Capital University had a good problem for any college to have, a boost in enrollment, and they solved the subsequent overflow of campus residents by putting them in a water park resort for the time being, WBNS Columbus reported.
Faced with not having enough dorms for an influx of on-campus resident students, the Ohio school decided to solve the problem by offering students a comfortable and fun option.
"We're trying to make it as fun and as safe and engaging for the students as we can while they're there," said Nichole Johnson, a Capital University spokeswoman. "Our goal is to make [sure] students' stay at Fort Rapids will be short and fun."
The stay at Fort Rapids Resort is only a temporary fix, as Johnson said she expects 50 beds or so to open up two or three weeks into the semester.
"When you look at what your options are, you can either increase the number of beds that you put in each residential space, or you can convert some storage spaces or some student lounges into temporary housing," she said.
Until that is resolved, about 30 students will get to stay at the resort, which has a lazy river, waterslides, hot tubs, a restaurant, a bar and an arcade. The resort has suites similar to the ones on Capital's campus and the school will also provide a shuttle service for the five-mile trip between the campus and the resort.
"We're also going to have a full-time member of our residential and commuter staff live there while they're there, so it's really going to be the same, to some extent, experience that they would have at a residence hall here on campus," Johnson said.
Students will find out next week, Johnson said, if they will be assigned to Fort Rapids. A student can decline, and the school will make the necessary accommodations. That may be unlikely to happen as students who will live at Fort Rapids will have free access to waterslides.
