Zao Island has served as the home of fun in Northwest Indiana for years. Whether it’s hosting a company picnic or a birthday party, Zao Island has played an instrumental role in the lives of many citizens in the region. On the evening of Monday, July 26, the staff of Zao Island teamed up with the Crossroads Chamber of Commerce and the Hobart Chamber of Commerce in celebration of their new renovations. A brief networking session was followed by a ribbon cutting.
Debbie Ogden, Director of Sales & Events at Zao Island, said, “Today we are thrilled that the Crossroads Chamber and the Hobart Chamber have come together to celebrate the opening of the new and improved Zao Island! We’ve extended an open invitation to all Chamber members to visit our facility and network with other members, as well.”
Zao Island is celebrating its 27th year in providing fun for family members of all ages. Voted #1 in Northwest Indiana Entertainment and awarded Best Pizza in Porter County by Valparaiso University, Zao Island has become a household name. Its attractions include two mini golf courses, laser tag, Go-Karts, Colada's Restaurant, the game room, live alligators, batting cages, a giant slide, and lastly, a bounce house.
Click here to see more photos from the Zao Island Ribbon Cutting!
Owner Ryan Wright said, “There have been so many developments with Zao, so Debbie came up with the idea to showcase our new changes! This event is great because it’s wonderful to see everybody get together and gives us a chance to show off the new place to those who hasn’t seen it. We also get the opportunity to work with the chambers more.”
The Chambers of Commerce throughout the region often partner up in celebration of the success of organizations. After talking to several members, it was evident that their main goal is to make for a stronger Northwest Indiana community. The chambers work both independently and collectively to encourage the business community to work together. Both the Crossroads and Hobart Chambers serve as an inclusive entity in their communities.
Hobart Chamber Executive Director Lisa Winstead said, “The Hobart Chamber takes a regional approach. It’s important from us to support other chambers within Northwest Indiana. It benefits the whole community. The event today celebrates the successes of Zao Island, and we’re proud to be here in support of them.”
Often times, these chambers do not represent one town or area exclusively. A great example of this is the Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce. In 2009, the idea of merging the Greater Crown Point Chamber of Commerce and Merrillville Chamber of Commerce arose. In 2010, this idea became a reality. By merging the two chambers together, it became more inclusive and had the ability to connect more people. Not only was this a great asset for networking, but it became a power-house chamber.
St. Matthias Catholic Church Crossroads Chamber Representative Trudy Tarpo said, “The Crossroads Chamber has come such a long way since I have become a member. We have grown at a very fast rate over the last couple of years. It’s wonderful to see the whole region unite by supporting each other, especially at an event like today’s event at Zao Island.”
Overall, the evening was an absolute success. Zao Island was able to celebrate a successful grand opening thanks to the help of the Crossroads and Hobart Chambers of Commerce.