A New ‘Surf Club’ With 7 Foot Waves Set To Open In Palm Springs

18.12.2023 - 23:23 / forbes.com / Tommy Bahama

Surf’s up in the desert.

Designed in part by surf pros, The Palm Springs Surf Club (PSSC) will open to the public on Jan. 1 with a state-of-the-art pool that churns out waves ranging from two to seven feet—catering to surfers of all abilities.

The team behind the chic surf club invested $80 million to overhaul a defunct Wet n’ Wild waterpark that was originally built in the 1970s.

The surf club's winter arrival is part of a wave of new developments happening in Palm Springs, California and the greater Coachella Valley, including a forthcoming Thompson Hotel in downtown Palm Springs, the Tommy Bahama rebrand of Miramonte Resort & Spa that debuted in Indian Wells, and the new The Spa at Séc-he that opened in the Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza.

In addition to the marquee waves, SoCal’s most unexpected surf spot also features a lazy river, lounge pools, indoor and outdoor event venues, a social club with bottle service, and waterslides that are opening later in 2024. Cabanas with a California-cool design aesthetic are available for rent near the wave pool and come with front row views of the mountains.

The surf club is the brainchild of pro surfers Cheyne Magnussun (the wave curator at Waco Surf in Texas) and Kalani Robb. The two partnered with James Dunlop, the PSSC founder, and, in 2019, got the test pool up and running in Palm Springs, bringing in pro surfers to test the waters.

What sets the wave pool apart from others is that it’s using Surfloch Wave System technology that replicates ocean waves and allows expert surfers to customize waves, catering to various skill levels. The technology creates waves using pressurized air within individually controlled concrete chambers called caissons. Timing, sequence and force of how each caisson is fired factors in to the size and shape of the waves that are unleashed.

The wave pool can accommodate up to 25 surfers simultaneously.

"Opening The Palm Springs Surf Club marks the realization of a dream that was once unimaginable — catching waves in the desert,” says Vinny Smith, investor and tech executive.

Even in the winter months, the weather in Palm Springs is mild with highs in the 70s.

Tim O'Byrne, the developer of The Palm Springs Surf Club, says the surf experience has something for everyone, from beginners to avid surfers and those who love to witness the sport.

“Surfing is a mesmerizing sport to watch, and at PSSC, the experience of observing surfers ride world-class waves against the stunning backdrop of the Palm Springs Mountains is unparalleled,” O’Byrne says.

The 21-acre park has large LED screens projecting surf action.

PSSC says it’s using 1% of the water volume required by a typical golf course while generating more than 70% of its energy resources