People of Pennsylvania: Steve Gorman

It’s not hard to picture the perfect day for Waldameer Park & Water World president Steve Gorman. It’s an 80-degree July day, a light breeze is blowing in off Lake Erie, and Gorman’s walking down the park’s midway, his red polo standing out amongst the crowd.

“It’s exciting to wake up and see the weather’s going to be good and we have a lot of people coming,” Gorman says. “We know that we’re going to have to do our best to welcome them and treat them right.” 

After a 10-year stint as an engineer, Gorman officially joined the “family business” of Waldameer in 1995 (his wife Nancy is the daughter of former president Paul Nelson, who died in May 2023). While it’s a literal family business to Gorman, he’s made it his mission to pass that feeling down to the 600-some seasonal workers the park hires every year. 

“During orientation I try to tell our new employees that I consider this my home,” Gorman says. “I’m having a party at my home and I’m inviting everyone as guests and I want those guests to enjoy themselves.” 

Guests have a plethora of ways to enjoy themselves, thanks to additions by Gorman and Nelson. The park’s first big modern renovation came in 2015 with the addition of its 500,000-gallon wave pool that’s widely recognized as one of the best in the region. From there, Gorman has helped with additions ranging from Chaos, a spinning pendulum that rises 60 feet in the air, to the $7-million Rocket Blast water coaster unveiled in 2023. 

“Since I’ve been here our feeling has been that we have to continue to make changes,” Gorman says, “because the park needs to be fresh and relevant.”

And, in a bit of a twist, park patrons don’t have to break the bank to wipe off their feet on Gorman’s proverbial welcome mat, as Waldameer (the 10th oldest amusement park in the country) has always had free admission. Instead, guests can pay for a day pass or per ride. Just there to take in the old-school atmosphere, grab some fudge or watch the kids have fun? You pay nothing.

“That’s one of our special treats that is unique to us,” Gorman says.

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