Florida Construction News staff writer

Great Wolf Lodge South Florida reached a key milestone as Suffolk placed the final external building block today, signifying the completion of vertical construction of the family-focused indoor water park resort.

Suffolk, along with Neuman Pools and ID3, will now focus on completing the interior, including the 90,000-sq. ft. indoor water park, 60,000-sq. ft. adventure park, 500 family-friendly guest suites, eateries and retail outlets.

The company announced that the site will be open by Oct. 1, 2024.

“Suffolk is honored to partner with Great Wolf Lodge in bringing an incredible new destination resort to our Southwest Florida community,” said Ben Wilson, chief operating officer for Suffolk. “Topping off this resort is a milestone that symbolizes the hard work by the skilled men and women involved in the construction phase.

“We are excited about the positive impact this resort will have on the community and grateful for the partnership, and we look forward to a safe and smooth construction completion and delivery of the Great Wolf Lodge South Florida.”

The Suffolk team has installed 1,200 tons of steel and amassed about 200,000 man-hours on this project.

The water park’s construction includes installation of tilt panels, the tallest of which measures over 75 feet. Suffolk and its partners successfully installed this 234,000-pound panel, allowing construction to progress as the team works diligently to prepare the resort for opening.

The 500-room resort is being constructed on a 20-acre site on the eastern edge of Collier County, at a cost of more than $250 million.