Indoor water surfing facility eyed for Colorado Springs' north side

Surf's up — on Colorado Springs' landlocked north side, of all places.

Surf Shack, a planned, two-story 12,000-square-foot recreation center, would bring indoor water surfing to Polaris Pointe, the retail and commercial development southeast of Interstate 25 and North Gate Boulevard, according to a proposal submitted to city government officials. 

As envisioned, Surf Shack would employ a wave machine manufactured by San Diego-based FlowRider, whose technology dates back more than 30 years and simulates ocean waves for riders, according to the company's website. FlowRider machines can be found in water parks, hotels and on cruise ships, among other places.

Surf Shack also will have locker rooms, food and beverage areas, conference and party rooms and a second-level sauna with a view of the FlowRider below, said owner Dr. Michael Kofford, a Springs orthodontist. The venue also will have two outdoor sand volleyball courts and a 2,000-square-foot patio with a hot tub for soaking and sitting, he said.

Construction is slated to begin in June or July, with an opening targeted for early 2025.

Kofford said he's always had a penchant for family fun and water sports — in that order — and believes the Springs would be a good fit for the Surf Shack concept. 

"Colorado Springs is like, I think it's the perfect place to live, but we just don't have a lot of access to water, like Fort Collins for instance, with all the lakes and stuff," Kofford said. "So I just had this idea of creating a little beachy, surf vibe environment that people can come to and play on the FlowRider."

At Surf Shack, Kofford plans to install a FlowRider "double." The machine allows two water enthusiasts to enjoy simulated surfing at one time.

Riders pay by the hour and the FlowRider double can accommodate 20 to 30 surfers per hour, Kofford said. Surf Shack would provide surf boards free of charge, he said; riders would bring their own swimming gear, though the facility also would have a retail area to sell swimsuits, T-shirts and towels.

"You can boogie board on your belly or eventually learn to stand up on it," he said.

Kofford grew up in Utah and attended dental school in Ohio. After completing an advanced general dentistry residency, he served as a dentist for Fort Carson’s 10th Special Forces Group. In 2010, he graduated from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center Orthodontic Program; Kofford and his wife, Zipporah, then returned to Colorado Springs, which he said they grew to love when he was stationed at Fort Carson.

Growing up, Kofford said he always enjoyed water skiing, boarding and surfing. Colorado Springs, however, doesn't have a water park and he hopes Surf Shack would appeal to residents who enjoy water sports.

Though he's been a water sports enthusiast much of his life, that passion is secondary to his desire to create a fun venue for other people, he said.

"I guess I like to see people have fun more than I care about water sports. ... When I take friends and family to the lake, watching somebody learn to surf behind the boat makes me really happy," Kofford said. "When I see somebody finally get it. They struggle and struggle and finally get it Those are times I really just enjoy. I guess I've just always been a kid at heart that likes to see people have fun."

Surf Shack would become the latest entertainment concept at Polaris Pointe, which began as a 200-acre retail development about 20 years ago.

Over the last several years, however, Polaris Pointe has focused less on traditional brick-and-mortar retailers and more on people-generating attractions, which now include a TopGolf driving range, the iFly indoor skydiving facility, the AirCity360 family entertainment complex, the indoor Overdrive Raceway go-kart track, the Magnum Shooting Center and Dart Wars North, an indoor Nerf battle arena.

Polaris Pointe's biggest entertainment venue opens in August when the 8,000-seat, outdoor Sunset Amphitheater hosts its first concert.