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Landmark Aquatic Taps Waterpark Industry Veteran Craig Nielsen
With 25 Years of Hands-On Experience and an Owner-Operator Perspective, Nielsen Brings Unmatched Expertise as Landmark Enters the Next Era of Waterpark Innovation
Landmark Aquatic is pleased to now have Craig Nielsen as Vice President of Strategic Partnerships. Nielsen founded and led CEM Aquatics for over 25 years before CEM’s acquisition by Landmark in early 2026. Bringing a rare blend of design, construction, and owner-operator experience to Landmark’s leadership team, Nielsen’s elevation to this role signals Landmark’s commitment to leading the waterpark industry through what Nielsen calls its most exciting period of transformation yet.
Nielsen has watched the waterpark industry evolve from the ground up. “In the early 2000s, the model was remarkably consistent — flume slides, tube rides, lazy rivers, and a snack bar,” he recalls. “The most sophisticated technology on the property was probably the water chemistry controller.” The first seismic shift came when brands like Great Wolf Lodge inverted the traditional waterpark model, making the indoor waterpark the hotel’s core amenity rather than a side attraction. “Suddenly, a family destination that once operated 90 days a year was generating revenue 365 days a year — making it a fundamentally different business.”
Today, the competitive field has widened dramatically. Hotel chains, casino operators, cruise lines, and mixed-use real estate developers are all investing in waterparks as proven drivers of occupancy and revenue. Nielsen speaks from firsthand experience as co-owner of Cowabunga Canyon in Summerlin and Cowabunga Park in Henderson, Nevada. “Consumers today are often selecting their vacation resorts based on the waterpark offerings,” he says. “The secret is out — waterparks attract people, and everyone is building them.”
Looking ahead, Nielsen points to surf parks, next-generation adventure rivers, and AI-powered guest experiences as the defining frontiers of waterpark development. “Surf parks today are where indoor waterpark resorts were in the early 2000s — those who embrace them in the next three to five years will have a significant first-mover advantage,” he says. On technology, Nielsen is equally bullish: “AI is already improving everything from water chemistry to pump operations.
Soon, interactive AI experiences that track guests, create competitions, and reward participation will become the norm — it’s genuinely exciting.”
It is precisely this convergence of technology, capital, and consumer appetite that Nielsen intends to help Landmark Aquatic navigate. “Technology, capital, and a genuinely evolved consumer appetite for water-based experiences are converging in a way I haven’t seen in 25 years,” he says. “The barriers that once limited this industry — seasonality, demographic reach, geographic constraints — are all disappearing simultaneously. The wave is building, and I’m proud to help Landmark ride it.”
About Landmark Aquatic
Landmark Aquatic is a premier provider of commercial aquatic facility design, construction, and maintenance, with more than six decades of industry leadership. Serving clients nationwide, Landmark delivers construction-led solutions supported by its CPO-certified AquatiCare maintenance team, ensuring excellence “for the life of your pool.” Committed to the full lifecycle of every facility, Landmark prioritizes long-term partnerships while adapting to client needs through exceptional service, operational excellence, and forward-thinking solutions.
Contact info:
Website: www.landmarkaquatic.com
Email: info@landmarkaquatic.com