1. Chapter 10: Recreation, Theme Parks, and Clubs

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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)

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. Figure 11-1 Core Competencies of a General Manager

25. 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!

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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

31. 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

32. The End