Chapter 10: Recreation, Theme Parks, and Clubs

Chapter 10 Recreation, Theme Parks, and Clubs Recreation, Leisure, and Wellness Government-Sponsored Recreation Commercial Recreation Theme Parks Size and Scope of the Industry Key Players Clubs Club Management Types of Clubs Noncommercial Recreation Trends

Recreation, Leisure, and Wellness The word recreation is defined as the use of time for therapeutic refreshment of one’s body or mind Recreation allows people to have fun together and form lasting relationships built on the experiences they have enjoyed together This recreational process is called bonding Leisure is best described as time free from work, or discretionary time

Government-Sponsored Recreation Various levels of government that constitute government-sponsored recreation are intertwined, yet distinct, in the parks, recreation, and leisure services Government raises revenue from income taxes, sales taxes, and property taxes Additionally, government raises special revenue from recreation-related activities such as automobile and recreational vehicles, boats, motor fuels, transient occupancy taxes (TOT) on hotel accommodations, etc. The monies are distributed among the various recreation- and leisure-related organizations at the federal, state/provincial, city, and town levels

National Parks The National Parks Service was founded in 1916 by Congress to conserve park resources and to provide for their use by the public in a way that leaves them unimpaired The system’s current roster of 367 areas covers more than 80 million acres of land More than 272 million visitors go to the parks each year

Commercial Recreation Recreation management came of age in the 1920s and 1930s, when recreation and social programs were offered as a community service Commercial recreation—often called eco- or adventure tourism—provides residents and visitors with access to an area’s spectacular wilderness through a variety of guided outdoor activities

Theme Parks Began with Knott’s Berry Farms: During the 1920s in Buena Park, California, Knott’s Berry Farm was a berry farm and a tea room Business grew and different attractions were added to the site Today, Knott’s Berry Farms is owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Corporation

Size and Scope of the Industry Theme parks and attractions vary according to theme—which might be historical, cultural, geographical, and so on Some parks and attractions focus on a single theme; others focus on multiple themes There is an abundance of theme parks located throughout the United States

Walt Disney World Includes: Magic Kingdom Epcot MGM Studios Animal Kingdom 25 lighted tennis courts, 99 holes of championship golf, marinas, swimming pools, jogging, bike trails, water skiing, and motor boating

Magic Kingdom More than 40 major shows and ride-through attractions 7 lands include: Main Street USA Adventureland Frontierland Liberty Square Fantasyland Mickey’s Toontown Fair New Tomorrowland

Epcot Epcot is a unique, permanent, and ever-changing world’s fair with 2 major themes: Future World and World Showcase

MGM Studios 50 major shows, shops, restaurants, ride-through adventures, and backstage tours Combines real working motion picture, animation, and television studios with exciting movie attractions

Animal Kingdom Focuses on nature and the animal world around us Guests can go on time-traveling rides and come face-to-face with animals from the prehistoric past to the present

Universal Studios Guided tours on its famous movie sets Most formidable competitor facing the Disney Corp. One reason for Universal’s success is its adaptation of movies into thrill rides Another is their commitment to guest participation Largest movie studio and theme park is Universal Hollywood

Anheuser-Busch Companies Largest corporate-owned theme/animal park company in the United States Leader in conservation and education Dedicated to preserving marine life and uses innovative programs to research various wildlife dilemmas Includes: Sea World Busch Gardens Adventure Island Water Country Sesame Place Discovery Cove

Hershey’s 1900s: Started producing mass quantities of milk chocolate—resulting in immediate success The following decades brought many product line expansions 1907: Milton Hershey opened Hershey Park as a leisure park for employees of Hershey’s Company 1908: The park started its soon-to-be huge expansion The park continued to add more rides and attractions; as the park continued to expand, the company decided to open the park’s doors to the public 1971: The park underwent redevelopment to turn the small regional park into a large theme park

Regional Theme Parks Dollywood: LegoLand: In 1961, a small attraction with a Civil War theme called Rebel Railroad opened its doors to the public This attraction is now known all across the world as Dollywood The name came about in 1986 when Dolly Parton became a co-owner of the park LegoLand: Owned and operated by the Lego Group Marketed toward young families

Regional Theme Parks GatorLand: Wet n’ Wild: Started when Owen Godwin built an alligator pit in his backyard After World War II, Godwin bought a 16-acre plot located off Florida’s second most traveled highway Provides a close-up view of Florida’s animals in their native habitat Wet n’ Wild: First major water park in the U.S. In 1998, owner Goerge Millay sold the Orlando Park to Universal Studios Recreation Group

Clubs Private clubs are places where members gather for social, recreational, professional, and fraternal reasons Many clubs are designed around a housing development where the neighborhood can utilize the services of the club (golf, tennis, pool)

Clubs Many of today’s clubs are adaptations of their predecessors—mostly from England and Scotland The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland, founded in 1758, is recognized as the birthplace of golf

Size and Scope of Club Industry 14,000 clubs in America: Country and city clubs 6,000 country clubs When the total resources of all the clubs are considered (land, buildings, equipment, thousands of employees, etc.), we are talking billions of dollars of economic impact

Club Management Similar to hotel management The main difference between club management and hotel management is that with clubs the guests feel as if they are the owners Another difference is that most clubs do not offer sleeping accommodations Members pay an initiation fee and annual dues Club Managers Association of America: Goal is to advance the profession of club management by fulfilling the educational and related needs of the club managers

Club Management Structure Articles of incorporation and bylaws determine structure: Members: Members elect the officers and directors of the club The club president is the lead member or official in policymaking The vice president is groomed for the role of president Executive Committee: Activities, grounds, and funding Treasurer: Gives advice on financial matters General Manager: Day-to-day operation Asset management Preserving and fostering the club culture Secretary: Records minutes of meetings Takes care of correspondence

Figure 11-1 Core Competencies of a General Manager

Country Clubs Nearly all country clubs have one or more lounges and restaurants, and most have banquet facilities Some country clubs charge for an initiation fee—some as much as $250,000!

Country Clubs Country clubs have 2 or more types of membership Full membership enables members to use all the facilities all the time Social membership only allows members to use the social facilities Other forms of membership can include weekday and weekend memberships

City Clubs Predominantly business oriented Vary in size, location, type of facility, and services offered Some of the older, established clubs own their own buildings—others lease space

Other Types of Clubs Professional Clubs: For people in the same profession Social Clubs: Allow members to enjoy one another’s company; members represent many different professions, yet they have similar socioeconomic backgrounds Athletic Clubs: Gives city workers and residents an opportunity to work out, swim, play squash and/or racquetball, and so on Dining Clubs: Generally located in large city office buildings University Clubs: Private clubs for alumni or alumnae

Other Types of Clubs Military Clubs: Cater to noncommissioned officers and enlisted officers Yacht Clubs: Provides members with moorage slips, where their boats are kept secure Fraternal Clubs: Includes many special organizations, such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Elks, and Shriners Proprietary Clubs: Operate on a for-profit basis; owned by corporations or individuals; individuals wanting to become members purchase a membership, not a share in the club

Noncommercial Recreation Noncommercial recreation includes: Voluntary organizations, which are nongovernmental, nonprofit agencies, serving the public-at-large or selected elements with multiservice programs that often include a substantial element of recreational opportunity (i.e., the YMCA) Campus Recreation programs include involvement by campus recreation offices, intramural departments, student unions, residence staffs, or other sponsors Armed Forces Recreation provides well-rounded welfare and recreational programs for military personnel Employee Recreation promotes employee efficiency through recreational activities Recreation for special populations involves professionals and organizations who serve groups such as those with mental illness, mental retardation, or physical challenges

Trends An increase in all fitness activities A surge in travel and tourism In addition to a continuation of traditional recreation and leisure activities, special programs targeted toward at-risk youths and latchkey children are also being developed Several additional products in the commercial sector Additional learning and adventure opportunities for the elderly, such as Elderhostel

The End