There's a new kid on the block of Houston's Art Car Parade, and it's ready to roll the streets, cementing a connection between a new resort and its adopted city. Great Wolf Lodge, set to open in Webster this October, is jumping into Houston with enthusiasm.
Great Wolf worked with Houston design and fabrication firm Rootlab to create the car, a wolfish number that embodies the spirit of the resort and waterpark.
"As a Houston- based company, we’ve always been huge fans of the Houston Art Car Parade but we have never had the opportunity to design and develop an entry before," said Logan Sebastian Beck, Rootlab partner and director of business development. "It’s been a really fun partnership. Great Wolf Lodge challenged us to come up with a design that is fun, unexpected, and authentic to the spirit of the Art Car Parade, while still reflecting the family experience offered at their resorts."
The result is a design inspired by one of Great Wolf Lodge’s most iconic characters, Wiley Wolf. Rootlab incorporated him into the design by transforming the entire cab of the truck into a larger-than-life version of Wiley’s head.
"We started concepting the design for the Great Wolf Lodge Art Car back in January and went through a series of mock-up and review stages before aligning on the final concept," said Beck. "The actual build process began in mid-March. The total build time was three to four weeks."
The resort is excited about the opportunity, realizing it's a chance to be part of the fabric of Houston.
"It’s important to us that we feel connected with the communities we serve, so we thought the Art Car Parade, one of the city’s most iconic traditions, would be a great opportunity to engage with the greater Houston community," said Jason Lasecki, Great Wolf Resorts vice president of corporate communications. "We’re excited to bring a little of the Great Wolf Lodge experience to those attending the parade, and we hope families will feel the joy when they see our entry."
Great Woods Lodge is among the country's most popular family destinations, with outposts in 20 states. They are known for their giant, indoor water parks, making them a go-to for family vacations all year long. The Webster location will be Great Wolf's 22nd in the country, and have 532 rooms, as well as a 95,000-square-foot water park and the 58,000 square-foot Great Wolf Adventure Park.
For Rootlab, it was a chance to take part in a project that tapped into their own roots in the city.
"As a Houstonian, the Houston Art Car Parade is the perfect event for Great Wolf to introduce themselves to local families and get the entire community excited about the grand opening," said Beck.
The 2024 Art Car Parade takes to the streets of downtown Houston this Saturday, April 13.
Great Wolf Lodge will open this fall.
