Morgan's Wonderland Camp logo
San Antonio, April 4, 2019 – Officials of unique Morgan’s Wonderland theme park and Valero Energy Corp., today announced the construction of ultra-accessible™ Morgan’s Wonderland Camp, a 102-acre recreational oasis on the northern outskirts of San Antonio that year-round will offer a summer-camp-type experience to those with and without special needs.
“Just as we did with Morgan’s Wonderland theme park and Morgan’s Inspiration Island splash park, we’re going to create an ultra-accessible, barrier-free environment where campers can enjoy outdoor fun to the fullest,” said Gordon Hartman, founder of The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation, which since 2005 has been focused on aiding the special-needs community. “If you must rely on a wheelchair for mobility, just imagine the thrill of being able to zipline through the rugged and scenic Hill Country just north of town. This and lots of other fun things to do will make Morgan’s Wonderland Camp another of the world’s greatest places for inclusive recreation.”
Hartman added that the $28 million project, located near the intersection of Bulverde and Evans roads, will be built not far from the 8th hole of the AT&T Oaks Course of TPC San Antonio at the J. W. Marriott Hill Country Resort and Spa, site of the Valero Texas Open PGA Tour golf tournament. Facilities with a projected completion of mid-2020 will be able to accommodate at one time up to 525 campers of all ages and abilities along with staff for day, weekend or week-long camp sessions.
Hartman also announced Valero Energy as the founding partner of Morgan’s Wonderland Camp and lauded the philanthropic corporation – title sponsor of the Texas Open – for its “investment in inclusiveness and its tremendous generosity.”
“Valero has committed $15 million to Morgan’s Wonderland Camp over six years,” said Valero CEO Joe Gorder. “This is the largest single charitable commitment ever made by Valero. We decided to get involved because the mission of the camp is undeniably compelling. The camp allows those with disabilities to enjoy the same activities as others in an environment free of limitations and restrictions, and to share this experience with those without disabilities.”
Gorder noted that “like Morgan’s Wonderland and Morgan’s Inspiration Island, the creation of Morgan’s Wonderland Camp brings to our city another unique and world-class attraction that is not just for some but for everyone.”
Hartman said the location of Morgan’s Wonderland Camp is only a 20-minute drive from Morgan’s Wonderland, so various activities will be designed to link the sites, especially for guests from across the state and around the world. For example, community-based instruction (CBI) field trips for school children will be available at both Morgan’s Wonderland and Morgan’s Wonderland Camp, the latter specializing in nature-related subjects.
Like non-profit Morgan’s Wonderland and Morgan’s Inspiration Island, admission fees for Morgan’s Wonderland Camp will be affordable, Hartman said. He listed Morgan’s Wonderland Camp facilities and features as follows:
- An ultra-accessible, multi-platform zipline;
- A stable and horses for horseback riding;
- Hiking trails that spread out through the partially-flat, partially-hilly topography;
- A nature farm to introduce campers to farm animals;
- Multiple pools, a splash pad and a relaxing river for aquatic fun;
- An archery range;
- An enclosed sports pavilion;
- A challenge course with climbing walls for campers of all abilities;
- An arts-and-crafts center;
- A large tree house with panoramic Hill Country views;
- Bicycle trails for two- and three-wheeled “bikes;”
- An outdoor fire pit for camp gatherings;
- 20 cabins that up to 525 campers and staff members can call “home;”
- A 30,000-square-foot Welcome Center, complete with kitchen and dining hall that can accommodate several hundred for meals as well as special events;
- A 5,500-square-foot health center for round-the-clock medical assistance; and
- A camp store.
More information and updates about Morgan’s Wonderland Camp can be found at www.morganswonderland.com/camp/.
Morgan’s Wonderland is located at 5223 David Edwards Drive in Northeast San Antonio a half-mile west of IH 35 at the intersection of Wurzbach Parkway and Thousand Oaks Drive. For more information, call (210) 495-5888. Its sister splash park – Morgan’s Inspiration Island – will reopen in mid-May for the warm-weather months. For more information, visit www.MorgansWonderland.com.
Valero Energy Corp., through its subsidiaries (collectively “Valero”), is an international manufacturer and marketer of transportation fuels and petrochemical products. Valero is a Fortune 500 company based in San Antonio, Texas, and it operates 15 petroleum refineries with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 3.1 million barrels per day and 14 ethanol plants with a combined production capacity of 1.73 billion gallons per year. The petroleum refineries are located in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, and the ethanol plants are located in the Mid-Continent Region of the U. S.
Valero is a joint venture partner in Diamond Green Diesel, which operates a renewable diesel plant in Norco, La. Diamond Green Diesel is North America’s largest biomass-based diesel plant. Valero sells its products in the wholesale rack or bulk markets in the U. S., Canada, the U. K., Ireland, and Latin America. Approximately 7,400 outlets carry Valero’s brand names. For more information, visit www.Valero.com.
