U.S. National Whitewater Center

[gman430]

Why would I drive two hours and pay around $50 to go white water rafting at a man made place when I can drive one hour and do it for free or for lesser cost in a real natural river? I would never pay that amount of money to go white water rafting even if it's one of the best centers in the country for it. Heck, I can go to Carowinds twice for that price. This whitewater center sounds like a one and done place to me.

Edited April 7, 2009 by citylife

[49er]

I also went once. I really liked the vibe of the place. There aren't any places in charlotte where you have a lot of outdoor types together in one place. I couldnt raft because of the group I was with, but I plan to go this spring. I think the new whitewater parkway makes it more accessible. Some people here are still stuck on the news from 2 years ago. Its really what, two turns from the 485 exit now? To be honest, I don't agree with the comparison to the mountains. It is a lot more trouble to pack up the car and drive to the mountains and spend 4 or 5 hours of your day in the car when you have this facility in the backyard. My wife and I can get a baby sitter, go raft, and be back in time for dinner if we go to the whitewater center.

I too think that they shot themselves in the foot with the $5 parking fee. Then again, verizon amphitheater charges what, 5 dollars per ticket for parking in a dirt lot? I think that if you buy lunch or dinner at the restaurant or actually raft you should get your parking validated. Instead, they give you a stupid piece of dried up blackberry cobbler with a paid parking receipt.

[rockhilljames]

Some of you guys obviously have never gone rafting. For most day trips in West Virginia (the shortest drive from Charlotte) you're looking at anywhere from $125 - $150 for the day. Plus you have the drive (2+ hours) there and back. Also, when you go on a day trip, most of your time is spent hiking through the woods, setting up camp, or waiting on groups ahead of you. Once you're in the water depending upon where you are you might have two or three good sections of rapids during a day run.

You're 30 minutes away from the Whitewater Center and you'll get at least 8 runs down some fun and challenging rapids. Honestly I'm not sure that comparing it to an actual rafting trip is fair at all though. If I'm going on a rafting trip it's as much about getting away from here, going up into the mountains, and camping as much as it is about the actual rapids. They are two totally different experiences.

If I'm looking for something fun to do around here, especially something unique, the Whitewater Center is fantastic. There is a lot more to do than just rafting and at least there you are doing something healthy and fun.

I disagree about the points made about pricing, location, and parking... at least I do now. The first time I went I had no directions and easily found it off of 485. I don't see what the big deal is, it is literally two turns and well marked. From what I understand parking fees are going away. I thought they were horrible when they were announced I still think they are horrible. If they're gone, good. If not, get rid of them.

The new SportsPass pricing will make a huge difference in my opinion. The $49 you guys were talking about was for every event all day. Yes I understand that Carowinds is cheaper and that the Hard Rock charged the same amount, but it is NOT the same experience. What's more, if you are the type of person that would want to come on a regular basis, you can buy a year long pass for $129. Raft all year long, 30 minutes away for the price of one trip to West Virginia. That is actually a hell of a deal. Plus they have lower price points for those that don't want to raft but want to do some of the other stuff.

While their first year has been far from perfect, I love the fact that the Whitewater Center is here. It's something unique and special about Charlotte that other cities do not have and adds to the variety of things to do in the area. It's based on the outdoors and encourages physical activity, something we've lacked in this town compared to other areas.

I would agree that the current management should step aside and let someone else run it. They were the right people to get the place built, but the wrong people to run it. They alienated a lot of groups that would have supported them (the mountain bikers come to mind...) and got almost everything wrong regarding the pricing until now.

I hope the center succeeds and would suggest that anyone thinking about it go out, check the place out and go for a rafting trip. You will be hooked.

[monsoon]

.....There is a lot more to do than just rafting and at least there you are doing something healthy and fun......

Other than climbing on those towers, I am not sure what. Anything else they have can be had elsewhere for much less in like, "free". Crowders Mountain is a good example. And a trip to this center is not the same as a trip to the mountains. People will pay more for that experience. They won't pay for both. Guess which is winning.

I will contend that what you get there for $49/head, plus parking fees isn't worth it to a lot of people. Most don't care to spend all day in the place and once you have done it, most won't be back. Without the items I stated above, they can't survive without the taxpayers. I will also add the place can't be a center for olympic training without also being intimidating to the casual user. They have got to figure out where they want to play and stick to it.

This isn't a question on whether this should be a taxpayer funded facility or not. It's a question on how to make it self supporting. However if it can't do that, and has to become a public funded institution in order to survive, then all of the other points I brought up should be considered. We just had a discussion on why Spring Maid park was so great. Turn this place into something more like that if we are going to spend taxes to keep it up.

[gman430]

Some of you guys obviously have never gone rafting. For most day trips in West Virginia (the shortest drive from Charlotte) you're looking at anywhere from $125 - $150 for the day. Plus you have the drive (2+ hours) there and back. Also, when you go on a day trip, most of your time is spent hiking through the woods, setting up camp, or waiting on groups ahead of you. Once you're in the water depending upon where you are you might have two or three good sections of rapids during a day run.

Well, I live in the Upstate SC area so it's different for me. I go to western North Carolina not West Virginia. I have been white water rafting on the Nantahala, Chattooga, Colorado, and many other rivers in my lifetime. I also own a kayak so I do it quite often. I just find it disturbing how the taxpayers are paying for this center and yet they still charge this excessive fee for people to use it. That's like saying somebody has to pay to walk on a sidewalk even though they paid for it already with their tax dollars.

[Andyc545]

I've gone once- and it incidentally was my first time ever whitewater rafting. I had such an awesome time when I was there, and the only thing stopping me from going again right now is ticket prices. I don't think it is a one and done thing; maybe it is for some people but I think most not. There are a lot of enthusiasts that come, or would come due to it being their sport or hobby of choice. It's actually a great resource for the city that is just being underutilized at the time. I agree with your points in general above, Monsoon. The one thing I'd like to point out, however, is that when I went, it was the last week in December when the water temperature was something like 45 degrees, and there were plenty of people at the place. In fact, all 3 rafts were fully booked for that hour. I think the fact that they stay open during the winter makes it more valuable because during this time it doesn't have to compete with Carowinds. I think ticket prices are at the top of the list at this time, but I would like to see the place diversify and expand as well as some of the other points mentioned above.

[Niner National]

• It is simply too expensive. People might pay that fee, even the reduced one, once, then they are done. How many others are there in this region will come on a regular basis to support it? IMO, not nearly enough.
  

I've said this since the place opened. Many of the people that raft there have never done real white water rafting before. If they like it, they'll likely go on trips on real rivers in the future. If they didn't, they won't return. Either way, your client base is shrinking with every customer.The majority of return customers will be kayakers that simply don't want to drive to the mountains every week to get their fill. I worked there briefly and got to raft for free if there was an open spot on a raft. I went rafting more than I actually worked there. I paid once, for my dad, but would never pay again. I may go out to the mountain bike trails in the future, but I can ride trails that are almost as good (although not as long anymore) on campus for free.

[Norm2]

Hopefully the new pricing will help. They need to do some regional advertising or something to draw more visitors? I also agree that the place needs to incorporate the Catawba river into the place somehow, that would be awesome!

[nonillogical]

i go once every few weeks for the mountain biking, as it has probably the second best trails in the area. truthfully, i don't mind paying $5 to park, because thats all the money they're getting out of me unless i get food afterwards. i don't think they even do any of the trail maintenance, but since i want the place to survive i just consider it a donation.

i missed whatever the issue was among mountain bikers there, only started going late last year. one thing that does bother me is that i have seen a few of the more interesting technical parts of the trail smoothed over and dumbed down, but i'm not sure thats the park's doing.

[Norm2]

What is/was the issue between the white water center and the mountain bikers?

[InSouthPark]

i go once every few weeks for the mountain biking, as it has probably the second best trails in the area. truthfully, i don't mind paying $5 to park, because thats all the money they're getting out of me unless i get food afterwards. i don't think they even do any of the trail maintenance, but since i want the place to survive i just consider it a donation.

i missed whatever the issue was among mountain bikers there, only started going late last year. one thing that does bother me is that i have seen a few of the more interesting technical parts of the trail smoothed over and dumbed down, but i'm not sure thats the park's doing.

Tarheel Trailblazers (local MTB group) built and maintained the trails for the WW center. In return the next year, the WWC started charging bikers $5 to park to use the trails that the local group built. Nice.

[49er]

I think the trails had been there for 10+ years before the whitewater center.

[monsoon]

This post appeared on this blog http://joelmccune.com/USNWC_alienating_mtnBike last year. To be fair I have not heard of a a response to it but it sounds as if they don't work well with other organizations. Cowbell Challenge seems to be a reputable organization that raises money for good causes.

[InSouthPark]

I think the trails had been there for 10+ years before the whitewater center.

Correct. The trailblazers built the trails many years ago and continue to help maintain them.

Eighteen years ago the Tarheel Trailblazers began an effort to construct and maintain mountain biking trails at the current location of the US National Whitewater Center. In 2004 the USNWC organized and was granted a long term lease of the 307 acre property from MecklenburgCounty, ensuring the future security of the trail system. In 2006 the USNWC opened doors and began serving the mission to build stronger communities by promoting healthy, active outdoor lifestyles. The Center's trail management efforts are supported by the continued volunteerism of the Tarheel Trailblazers, the Dirt Divas, REI, and others.

[browngeo]

Wow....4 years later and FINALLY there is a sign for the Whitewater Center of I-485.....

Unbelievable it took so long !

[nyxmike]

Has the Whitewater Parkway opened or do you still have to access it from that backroad??

[Norm2]

the parkway has finally fully opened! :-)

[grodney]

If you'll indulge me in a little story:

Earlier this summer, some friends and I went to the Wednesday night "Brews Cruise", which is a flatwater kayak followed by dinner and a beer tasting.

We signed up early and paid our $45 in advance.

The night of the Cruise, only 9 people showed up, and we found out that the price dropped to 22.50 a day or two before.

(We got rained/lightninged out of the kayaking after only a short paddle, but that's really beside the point.)

The staff were nice, dinner was small but good, and the beer tasting (with a rep from New Belgium) was good.

The next day I wrote a friendly e-mail and asked if we could get 22.50 refunded since they had dropped the price (I mean, they wouldn't effectively penalize us for signing up early, right?).

The response: None.

So a week later, I re-forwarded the e-mail. Again, no response.

My point: That is crappy customer service. I didn't really care too much if I got any money back. But for them to not replay AT ALL, using the e-mail address on their website, is just really bad.

[uptownboy]

Good luck with the reimbursement. I ate at the cafeteria and was charged twice for my meal and beverages. Once the gross price without tip, then second with net price included tip. I have called the billing dept. repeatedly with the only response that they are looking into it. That was two months ago. I’ve decided not to pursue the issue to instead not patronize the establishment. EVER AGAIN.

[Durhamite]

Good luck with the reimbursement. I ate at the cafeteria and was charged twice for my meal and beverages. Once the gross price without tip, then second with net price included tip. I have called the billing dept. repeatedly with the only response that they are looking into it. That was two months ago. I’ve decided not to pursue the issue to instead not patronize the establishment. EVER AGAIN.

I've had this happen a couple of times at other bars/restaurants. Call the bank and dispute the charge; the bank's customer service department will immediately post a refund and investigate. Anyway, that's the way it works with Wachovia/Wells Fargo and haven't had any problems.

Still haven't made it to the facility.

[HopHead]

I've had this happen a couple of times at other bars/restaurants. Call the bank and dispute the charge; the bank's customer service department will immediately post a refund and investigate. Anyway, that's the way it works with Wachovia/Wells Fargo and haven't had any problems.

Yep, that's the best thing to do. I had similar situations with taxicabs (in other cities) charging me either double or some kind of ghost charge a few months after I was there. Bank of America and Amex both reimbursed me and settled the dispute so I hardly had to do anything. Trying to get the money back from the establishments by yourself isn't worth your time.

[Higgs Boson]

http://usnwc.org/coming-in-2015/

 

Pretty cool to see the USNWC expanding.

[15895]

That is awesome!

Particularly because I think it's an awesome selling point for CLT

Reminds me my next day off im gonna go walk some trails there

Edited November 27, 2014 by AirNostrumMAD

[go_vertical]

That is so good to hear considering many people thought the center was an extreme waste of money when it first opened. Yeah additional funds had to initially be pumped in to keep it open, but now the place stays busy constantly.

[kermit]

It appears that the Whitewater Center has purchased 488 acres from adjacent landowners, this is in addition to a 150 acre purchase last year. No word on what they will do with the land, but they did obtain a $3.5 million construction loan 8 months ago. I am surprised we have not (yet) seen any housing development on site.

The article also says that WWC continues to operate profitably ($4 million operating profit in 2013) following the write down of their original construction costs.

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/real_estate/2015/12/u-s-national-whitewater-center-makes-big-land.html?ana=e_clt_bn_breakingnews

 

Edited December 3, 2015 by kermit