Crest Surf Clubs aims to offer the surf park world a luxurious private club

Every new surf park offers its visitors a unique experience. No two surf parks are the same, whether it’s the location, the wave technology or the park’s amenities. This is certainly true for Crest Surf Clubs. Their first destination in Long Island, New York is currently under construction, but when it opens, it will be the first private surf club in the world.

Surf Park Central spoke with founder and CEO Brett Portera about his vision for the park, the uniqueness of the business model and what will power the park’s waves.

Surf Park Central: What inspired you to build a surf park?

Brett Portera: The idea to start Crest originally came from my co-founder and dad, Chris Portera. I was probably around 5 years old when my parents put me on a surfboard for the first time and I fell in love with it. I remember being totally into surfing when I was 10 or 12 and watching the early stages of Surf Park Central and all the cool ideas for surf parks and the technology behind them.

My dad was a self-made entrepreneur and surfer himself and felt there was an opportunity to build a surf park on our home island of Long Island. We constantly talked about how cool it would be to one day make this idea a reality. As I got older and my focus shifted to my professional career, I knew very quickly that building a surf park was an opportunity I wanted to pursue. Honestly, the main motivation was and will always be the selfish desire to surf more and become a better surfer.

For the past 15 years I have been deeply involved in the surf park industry, from understanding how the different technologies work to the different business models, construction methods, permits, etc. It has been a long and crazy journey, but ultimately I feel the team we have assembled is world class. Collectively we have over 30 years of experience in the space and we are all united by the same goal and desire to create the best wave and experience in the industry, starting with the Crest New York project.

Surf Park Central: Can you tell me more about Crest’s club approach? What advantages does it offer over a public performance? Why did you choose this format?

Brett Portera: Of course, Crest is designed to provide a luxury surfing experience. We have chosen to be a standalone private club, very similar to a country club or any other private club, except that our main attraction is the surf pool. From a business perspective, this will allow Crest to operate in a much more flexible manner, which in turn should enable a more manageable and scalable model. Because we use a subscription-based model, our costs to build and operate are arguably lower and more predictable, allowing for a much more attractive business model.

From a consumer perspective, the benefits of a private facility are enormous. Ultimately, it all boils down to making surfing more convenient, because let’s face it, it’s not convenient to chase Surfline and rush to the beach only to find you should have been there an hour ago.

By building a more exclusive facility, we can offer a much more convenient location to the majority of our clients. Our facilities do not require an extremely large piece of land and therefore we believe we can be closer to major metropolitan areas. For example, our New York facility is located right in the middle of Long Island and only about 60 miles from NYC and Montauk and can be reached by car, train, bus or even plane/helicopter.

Additionally, we try to serve less than 1% of the people who come to a typical hourly facility each year. This means members can surf more waves, when they want, and don’t have to worry about fighting for time slots.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, our membership approach allows for the creation of a special community at each of our Crest facilities. There is something about seeing the same faces over and over again and getting to know the people you share the lineup with. We hope these relationships extend beyond our facilities and translate into so much more.

Overall, Crest was never intended to be an old-school country club with cigar rooms and dark wood decor. Crest was ultimately born out of a vision to provide the best surfing experience in the world and bring a community of surfers together. This approach also allows us to focus more on the community outside of Crest. Our subscription-based approach allows us to spend less time worrying about making sure the pool is full by 9am on Tuesday mornings in January and more time focusing on giving back to the community around us. Not only do we donate time at the facility, but we also leverage our member community to bring programs and opportunities to the larger communities around us.

Surf Park Central: What makes Crest truly unique is the use of your own surfing technology. What waves can surfers expect?

Brett Portera: Our partners at Premier Surf Systems have invested a tremendous amount of time developing wave technology. While I can’t give too much away, I can give you some of the basics of what led us to develop something ourselves.

At Crest, our members can expect technology that not only caters to all levels and drives progression, but also offers the ability to customize their lineup. Whether you’re looking for a smoother environment or a screaming barrel, we plan to accommodate everyone in their quest for the perfect wave. Think of all the best facets of the different technologies on the market and now imagine combining them into a more compact footprint. That’s what Premier Surf Systems will offer at Crest. The height, shape and variety of all the different technologies combined into one.

As for the pool itself, members will be able to enjoy outdoor surfing all year round. Thanks to our partners in the energy generation industry, we will generate our own electricity on site and use the waste heat to keep the pool at around 21 degrees in the middle of winter. We have also taken the necessary structural steps to mitigate any onshore winds within the confines of the pool.

Surf Park Central: Why did you choose this route and not partner with an existing wave technology company?

Brett Portera: When we set out to create Crest, we had no intention of developing our own technology. After thoroughly evaluating all the options on the market (and some outside the market), we felt that what was out there, while good, just didn’t fit our location and business model. The desire to deliver a world-class wave in a small space was ultimately the reason we developed our own technology.

Surf Park Central: What other amenities does Crest offer guests?

Brett Portera: Our Phase I for Crest NY includes the heated surf pool, outdoor lounge and spectator areas, and a 9,000 sq. ft. clubhouse overlooking the surf pool. The clubhouse features locker rooms, board and wetsuit storage, concierge services, F&B operations, co-working space, surf coaching services, training area, and a range of body therapies to keep our members and their guests feeling refreshed and ready to advance their surfing at all times.

We are currently evaluating a second phase that would expand the original site and add many other amenities.

Surf Park Central: As we’ve seen time and time again, opening a surf park isn’t easy. What were the biggest challenges you faced with Crest?

Brett Portera: No, it is not! Anyone who says otherwise is either lying or hasn’t really tried. For us, as with most projects, raising capital, putting together a solid team and getting permits has been challenging. However, we feel we have an incredible crew around us and as we focus more on construction and operations, we still expect bumps along the way but are confident we can overcome anything thrown our way.

Surf Park Central: What is the current timeline for an opening date?

Brett Portera: We currently expect to push the first waves later in 2024 and have our grand opening shortly thereafter.