MASHANTUCKET, Conn. (WTNH) – A project that has been in the works at Foxwoods for more than a decade is finally underway. Construction kicked off on a new waterpark that the Mashantucket’s say will turn Foxwoods into a family destination.

The groundbreaking on Wednesday was designed to look like a spilling waterpark to kick off the $300 million project that will grow and change the customer base at Foxwoods.

“For us at Mashantucket, it’s always been a vision of ours to have a resort beyond gaming and councils long before any of us who are standing here today were dreaming about having an indoor waterpark here,” said Rodney Butler, Chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.

The tribe is partnering with family waterpark company Great Wolf Lodge to build a new family resort right next to the casino. It will have 550 rooms designed for extended families with the smallest sleeping six. There will be a 91,000-square-foot waterpark and a 60,000-square-foot dry entertainment center with things like a ropes course, mini bowling, restaurants and an arcade.

“This is becoming a destination,” said Governor Ned Lamont. “This is where people want to be, not just overnight, not just for a show, but for a week and for a family.”

“Our resort will perfectly complement Foxwoods Resort and help fuel the regional economy with over 500 new jobs and thousands of families coming into the area,” said John Murphy, CEO of Great Wolf Lodge.

The Mashantuckets say the new park will be a double boost for the economy by not only providing new jobs but a new flow of tourism cash into the area.

“We’re thrilled to bring Great Wolf Lodge to another location in North America, this time in Mashantucket, CT,” Head of Blackstone Real Estate Asset Management Americas, Rob Harper, said. “We know the joy that these resorts bring to families across the country, and we are proud of the many jobs they create for the community in the process.”

Great Wolf Lodge should be open by the spring of 2025.