The legendary NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski splashed down the waterslides this morning at the grand opening of the new Great Wolf Lodge South Florida resort in Naples. But Gronkowski’s visit was about more than just having fun; he was there to support a great cause.
As part of the resort’s partnership with Make-A-Wish Southern Florida, Gronkowski unlocked a $60,000 donation to the organization—$5,000 for each of the 12 slides in the 92,000-square-foot indoor water park. Several children from the Make-A-Wish program were also present, enjoying the slides alongside the celebrity football player.
“I’ve been here at the Great Wolf Lodge since 7 a.m. this morning. I went down all 12 water slides,” Gronkowski said, looking slightly exhausted but with a big smile on his face. “The Great Wolf Lodge also teamed up with Make-A-Wish. There have been 12 Make-A-Wish kids here as well. We all enjoyed going down the water slides, and it made me feel like a child again.
Gronkowski, renowned for his youthful exuberance and charitable heart, felt completely at ease at the new resort. As a Tampa resident with family in the Fort Myers area, he is intimately familiar with the local community that Great Wolf Lodge is now serving.
“It’s great for the community, and what’s so much more special about it is that I’m a part of it,” he explained. “My mom lives 30 minutes down the street in Fort Myers, so I know all about this area. I am well-versed in the areas of Naples, Fort Myers, and the Great Wolf Lodge, located in Naples, a short distance from Fort Myers.
John Murphy, the CEO of Great Wolf Resorts, joined Gronkowski at the event, highlighting the resort’s commitment to more than just family fun. Apart from the $60,000 donation to Make-A-Wish, the company is also providing a special grand opening discount of up to 40% off standard room rates, and each booking will result in a $10 donation to the American Red Cross, supporting hurricane relief efforts.
“Over the past five years, Blackstone has seen firsthand the joy that Great Wolf Lodge resorts bring to families and the economic growth and quality jobs they bring to communities, which is why we are so proud to have invested over $250 million alongside Centerbridge Partners to bring Great Wolf Lodge South Florida to life,” said Jacob Werner, senior managing director and co-head of Americas acquisitions at Blackstone.
The $250 million investment is expected to create 675 full- and part-time jobs, with an estimated 500,000 annual visitors and $5 billion in local economic activity over the next 30 years. For Gronkowski, the day was about much more than just fun and games. His commitment to Make-A-Wish and the local community shone through as he interacted with the children and expressed his pride in being part of the Naples-Fort Myers area.
“It’s all about seeing the smiles of all the kids going down the water slides,” he said. As the NFL legend caught his breath after a morning of waterslide adventures, it was clear that his impact extended far beyond the football field.