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WaTiki Indoor Water Park Resort in Rapid City, South Dakota now has not one, but two ways for guests to enjoy the park year-round. In addition to the 130’ (39.62m) x 150’ (45.72m) retractable roof waterpark enclosure completed by OpenAire in 2006, a second sunlit space has been added.
Slider’s Bar and Grill now has its own beautiful OpenAire enclosure with retractable panels and sidewalls that offer the ultimate in patio-style dining.
The restaurant, which officially opened its doors on New Year’s Eve 2010, seats 210 people in a space that’s airy, welcoming and incredibly flexible. Diners can enjoy natural light and great outdoor views in warm, dry comfort, and when summer comes to South Dakota, opening up the OpenAire enclosure turns the bar area of the restaurant into a sun-filled patio with lots of fresh, warm air and a wonderful outdoor atmosphere.
“The benefits of the year-round usage and the flexibility of OpenAire’s solution made them a natural fit when we were looking at options for adding a restaurant to the resort complex,” says Donnie Patton, Co-Owner, WaTiki Indoor Water Park Resort. “Plus we had such a positive experience working with them on the waterpark, it just made sense to bring them back.”
Adding on to the existing structure was challenging due to site constraints. But because OpenAire solutions are completely flexible and fully customizable, the company rose to the task and made it look like a simple connection once the work was complete.
“WaTiki is just one example of OpenAire’s ability to adapt an enclosure to any space,” says Dave Bolwerk, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, OpenAire. “They had a vision, and we were able to work with them to build an enclosure that was exactly what they were looking for. When owners and architects involve us in the planning stages, we can help them achieve their goals, and present them with flexible, innovative options that meet their specific needs.”
The retractable roof enclosure over the bar area of the restaurant measures 62’ (18.9m) x 52’ (15.85m), with a soaring ceiling height of 36’ (11m) at its highest point. The roof structure includes a combination of operable and stationary panels mostly glazed with clear polycarbonate. The design also incorporates a 5” thick insulated metal roof system to shade diners from the sun on particularly sunny days, and contributes to the clean, contemporary look of the structure.
“We were pleased to be invited back to work on phase two of the WaTiki project,” says Bolwerk. “Our solutions are great for pool environments, but they also work beautifully in non-aquatic applications. The two enclosures look great together, offering a cohesive space that’s appealing and highly functional throughout the year.”
As part of the second project, OpenAire also incorporated a striking new entrance to the waterpark, with an enclosed stairwell that welcomes visitors and provides a great first impression to new guests. The overall look of the park is welcoming, airy and open, and the new restaurant and entryway extend the appeal of the space, offering visitors even more enjoyment.
About OpenAire
OpenAire has been designing and manufacturing beautiful, high-quality retractable roof enclosures and skylights for over 20 years. Their projects include the LEED Gold certified Salinas Aquatic Center in Salinas, California, Roseville’s Mike Shellito Indoor Pool, Big Splash Island in French Lick, Indiana, the Palms Casino & Resort in Las Vegas and the world’s largest indoor waterpark with a retractable aluminum dome in Ukraine. By combining your unique vision with OpenAire’s expertise, incredible venues are a reality.