“It’s not every day you have a need for $1 million in pumps and filtrations for a waterpark. Luckily NFS was innovative enough to get our deal done and consistently clearly communicated what the agreement would look like,” said Monty Galland, CEO of BRTX. This made it easy for BRTX to begin its project earlier and on solid footing.
SUMMARY
A new business can face a variety of challenges from the outset. However, unforeseen financial challenges may be one of the most difficult to solve for a new company.
- In the middle of construction, the company realized that there was a $1 million shortfall because the pumps and the filtration system were not part of the original construction offer.
- Being a new and seasonal business, the lack of revenue has created barriers to obtaining financing through a conventional lender. A delay in the procurement of the equipment would endanger its crucial seasonal opening.
This is the story of how a waterpark has succeeded in overcoming the many challenges it has faced.
THE CLIENT
Big Rivers Waterpark and Adventures (BRTX) is a family entertainment center in Houston, Texas built around its focal point, a waterpark. It was created by a group of closely knit investors who, through their own families, realized that there was no family entertainment in the area. They decided to take it upon themselves to develop a place for families to gather for a fun, wholesome day out.
THE CHALLENGE
As BRTX was constructing the park it suddenly realized there was a problem— the pumps and filtration systems that run the water park were not a part of the construction bid. That was a one-million-dollar shortfall.
BRTX recognized that it needed an additional financial partner to finance the systems needed to complete the park. It needed a financial partner that would take time to understand its needs and provide quick funding for assets that did not have strong collateral value.
BRTX also faced a few construction management challenges that required significant attention. BRTX wanted everything to move forward but was challenged in many respects.
THE SOLUTION
BRTX reached out to their network to find a financial partner. A contact referred BRTX to NFS Leasing. BRTX was very interested in a lease of equipment and was optimistic that NFS would help solve their problems.
It set out clearly the details of its situation, the type of agreement it needed and the potential challenge of obtaining information and details from the manufacturer. NFS listened. NFS was easy to talk to, understood the challenges ahead and agreed to work with BRTX to find a solution.
EXECUTION
NFS Leasing worked with BRTX to gather the required information from the busy manufacturer and worked diligently to finalize the agreement. “I really appreciated the patient engagement of NFS Leasing. They were able to work with us to get the deal done when it seemed like the manufacturer was too far out of reach,” said Monty Galland, CEO of BRTX.
As a story credit lender, NFS often finds itself demonstrating creativity and flexibility in its transactions, and BRTX certainly benefited from NFS’s experience.
Galland went on to say, “It’s not every day you have a need for $1 million in pumps and filtrations for a waterpark. Luckily NFS was innovative enough to get our deal done and clearly communicated what the agreement would look like.” This made it easy for BRTX to start the project sooner and on a solid footing.
RESULTS
An innovative financing solution tailored to their unique circumstances and activities enabled the company to open its doors to the public earlier than planned, resulting in increased public awareness.
The park opened in May with a full grand opening in July. The local community was incredibly receptive to the park which proved to be an enormous success for BRTX. Being open on July 4th weekend was a tremendous advantage for BRTX as well. That weekend, more than 8,000 people went to the park. In only a partial season, BRTX has been able to reach hundreds of thousands of people, which will translate into greater recognition for the coming year. Giving families the opportunity to watch their children have fun at their water park is exactly why BRTX started its adventure.
