30/year), Dragonfly ($120/year), HoneyBee ($365/year), and Butterfly ($600/year). Members receive escalating perks including stickers, quarterly newsletter, merchandise items, monthly water bottles, espresso drinks, ice cream, t-shirt and hat or tumbler, and early access to select event tickets. Monthly installment options available at $2.50, $10, $30.42, and $50 respectively.
• Lakeland Regional Health Tram Circulator ADA-accessible tram transportation system operating daily from 9AM-7PM with continuous service connecting park attractions. Well-behaved lap dogs and service animals permitted. Free for park visitors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Welcomes approximately 1 million guests annually since opening in 2022
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and supporting.

• Lakeland Regional HealthmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Presenting sponsor for the third annual Sunset Dance Series. Partnership supports community health and wellness through cultural programming at the park's ballroom venue.
• Visit Central Florida Tourism Development CouncilcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Official destination marketing organization for Polk County. Awarded Arts, Culture & Heritage Sponsorship funds supporting BSP Caribbean Carnival, Spring Break Arts Program, BSP Bloom, and Asian American and Pacific Islander Celebration for 2025-2026 season.
• Florida Youth Conservation Center NetworksupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partner for annual Kids' Fishing Clinics teaching youth ages 5-15 about conservation, ethical angling, knot tying, casting techniques, and fishing identification through interactive learning stations.
• AgAmericamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2019One of the largest non-bank agricultural lenders in the United States. Inaugurated the six-acre AgAmerica Heritage Gardens within the park, paying tribute to farmers and railway workers who established the community. Gardens serve as a living classroom featuring native plants and grasses.
• Sasaki (Landscape Architecture Firm)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2017World-renowned Massachusetts-based landscape architecture firm with international portfolio including Chicago Riverwalk and Charleston Waterfront Park. Selected as lead designer for the 168-acre urban park transformation. Led 'power week' design sessions with community input. The firm designed the master plan that transformed the former contaminated railyard into a vibrant urban oasis.
• Southern Glazer's Wine & SpiritscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAlcoholic beverage partner operating the Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits Rooftop Garden Bar at the park. Full-service bar featuring handcrafted cocktails, curated wine selection, and draft beers with Happy Hour Monday-Friday.
• Starbucks (Roundhouse Coffee Shop)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensed Starbucks location within the park serving espresso drinks, teas, Frappuccinos, pastries, and bottled beverages. Open 8AM-6PM daily in the Roundhouse building.
• Citrus ConnectionsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPublic transit bus service with a stop in the Hollis Family Welcome Center parking lot, providing accessible transportation options for park visitors.
• Explorations V Children's Museum (now Florida Children's Museum)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeparate nonprofit organization operating as anchor cultural and scientific partner within the park. Offers interactive exhibits including Namaste India (presented by George Jenkins Foundation). Features the Carol Jenkins Barnett United Way Children's Resource Center.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Railroad Park: A 19-acre urban park in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, built on a former railroad corridor. Closely comparable to BSP's origin story (transforming a contaminated railyard into public green space) and uses a nonprofit operating model with free admission, sponsored events, and a mix of food, beverage, and event revenue.
• Maggie Daley Park: Chicago's 20-acre lakefront park with free admission, programmed events, and a strong emphasis on family and educational experiences. Comparable in offering a mix of gardens, playgrounds, ice skating, and event venues on a free-admission basis.
• Klyde Warren Park: A 5.2-acre deck park built over a freeway in Dallas, Texas. Operates as a free-admission urban park with programmed events, food vendors, private event rentals, and a privately funded nonprofit operating model - the same free-admission, donor-driven, event-rich playbook Bonnet Springs Park uses.
• Discovery Green: A 12-acre park in downtown Houston, Texas, operated by a nonprofit with free admission, year-round programming, restaurant concessions, and venue rentals. Comparable scale and revenue model structure, including private event hosting and corporate sponsorship-driven programming.
• Gathering Place: Tulsa, Oklahoma's 100-acre riverfront park and Bonnet Springs Park's most direct comparable. Both are privately funded urban-nature parks with free admission, Sasaki-influenced design vocabulary, robust membership programs, venue rentals, and educational programming. BSP's CEO Josh Henderson was previously VP of Revenue at Gathering Place, confirming an explicit model reference.

Regional players

• Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park: Public Tampa park along the Riverwalk that hosts festivals, educational programming, and events. Comparable as a Tampa Bay-area urban park with free admission and public programming, though municipally operated rather than nonprofit.
• Lake Eola Park: Iconic downtown Orlando park with free admission, event hosting, and recreational amenities. Comparable as a Central Florida destination park serving the same Tampa-Orlando corridor that BSP draws visitors from, but operated by the City of Orlando rather than as a nonprofit.

Others

• Florida Children's Museum (Explorations V): The current educational anchor nonprofit co-located within Bonnet Springs Park. Not a peer in the destination-parks sense but a key ecosystem partner that extends visits, drives family dwell time, and shares educational programming - making it material to BSP's per-visitor monetization.

Broad incumbents

• Millennium Park: 24-acre downtown Chicago park with free admission, signature architecture, programmed events, and food concessions. Comparable as a flagship urban park whose public-private operating model and event programming have produced a major, durable destination - the long-term benchmark for BSP's event and venue revenue.
• The High Line: New York City's elevated linear park built on a former railroad. While much larger and more tourism-driven, the High Line shares the railyard-to-public-park transformation narrative and demonstrates the long-term donor and event-programmed model that BSP aspires to at scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BonnetSprings
• YouTubevimeo.com/bonnetspringspark
• Facebookfacebook.com/BonnetSpringsPark
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bonnet-springs-park
• Instagraminstagram.com/bonnetspringspark

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Bonnet Springs Park