Waco Surf Co-Owners Detail Sold-Out Wave Pool Success and Desperado Ranch Community Plans
The latest episode of The Building Texas Show reveals how Waco Surf transformed from a struggling wave pool into a year-round destination, and its next phase: Desperado, a 400-acre surf-anchored ranch community that reframes Waco as a tourism and real estate hotspot.
Waco Surf co-owners David Taylor and Luke Schock are redefining Central Texas tourism and real estate, according to the latest episode of The Building Texas Show. The episode, published May 27, 2026, details how the pair transformed a struggling wave pool into a sold-out destination, with 99% of its surfers having never touched an ocean wave. Their next venture, Desperado, a 400-acre surf-anchored ranch community, positions Waco as one of the most surprising tourism and real estate stories in Texas.
The episode traces the business's full arc, from a 2018 pilot of American Wave Machines technology at the original Barefoot Ski Ranch under Stuart Parsons, to Taylor and Schock's 2021 acquisition. The customer base flipped from 99% professional surfers to 99% Texas families, a shift that underscores the park's broad appeal. The Desperado masterplan includes a second surf pool, a 13-hole golf course, a hot springs resort, pickleball, and dirt-only roads, emphasizing a community-focused, non-gated model.
Schock explained on the episode, "It's a community for people that want high access but not high walls. That's because we believe that 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." Taylor added that Waco's transformation is evident in small details, like Tony Hawk showing up at the local skate park at 7 a.m., filming himself, and drawing 200 people within fifteen minutes.
The co-owners also delved into Waco's history, noting that a 1952 tornado derailed the city's run at becoming the financial hub of Texas, pushing that growth toward Fort Worth. They cited the Hippodrome on Austin Avenue, where Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin once performed, as evidence of the city's pre-tornado vibrancy. Today, Baylor graduates are staying to open restaurants and buy real estate, alongside the Magnolia-driven Chip and Joanna Gaines effect. 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.
Waco's location between Dallas, Austin, and Houston makes it a strategic hub for a new Texas surf culture. The episode reframes Waco as a surprising destination, highlighting how the city's resurgence is driven by innovative businesses like Waco Surf and Desperado. Taylor and Schock's refusal to copy the private, gated model used by other surf communities worldwide underscores their commitment to accessibility and community. The episode is available now wherever podcasts are heard.