Waco Surf, once a struggling wave pool, has become a year-round sold-out destination by catering to Texas families, and its co-owners are now planning a 400-acre surf-anchored ranch community called Desperado, according to the latest episode of The Building Texas Show. Host Justin McKenzie interviewed co-owners David Taylor and Luke Schock about their journey from acquiring the property in 2021 to their expansion plans.
Taylor and Schock explained that when they took over, 99% of customers were professional surfers. Today, 99% are Texas families who have never touched an ocean wave. "We flipped the customer base completely," Schock said. The shift was key to turning the park into a sold-out operation, with visitors driving from Dallas, Austin, and Houston.
The Desperado masterplan includes a second surf pool, a 13-hole golf course, a hot springs resort, pickleball courts, and dirt-only roads. Unlike other surf communities that are private and gated, Desperado will be open. "It's a community for people that want high access but not high walls," Schock said. "The magic happens when you're sitting on the beach talking to the guy that, you know, it's his bucket list to come there."
The episode also delves into Waco's history, including the 1952 tornado that diverted growth to Fort Worth. Taylor and Schock cited the Hippodrome on Austin Avenue, where Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin once performed, as evidence of Waco's pre-tornado vibrancy. Today, Baylor graduates are staying to open restaurants and buy real estate, alongside the Magnolia-driven effect from Chip and Joanna Gaines.
Deposits on Desperado homes are overwhelmingly from Texas-based families, with one exception: a Hawaii native whose family lives in New York and wants a centrally located meeting place. Taylor noted that Waco sits between Dallas, Austin, and Houston, making it ideal for repositioning as the heart of a new Texas surf culture.
The episode is available now wherever podcasts are heard. Listeners can expect specifics on how the customer base flipped, the Desperado masterplan, and why Waco is becoming a surprising tourism and real estate story in Texas.
