Southern California hosts the world’s largest concentration of surfers, with over 25 million people within a 90-minute drive and more than 2.5 million surfers in San Diego, Orange, and Los Angeles Counties. This project site captures the heart of the global surfing market. With 35 million surfers worldwide, growing annually at 12-15%, Oceanside is poised to be the premier location for the world’s best wave pool.
The wave pool, just 2 miles from the coast, is part of a 92-acre master-planned California lifestyle community. Strong barriers to entry, such as limited land resources and entitlement risks, ensure this site will lead the market for decades. The location offers unparalleled marketing opportunities to the billion-dollar surf industry, with visibility to over 65,000 vehicles daily.
The northern portion of the project, featuring 327 townhomes, condominiums, and single-family residences, will be developed by a national public homebuilder. Offers have been received from Lennar, Shea Homes, Brookfield Residential, and TruMark. The For-Sale residential property will be acquired upon approval of the Tentative Map.
The 300 resort keys include a mix of guest rooms, suites, and ADR guest options. The annual cash flow from the hospitality component is projected to be $12 million. After stabilization, the hotel, commercial, and wave pool will operate for approximately six years before being sold.
The project offers 126,400 square feet of Class A office, retail, and F&B opportunities, centered around the wave lagoon. The commercial component is set to capitalize on the shortage of Class A space in North County San Diego and the draw of the wave pool. Interest has been received from Sharp Healthcare, Vuori, and several Silicon Valley tech companies. Flagship store interest has been expressed by active lifestyle retailers like Billabong, Quiksilver, and Rip Curl. The commercial buildings will feature a variety of local food and beverage options, attracting numerous culinary and brewing stars.
Wave pools have revolutionized the surf industry, much like ski lifts did for skiing. They provide a consistent venue with perfect conditions, crucial for televised surf competitions. As surfing becomes an Olympic sport, wave pools are expected to be the preferred venue, with the potential to host the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The wave pool will be a world-class tourism destination, attracting domestic and international visitors for surf events and various corporate and private events. Consistent waves of varying shapes and sizes will allow for new surfing formats with broad participation and viewer appeal. The wave pool can also serve as a training facility for surf teams and incorporate surfing into inland school sports programs.
Branding, sponsorships, surf lessons, and water education will drive additional revenue. Specialty merchandise and equipment sales will benefit from the projected 200,000+ annual guests. Oceanside, a major hub of surfing, offers an ideal location with its incredible climate and year-round waves.
SURF LOCH’s advanced technology ensures an infinite variety of wave swells, making the development reliable and adaptable. O’Side Partnership, LLC holds the exclusive license to build and operate Surf Loch wave pools in San Diego County, Orange County, and Cabo San Lucas.
With exclusive rights to the best wave-making technology, the wave pool will generate revenue from hourly and daily rates, memberships, F&B, retail, surf schools, sponsorships, and events. The project’s location in a major surfing hub, combined with the changing demographics and increasing popularity of surfing, ensures a bright future for Oceanside’s wave pool.
Visitor Forecasts (Market Research by Cushman & Wakefield):
- 275,000+ paying visitors in a stabilized year
- 60% of visits will include purchasing surf, with the remaining visitors enjoying the experience and amenities
- 165,000 surfers will purchase 200,000 surf hours (60% of capacity)
