Great Wolf Resorts named John Murphy as its new chief executive officer following the retirement of former CEO Murray Hennessy’s, according to a company news release. Hennessy will remain with Great Wolf Resorts as an adviser.
“We are grateful to Murray for his hard work over the years, and excited to welcome [Murphy] to the team,” said Rob Harper, head of real estate asset management Americas for Blackstone, the majority owner of Great Wolf Resorts, in the release. “His extensive hospitality experience, collaborative approach and ability to develop high performing teams make him an ideal choice to lead Great Wolf Resorts as we continue to invest in new communities, creating jobs and giving more families the ability to enjoy the Great Wolf experience.”
Hennessy has served in the role of CEO for Great Wolf Resorts since March 2018.
Murphy leaves his position as principal of Triton Hospitality Group, a company he co-founded in 2021. He also founded and served as president and CEO for Evolution Hospitality, a third-party hotel management company that was acquired by Aimbridge Hospitality in 2015.
“I am absolutely thrilled and honored to be following in Murray’s footsteps, leading this incredibly talented and enthusiastic Great Wolf team,” Murphy said in the news release. “It’s abundantly clear that this is a company with a strong culture that truly cares for its people, setting the foundation for everything the team does to support the mission of bringing joy to families.”
Great Wolf Resorts has 19 properties, with 18 in the U.S. and one in Canada. The company has three resorts in its pipeline, one of which is set to open in 2023 — the Great Wolf Lodge Maryland — and two set to open in 2024 — the Great Wolf Lodge South Florida and Great Wolf Lodge Gulf Coast Texas.