Williston Parks and Recreation District

What Williston Parks and Recreation District does

Williston Parks and Recreation District (WPRD) is a special district governmental entity established in 1983 to provide public parks, recreation facilities, and programs for the Williston, North Dakota community within Williams County. The district operates a portfolio of owned facilities including the Williston Area Recreation Center (ARC) — a multi-purpose venue with aquatics, fitness, gymnasiums, turf, tennis/pickleball courts, child sitting, and meeting rooms — the Raymond Family Community Center, the seasonal Williston Water World, the Williston Municipal Golf Course, and multiple parks. It delivers youth, adult, senior, and adaptive programming spanning soccer, baseball, softball, basketball, football, tennis, volleyball, swimming, hockey, curling, track, cross country, golf lessons, fitness classes, and summer camps, reaching 4,000+ weekly visitors across ARC and Raymond Center combined.

The underlying technology stack is conventional for a municipal recreation provider: Streamline powers the willistonparks.com website and content management, Webtrac handles online registration and reservations, and Statusfy/RainoutLine delivers real-time program status and cancellation notifications. No proprietary technology or AI/ML capability is evidenced. The district is supported operationally by the Williston Parks and Recreation Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that channels donations, sponsorships, and capital campaign proceeds into facility improvements.

WPRD's revenue mechanics blend a tax-base-funded municipal operating budget with multiple commercial streams: facility memberships and day passes, program registration fees, digital and print advertising, corporate sponsorships, naming rights sales (with published price tiers ranging from $20,000 scoreboards to $8 million facility-level titles), legacy paver and tile programs, and tax-deductible Foundation donations via stocks, IRA distributions, and planned gifts. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through physical facilities and the Webtrac online portal, with community-led outreach via a bi-weekly newsletter, Facebook, the Statusfy mobile app, and special events such as Movie Night at the Ballpark and Sk8 Nite. Primary customer segments are youth and families (primary), working-age adults (primary), seniors, and local businesses/sponsors seeking advertising reach. Three concurrent capital projects — the Ice & Turf Facility, the 9-to-18 hole Municipal Golf Course expansion, and the Raymond Center renovation — represent the district's most significant current strategic activity.

Name

Williston Parks and Recreation District

Legal name

Williston Parks and Recreation District

Website

https://willistonparks.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Williston Parks and Recreation District is a 1983-established special district governmental entity operating parks, aquatics, fitness, golf, and recreation facilities plus youth, adult, senior, and adaptive programming for Williston, North Dakota and Williams County residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Parks and Recreation Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water Parks (Outdoor/Indoor, Wave Pools & Slides) (THAJAEAB)

Keywords

• Parks and recreation
• Recreation facilities
• Youth sports programs
• Aquatic center services
• Municipal golf course

Headquarters

HQ city

Williston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Facility Memberships and Day Passes: Revenue from ARC and other facility memberships, daily passes, and access fees for recreation facilities including aquatic centers, fitness facilities, and sports courts.
2. Program Registration Fees: Fees collected from participants in youth sports, adult leagues, summer camps, swim lessons, and other recreation programs.
3. Advertising: Digital advertising on facility screens (6 screens reaching 4,000+ weekly visitors), annual magazine advertising, and ballpark fence signage. Revenue split 50/50 between programs and printing costs.
4. Sponsorships and Donations: Corporate sponsorships for travel sports, ballpark fence advertising, event sponsorships, and general donations to support youth programs and facility improvements.
5. Naming Rights: Major naming rights opportunities for facilities including Ice & Turf Facility ($8M), Municipal Golf Course ($5M), ARC Waterpark, Gymnasium, and various rooms/spaces ranging from $20,000 to $8,000,000.
6. Legacy Pavers and Tiles: Commemorative paver and tile sales at various facilities including Ice & Turf Facility ($600), Municipal Golf Course ($600), Raymond Center floor tiles ($600), and Williston Water World ($350-$550).
7. Foundation Donations: Tax-deductible donations to WPRD Foundation (501(c)(3)) supporting capital projects, endowments, memorial gifts, and facility improvements. Multiple giving vehicles including stocks, IRA distributions, and planned gifts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Williston Parks and Recreation District operates a municipal parks and recreation system that delivers recreation services through physical facilities including the Williston Area Recreation Center (ARC), Williston Water World water park, the Williston Municipal Golf Course (The Muni), Raymond Family Community Center, multiple parks, and the Ice & Turf Facility currently under construction. The district sells facility memberships, day passes, and program registration fees across youth sports, adult leagues, senior programming, adaptive recreation, swim lessons, fitness classes, and special community events, supplemented by a supporting 501(c)(3) foundation that handles donations, naming rights, and sponsorships.

Product overview

Williston Parks and Recreation District operates a comprehensive parks and recreation system providing superior parks, facilities, and programs for all to enjoy an active life. The district's core offerings include the Williston Area Recreation Center (ARC), Williston Water World, Williston Municipal Golf Course (The Muni), Raymond Family Community Center, and the Ice & Turf Facility. These facilities support a wide range of programs including youth sports (soccer, baseball, softball, basketball, football, tennis, track, volleyball, swimming), adult leagues, senior programs, adaptive programs, and special events. The Williston Parks and Recreation Foundation (a 501(c)(3) organization) supports the district through donations, naming rights, and sponsorship opportunities for capital projects and facility enhancements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Williston Area Recreation Center (ARC) A multi-purpose recreation center offering swimming, fitness, tennis, pickleball, turf activities, child sitting, and family recreation programs for residents of all ages.
• Williston Municipal Golf Course (The Muni) A municipal golf course providing public golfing opportunities, clubhouse, and concessions for Williston residents and visitors, with ongoing expansion from 9 holes to 18 holes.
• Williston Water World A community water park offering family aquatic recreation and summer activities.
• Raymond Family Community Center A community center providing gymnasium, fitness facilities, senior programming, athletic, and community gathering spaces.
• Ice & Turf Facility An upcoming multi-purpose indoor facility featuring ice rinks and turf fields for athletics, tournaments, community events, and family activities.
• Youth Programs Recreation programming for children including youth soccer, baseball, softball, basketball, football, tennis, track, volleyball, swimming, learn-to-skate, curling, cheer, and youth fitness programs.
• Adult Programs Recreation for adults including basketball, flag football, softball, volleyball, pickleball, tennis, swimming, and fitness classes.
• Senior Programs Recreation for older adults including aquatic programs, fitness classes, walking tracks, pickleball, and community room access.
• Adaptive Programs Recreation programs designed for individuals with disabilities to participate in accessible sports and activities.
• Williston Parks and Recreation Foundation A 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation supporting WPRD through tax-deductible donations, naming-rights sales, corporate sponsorships, and capital-project fundraising.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Williston Basin Curling ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurling programs for youth grades 4-12 are hosted at the Williston Basin Curling Club located at the Fairgrounds (UMVF Multi Purpose Bldg B). Equipment provided by the curling club; WPRD provides program coordination and participant recruitment.
• StreamlinecoreTechnology or IntegrationWebsite and content management platform provider powering willistonparks.com. Provides website hosting, online registration integration, and digital infrastructure for the district.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth-services organization providing after-school programs, sports leagues, and adaptive activities — partial overlap with WPRD's youth and adaptive programming segments.

Direct peers

• Minot Park District: Another North Dakota municipal park district operating recreation centers, parks, and community programs in a small-to-mid market — directly comparable operating model to WPRD.
• Bismarck Parks and Recreation District: North Dakota municipal parks and recreation district operating similar aquatics, fitness, sports, and parks programming. Closest structural comparable within the same state regulatory environment.
• Fargo Park District: Municipal park district serving Fargo, ND with comparable recreation facilities, sports leagues, aquatics, and community programming funded by a special-district tax base.
• Grand Forks Parks & Recreation: Municipal parks and recreation provider in Grand Forks, ND delivering aquatic, fitness, youth sports, and community programming on a similar special-district basis.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of the USA: National non-profit recreation organization offering membership fitness, youth sports, swim lessons, and senior programs — overlapping significantly with WPRD's ARC programming but at a much larger national scale.
• Life Time Fitness Holdings: Large private-sector operator of fitness centers, aquatics, kids' programs, and group training — competes with WPRD ARC for adult fitness and family memberships.

Others

• National Recreation and Park Association: Industry association representing park and recreation agencies nationally; relevant as the policy/standards body governing WPRD's operating framework and a benchmark for municipal park-district practice.
• Athletico/ATI Physical Therapy (community fitness): National fitness/rehabilitation provider with community programming adjacent to WPRD's senior and adaptive offerings; not a direct recreation peer but competes for wellness-spend.

Regional players

• Sid's Indoor Sand & Recreation (regional): Regional private indoor recreation/turf facility operator competing for turf-based youth sports demand in the broader ND/MT region — a partial competitor to the upcoming Ice & Turf Facility.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/willistonparks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/williston-parks-and-recreation-dept

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Williston Parks and Recreation District