Sat, Jul 11 2009

Published: February 06, 2008 06:32 am    PrintThis  

CoCo Key's admissions policy under scrutiny

By Ethan Forman
Staff writer

DANVERS — Selectmen have questions for CoCo Key Water Resort managers on whether the resort has relaxed its admission policy to let more than just hotel guests, birthday parties or large groups swim there.

The board also wants to discuss the business's alleged violations of the water park's entertainment license for its coin-operated games for allowing someone under 18 to supervise the Key Quest Arcade game room. Selectmen meet at 7 tomorrow night in the Toomey Hearing Room of Town Hall.

The 65,000-square-foot CoCo Key Water Resort opened in May 2006 at the Sheraton Ferncroft Resort, and it features water slides, an indoor river and a Parrot's Perch play structure. The water resort itself is located across the town line in Middleton, but its arcade and birthday party rooms are down a corridor in Danvers.

Danvers selectmen Chairman Michael Powers said he is most concerned that a supervisor 18 or older be on hand at all times, especially with kids using the arcade. Powers said the resort has a coin-operated amusement device license for the arcade and an alcohol license from the town.

Selectmen also have questions about the park's business model because, when the licenses were granted, Powers said the board was told the park would be open only to hotel guests and groups.

"I understand they have relaxed those restrictions," Town Clerk Joseph Collins said.

The resort's Web site does offer "daily admission" tickets for daylong stays at the park.

The Web site offers "Family Package Weekdays," for example, a four-ticket minimum for $30 per ticket Monday through Thursday.

Powers said the board wants more information on whether the park's admission policy has changed.

"What they said versus what they are doing," Powers said yesterday. "It's a clarification of their business model. ... It's not anything wrong, per se."

The resort's marketing and sales manager could not be reached yesterday.

Officials in Middleton and Danvers had concerns about the water resort generating traffic from outside the hotel's customer base.

So far, Middleton does not have concerns about the resort's operation.

"There is a condition they are allowed to sell 100 (tickets) a day," said Middleton Town Administrator Ira Singer, who said Danvers does not have licensing authority over the water park itself, just the 50-foot-by-50-foot game room. Singer said restrictions on admissions were spelled out in the site plan review.

Singer said he has heard complaints from some who have been turned away when they showed up without making reservations. He's received less than a handful of complaints from residents of a nearby condominium complex about too many buses rolling up to the park at one time.

Middleton does not monitor who comes and goes as guests, in groups or with a daily admission pass to CoCo Key, Singer said.

Danvers selectmen will meet tomorrow, 7 p.m., in Town Hall's Toomey Hearing Room, 1 Sylvan St.

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