A $900 million waterpark resort is set to throw open its doors in Spotsylvania County next week, bringing 907 guest rooms, a 175,000-square-foot indoor waterpark and a 90,000-square-foot indoor adventure park to a stretch of I-95 near Dominion Raceway & Entertainment. Kalahari Resorts & Conventions is scheduled to officially open its Virginia location on November 12, 2026, according to the resort's own guidance, marking the long-awaited debut of a project years in the making.
A Resort Built on a Massive Scale
The numbers behind the project are hard to overstate. Per the Kalahari Resorts & Conventions fact sheet, the resort spans 1.38 million square feet under one roof, representing an approximate $900 million investment. That includes the 175,000-square-foot indoor waterpark, which the resort's frequently asked questions page confirms comes with free admission for every registered overnight guest, along with seasonal access to an outdoor waterpark when weather permits.
The fact sheet lists 10 acres of seasonal outdoor pools, though Virginia Business reported the figure as three acres of outdoor pools — a discrepancy that has not been resolved between the two accounts. Food and drink options show a similar gap: the resort's own fact sheet counts 13 on-site food-and-beverage outlets, including four signature dining experiences, while Spotsylvania County's project page describes a dozen on-site food-and-beverage outlets. Neither figure has been confirmed as the final word on the resort's dining lineup.
Adventure Park, Convention Space and More
Beyond the water, the resort's 90,000-square-foot Tom Foolerys Adventure Park is billed as featuring thrill rides, climbing walls, an indoor zip line, bowling, laser tag and more than 250 arcade games, according to the fact sheet. The property also includes 150,000 square feet of flexible convention space, split between two ballrooms of 30,000 and 19,000 square feet plus 16 additional meeting rooms — space Kalahari is counting on to draw business travelers alongside vacationing families.
That convention footprint drew a direct comparison from Richmond's biggest venue. The Greater Richmond Convention Center's general manager noted that his facility offers 700,000 square feet of continuous event space, compared with Kalahari's 150,000 square feet, as reported by The Richmonder. Still, Kalahari expects convention business to account for between 40% and 45% of its occupied hotel rooms, per the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and Virginia Business reported the resort had already booked conventions and events for about 300 groups as far out as 2034 as of mid-September.
Jobs, Tax Revenue and the Road to Opening
The resort is expected to create more than 1,300 jobs, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and a spokesperson told The Richmonder that Kalahari anticipated more than 1,000 full- and part-time positions hired locally in the Spotsylvania area by opening day. Virginia Business reported that as of mid-September, Kalahari had hired about 570 of an anticipated 1,400 employees — the same outlet's reporting indicates hiring was still ramping up in the weeks before launch.
Spotsylvania County expects the project to generate $6.8 million in tax revenue within its first year, the same Richmonder report notes. The path to this moment wound through county government: The Richmonder reports that Kalahari applied for commercial rezoning in July 2022, while the Board of Supervisors approved a performance agreement that May specifying Kalahari would be responsible for repaying all loans, with the county bearing no liability if the resort defaulted.
What a Stay Costs, and Who It's Built For
Room rates reported by The Richmonder start at $415 for a one-night stay for two adults and two children, a price that includes waterpark access, with presidential suites running as high as $2,323. Kalahari is explicitly targeting families within a three- or four-hour drive of Greater Washington, according to the Washington Business Journal.
As Alexandria Living Magazine has reported, the Spotsylvania property is being positioned as Virginia's largest indoor waterpark resort and marks Kalahari's fifth location nationally. For travelers weighing a booking, Kalahari's FAQ spells out some ground rules worth knowing in advance: guests must be at least 18 to reserve and check into a room, with anyone younger required to be accompanied by a parent. The first night's lodging, applicable taxes and a mandatory daily resort fee of $44.99 are charged at the time of reservation, and the waterpark rules require life vests for children under 48 inches tall while barring outside coolers, food and drinks.
