Zehnder’s Splash Village Resort & Waterpark
Frankenmuth, MI

Zehnder’s Splash Village Hotel and Water Park is a popular tourist spot in the Bavarian village of Frankenmuth, Michigan. The resort offered a 20,000 square foot waterpark, called the Splash Park, that drew thousands of tourists each year, but there was demand for a larger facility that could entertain older audiences.

Zehnder’s Splash Village Phase 1:

Zehnder’s engaged OpenAire to create an additional 30,000 square feet of aquatic attractions, including a 70-foot high slide tower, called the Atrium Waterpark.

“We are very excited about giving our guests double the fun at Splash Village,” said Zehnder’s Chairman and CEO Al Zehnder. “Nine years ago we opened Splash Village with a 20,000 square foot waterpark. The Atrium Waterpark is our new 29,000 square foot expansion that includes a retractable roof; an outdoor pool; two, six-story thrill rides; family cabanas and more.”

Guests are able to enjoy both waterpark areas during their stay; a total of 50,000 sf of water fun, connected by a short walk through the Splash Village Resort. The hotel was also expanded to accommodate even more guests at the year-round waterpark.

Zehnder’s Splash Village Hotel and Waterpark is now the only waterpark in Michigan to feature a retractable roof. The maintenance-free, aluminum-framed enclosure with retractable roof allows guests to enjoy an outdoor experience in the sunshine when the weather is warm, while still taking advantage of the waterslides and pools during the cold northern winters.

Due to the retractable roof, the park was able to open during the covid pandemic (at mandated capacities) because of the large volume of fresh air in the space, which created a naturally healthy safe space, beloved by guests and owners.

Zehnder’s Splash Village Phase 2:

In 2019, the Zehnders Splash Village Hotel and Indoor water team decided that the original Splash Park was due for a facelift after discovering mold in the walls. The Atrium with its fresh air and bright sunshine had become extremely popular, but the older Splash Park would benefit from repair and renovation due to poor air quality and mold/rot.

Over time the walls and roof had decayed such that they needed to be replaced. However the primary glulam/wood structure of the facility was still in good condition and the owners wanted to keep the beautiful wood beams in the space.

OpenAire was tasked with the challenge: Can you add a new roof over an existing waterpark?

The answer as you can see is; YES you can!

The Zehnder’s Splash Village existing rotten roof was ripped off the wood structure and OpenAire was brought in to re-clad the the roof with a corrosion resistant aluminum retractable skylight infilled with polycarbonate and a glass curtain wall around the perimeter of the space.

Now open, this was phase 2 of the OpenAire’s continuing work on this top Michigan Travel Destination.