Austin Business Journal writes, "Entrepreneurs, actors, sports figures and social media influencers are paddling proverbially to the private surf-and-condominium park that's rising down the road from Austin's airport — not far from Tesla's gigafactory.
Matthew McConaughey, Drew Brees and Tony Hawk are among those tied to the coveted 400 real estate or membership slots at the Austin Surf Club, according to documents obtained by the Austin Business Journal, as well as a review of public records.
Over the last six months, the ABJ has uncovered key details about the construction of the project at the former site of NLand Surf Park. Set to rise on the site is housing, a brewery and high-end amenities centered around multiple man-made surf basins.
The newly obtained documents offer a further glimpse into how the nation's luminaries are bankrolling or jumping to grab a piece of one of Austin's most-anticipated developments. Plus, more details have been revealed about what's being built along Navarro Creek Road off State Highway 71 in the suburb of Del Valle.
The project is a partnership between famous surfer Kelly Slater and Arizona-based Discovery Land Co. Others listed among a 12-person ownership group include Jeffrey Bizzack, a former executive for the World Surf League and known business partner of Slater, who was among the parents who pleaded guilty in the sprawling college admissions scandal; Chase Koch, a businessman and son of Koch Inc. co-CEO and co-owner Charles Koch; and Jasen Trautwein, a prominent member of Austin's tech and startup scene.
The owning entity of the projects — Austin Surf Club Venture LP — appears to have spent the last year raising money from investors. The company has raised nearly $36 million, according to a February filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The filing also confirms Bizzack and Trautwein as Austin Surf Club directors, along with other high-level executives from Discovery Land Co.
The land owned by the company could be bigger than initially reported. Discovery Land Co. purchased the initial 190 acres in 2019, and it sat on it before ramping up work during the last two years. Public property records show the owners in September added two more parcels southeast of the main site, totaling 141 acres.
Austin Surf Club officials pushed back on some of the facts in this story. Managers of developments that cater to the elite — take Four Seasons Hotels as an example — vigorously protect the identity of their tenants and do what they can to dispute their presence.
But documents obtained by ABJ include the names of dozens of famous people around the country. The ABJ is only naming those who are tied to public records that can be verified by anyone. That includes Travis County property records, news reports, project websites, federal filings, state filings, city of Austin filings and more.
"Austin Surf Club will be the first-of-its-kind, lifestyle community in Texas built from the ground up, designed with sustainability in mind," according to a statement from developers. "Unreliably sourced information distracts from our bold vision and what we have set out to achieve. We continue to operate at the highest levels of integrity and respect the privacy of our members and investors."
Wining and dining
The documents offer a glimpse at the lengths the sales team has gone to wine and dine prospective buyers of home sites and memberships to the exclusive club.
The team reported more than 300 visitors to Slater's other surf ranch in Lemoore, California, in 2024, and another 22 at the Del Valle site. In 2025, sales meetings were scheduled for locales like Austin, New York, Hawaii, Florida and California, and coincided with events like the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Stagecoach music festival in California, golf tournaments, Austin City Limits and Art Basel in Miami, according to the documents. A $550,000 budget was proposed for the sales team for dinners and travel this year.
The Austin Surf Club has been pegged in public documents to feature 147 residences. That will include a mix of Slater-designed bungalows, custom real estate lots, lakefront cabins and suites, according to obtained documentation. The sprawling units could be as big as two stories with five bedrooms or custom lots ranging from half an acre to 1 acre. Housing was said to have an emphasis on sustainability with eco-friendly design and material use. Street names include Aloha Lane, Fishpond Lane, Soundwave Trail, Coco Beach Drive and Outer Reef Circle.
As of November, the Austin Surf Club sales team reported 49 total sales, including 12 surf memberships and 37 real estate transactions that generated $98.3 million in sales volume — they were on track to surpass a goal of $105 million in overall sales by the end of the year, according to the documents. That generally lines up with the total number of land sales listed in Travis County property records.
For 2025, the sales team has proposed a target of $86.25 million in sales, consisting of 15 surf memberships at an average of $1.25 million per membership, and 30 home site sales at an average of $2.25 million. At least four more sales have been completed already in 2025, according to property records.
At least 30 of the units are spoken for and consist of buyers or interested parties that include financiers, celebrities and much more. Among them are:
• Austinite McConaughey and his wife, Camila. They are also involved in local business ventures including as part owners of Austin FC. Travis County property records tie the sale to a trust that connects to the office of Blaine Lourd, a financial adviser known to work with the actor.
• Football star Brees, who played high school football in Austin and has been involved in business ventures locally, and his wife, Brittany. Travis County property records tie the sale of the unit to the address of a California-based bank, of which Brees is a board member.
• Koch, who studied at Texas A&M University and has long been connected to Austin's tech startup scene. Travis County property records tie the unit to the address of Koch's charitable foundation.
• Pro skateboarder Hawk, who has been spotted at the California surf park, is listed as a member.
None of them responded to a request for comment.
Phased construction was slated to begin later this year on the first units, according to the documents.
There are 253 available memberships. A rental program for non-real estate owners will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. All home sites are sold along with a membership, according to the documents, and the company has registered a homeowners association.
High-end amenities planned
At the site, construction work is underway on what appears to be a sprawling housing and amenities plan. One amenity that's not included in this plan is a gold club, making it one of two Discovery Land projects in the country without one. The company has another project in Driftwood as well as a luxury club in downtown Austin.
The plan includes the refurbishment of an on-site brewery and the development of some housing, infrastructure and what's being called the outer reef basin. The basin is said to be about 20 acres and 2,200 feet long with rotating waves as big as 10 feet — it will be the main surf area of the community. The company has also rented space next door at Nava Farms that is said to be used as a sales office.
In its statement, Austin Surf Club officials said "there are no distinct planning phases that we have committed to," and that those amenities are their current priorities.
But that could include much more based on the documents. There is at least one other roughly 6-acre surf site called the shore break wave basin, plus a lake, included in the documents. Amenities available for guests include surfing, fishing, stand-up paddle boarding and other water sports. Sports courts for sand volleyball and pickleball, walking trails, an organic farm, a wellness spa, multiple clubhouses, dining options, swimming pools and more are also mentioned, along with a skate park.
City of Austin documents list the water provider as "private." The Surf Club also obtained approval from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to take over an on-site wastewater treatment plant.
Austin Surf Club officials said "only reclaimed water will be used" and that there will be no use of domestic water associated with the filling or operation of the basin. The average daily gross evaporation rate for the basin is about 100,000 gallons per day.
Representatives from the city of Austin did not immediately respond to requests for comment."
Source: Austin Business Journal
Written by: Justin Sayers
Published: May 4, 2025
Posted by Grossman & Jones Group on
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