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Media Information
About Wave House
Located on the boardwalk in the heart of San Diego’s Mission Beach, Wave House (www.wavehouse.com) is a key component in the revitalization of Belmont Park, a seven acre beachfront commercial / recreational development that offers the quintessential California experience for locals and visitors alike. In addition to the Bar and Grill, adjacent Wave House elements include: the Wave House Athletic Club with its state-of-the-art equipment, the historic Plunge swimming pool and advanced mind/body classes such as Yoga and Bosu training; a historic amusement park with seven attractions including the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster.
Wave House and Wave Loch are owned by inventor and entrepreneur Tom Lochtefeld, a native of La Jolla. Co-founder of Raging Waters theme parks, Lochtefeld invented 30 global patents for water rides and attractions, and built rides and theme parks across the world. In 2002, Lochtefeld acquired the lease for Belmont Park, a failed beachfront retail specialty center, and proceeded to revitalize the seven-acre facility by blending the original historic family-oriented amusement center with state-of-the-art boardsport entertainment and beach recreational amenities.
History :
In 2002, Thomas J. Lochtefeld, CEO of Wave Loch and Wave House, acquired the leasehold of Belmont Park, a failed beachfront retail specialty center. Lochtefeld intended to revitalize this seven acre facility by blending the original historic family-oriented amusement center with state-of-the-art boardsport entertainment and beach recreational amenities.
“As a native San Diegan, Belmont Park provided me with more than just a place to hang out with friends when growing up, it provided me my first job,” said Thomas J. Lochtefeld, CEO of Wave House. “For eighty years, Belmont Park has provided San Diegans and visitors with recreational and entertainment amenities. Today marks the start of the long overdue revitalization of one of San Diego’s historic recreational treasures.”
Belmont Park has a long and storied history, starting in 1925 when the Mission Beach Amusement Center was built by John D. Spreckels. Today, Belmont Park comprises 70,000 sq. ft. of commercial retail space on a 7 acre campus with eight buildings and historic attractions including: the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster, one of the only two remaining antique wooden roller coasters in California, and the Plunge, Southern California’s largest indoor swimming pool.
The $8 million phase one redevelopment of Belmont Park includes:
● Wave House Athletic Club featuring a full gym, the historic Plunge Swimming Pool and a FlowRider® Wave-In-A-Box;
● Wave House’s 30,000 sq. ft. outdoor Beach Bar and Grill;
● Mission Beach Police Satellite Office;
● $1 million aesthetic makeover to Belmont Park buildings and landscaping; and
● Debuting June 16, 2005, the launch of Wave Loch Bruticus Maximus, 10-foot barreling simulated surfing attraction.
“Wave House’s vision for Belmont Park combines the historic character of Mission Beach, boardsport recreation, and modern technology to create the quintessential Southern California beach experience,” continued Lochtefeld.
The Venue: FAQ
Q. What is Wave House?
A. A lifestyle center for California surf culture. It’s on real sand, overlooking the Pacific Ocean with a real boardwalk and shade palm trees. It is an outdoor restaurant with surfboard tables and plenty of bars, one of which was built from plans of the original Windansea Shack. It has live music and a members only beach volleyball court, and of course, ‘the Wave’ a.k.a. Bruticus Maximus.
Q. Where is Wave House?
A. Wave House is located on the boardwalk in the heart of Mission Beach, San Diego. From Interstate 5 South: Exit Sea World Drive head West; Exit at Ingraham / West Mission Bay Drive - keep in right lane and exit right on West Mission Bay Drive; head west - you will see Roller Coaster - continue straight through Mission Blvd. intersection and stop before you drive into the Pacific Ocean; turn left into Wave House parking lot.
Q. How much does a Wave House cost to build?
A. Because the installations vary from location to location, please contact us for more information.
Q. How much does it cost to enter Wave House?
A. Varies day to day depending on whats happening - just come check it out, we promise it will be worth it.
Q. Where was the first Wave House?
A. Established in Durban, South Africa in 2001. Anchor of the Southern Hemisphere’s largest shopping mall, Gateway. Local riders are performing unbelievably progressive 1080’s, rodeo flips, and superman airs.
Q. Who came up with concept and developed Wave House?
A. T.J. Lochtefeld
The Experience - FAQ
Q. How do I get to ride?
A. Each wave can book with up to 15 riders per hour. Cost: $20-$40/hour depending on wave and equipment: bodyboard/custom flowboard/custom flowboard with bindings. Sign in at the Wave House Athletic Club.
Q. “Is it dangerous?”
A. The FlowRider ® Wave-In-A-Box is one of the waterpark industry’s safest attractions. As to the Bruticus Maximus… is a skate halfpipe dangerous? But at least it’s padded with 1” of foam and a layer of water. Consequently, you don’t drop in on your first try. You work your way up as you gain control, speed and amplitude. Be humble, or be humbled. Pleasure and pain are part of the same stick. Be afraid… you are a “girlie man.” You may cry before you fly.
Q. “It’s not ‘real’ surfing?!”
A. Never said it was. It’s a fusion of surf, skate and snow techniques. It’s a cross-platform that is a blast and feels just like surfing after you master the board. A lot of surfers report that the B-Max tunes their surfing, especially their tube riding, switch stance and airs. You can get more tube time in a minute-long ride than most surfers get in a lifetime. Besides, surfing has only followed skating and snowboarding in terms of maneuvers. However, you will see moves on the B-Max that haven’t yet and maybe will never be landed in the ocean.
The Future :
Future Phases of Wave House San Diego include new Lochtefeld-patented technologies, including:
Boat Activated Surfing – ride a 6’ wave behind a boat cruising along Mission Beach. Summer 2006 debut.
Moving Reef – ‘think’ in reverse… surf the perfect barrel shaped by a slow moving reef. This wave is planned for the Phase 2 Wave House expansion. Debut 2009.
Artificial Reef – already included in the Mission Beach Precise Plan, this sand loss mitigation structure was proposed by famed ocean engineer and surfer, Ricky Grigg, and will be fulfilled by TJ Lochtefeld. Wave House plans to build this man-made reef for the Phase 3 Wave House expansion. Debut 2010, transforming the typical Mission Beach close-out beachbreak into a feathering left and right classic surfing A-frame.
Additional Wave House facilities coming soon:
● Chile 2008 ● Signapore 2009
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