With the Covid-19 pandemic continuing to pose a significant challenge to the global tourism industry, both Irish and international investors looking to take advantage of the growing market for staycations will be interested in the opportunity presented by Courtown Adventure & Leisure Centre.
Agent JLL is seeking expressions of interest from today for the transfer of ownership/ management and re-opening of the property, one of Wexford’s most important purpose-built indoor and outdoor leisure and adventure facilities.
The property, which has been upgraded and extended over the years, comprises a wide range of amenities, including a 25-metre indoor swimming pool, separate children’s pool, a spa pool, 65-metre water slide, fun pool, gym, café and beauty salon. Outdoor facilities include two high ropes courses, a climbing wall, dual zip wires, laser tag, archery, and a forest walk. The complex also incorporates a standalone seal visitor and rehabilitation centre, which is operated under licence by Seal Rescue Ireland (licensee not affected).
The opportunity includes a 53-acre land holding, which contains lands zoned “commercial leisure”, “open space and amenity” and “natural amenity” under the Courtown and Riverchapel Local Area Plan.
All of these lands are freehold and the natural amenity lands, bounded to the north and northwest by the Ounavarra River and to the east by the town’s canal, are known locally as Courtown Woods. These woods date back over 150 years and are home today to numerous popular walking trails.
Location
Courtown Adventure & Leisure Centre is ideally located along Ireland’s southeast coast. The centre is around a one-hour drive south of Dublin and is accessed just off the recently-upgraded N11/M11 Dublin to Rosslare motorway. The property is situated in a prime location, just 500 metres northwest of Courtown Harbour and canal, its town centre and its ever-popular blue flag beach.
Courtown is a long-established and family-friendly seaside resort, with a significant concentration of holiday homes and caravan parks and boasting a wide selection of tourism amenities including restaurants, bars, golf courses, an equestrian centre and amusement parks.
JLL has been appointed to handle the process of finding a new owner/operator for Courtown Adventure & Leisure Centre on the instructions of Neil Hughes and Conor Noone of Baker Tilly, the joint court-appointed liquidators of Courtown Water World Limited (in liquidation) and Gorey Courtown Forest Park CLG (in liquidation).
Given the importance of the complex to the local community, due consideration will be given to an interested party’s track record, financial strength and business plan for reopening the property to include its availability to the public, local community, schools and swimming groups.
Dan O’Connor, executive vice-president within JLL’s hotels and hospitality division, says: “Courtown Adventure & Leisure Centre is one of the southeast’s largest leisure complexes, which up until its recent closure this year, had a significant membership and a wide customer base. This process presents a unique opportunity to reopen and further expand a dominant leisure asset, at a time when there is heightened interest in open air and outdoor hospitality globally.”
Jack Fox, hotel agent at JLL, adds: “We expect the property to attract strong interest due to its unique attributes, our process is open to all interested parties and we are launching our national and international marketing campaign today. Viewing is strictly by prior appointment through JLL.”
