Pocono Mountains tourism is getting another big boost as Tobyhanna Township has announced the Pocono Springs Village. The project is a 175-acre entertainment destination that will include retail shops, an aquarium, a theater and water features.

“This project will transform northeast Pennsylvania,” said Tobyhanna Township Manager John J. Jablowski Jr. “Alberta Development is a world-class developer that will be creating a village atmosphere with shops and entertainment.”

Jablowski says that the project will create 2,000 construction jobs and more than 1,200 permanent jobs.

Bryan McFarland, a principal partner at the Denver-based Alberta Development Partners, has joined with Pocono Manor Investors in making Pocono Springs Village a reality.

The project has been in the works for the past year, and McFarland said the aquarium and about 50 percent of the retailers are already on board. Although the group is not prepared to announce them yet, he assured those present that they were well-known names.

“We expect to see approximately 5 million visitors per year,” McFarland said. “With the addition of dining and entertainment, this project is place making.”

Phase one of the project is expected to begin in May 2019. The first phase includes a 2,445 seat theater, a 75,000-square-foot aquarium, a pavilion, 138,000 square feet of restaurant space and 94,425 square feet of retail space.

There is currently no lodging expected to be built on site. The property is adjacent to Kalahari Resort, which has 1,000 rooms and is also close to Pocono Manor Resort, which has 240 rooms and suites.

McFarland said that keeping the landscape and natural features of the property was very important in the design of Pocono Springs.

“We will be using mature trees from the property in the landscaping as well as natural materials like stone and wood in our design,” said McFarland. “There will be springs running along the concourses culminating into an interactive water feature in the Central Plaza.”

Some of the amenities included are the Wet Design, which is the water feature in the Central Plaza that will have interactive fire, water, lighting and music. The Grove will be forested and will be developed around an existing 1-acre tree grove, and the Moment Factory, an hourly immersive and interactive lighting and music show.

The first phase will also include a helium balloon ride similar to one at Disney.

“These are exciting times for us in the Poconos when somebody is going to spend $400 million a year in your area,” said state Sen. Mario Scavello, R-Monroe. “A project like this improves your infrastructure.”

“Let’s face it, 940 is a tired road,” he said. “We are going to see some incredible improvements, there is something very special going on here.”

Monroe County Commissioner John Moyer sees the project as another opportunity to stabilize the county’s tax base.

“The increased tax base means more for the school district and the municipality,” Moyer said. “Hopefully the taxes for residents will stabilize and possibly decrease as a result.”

Moyer pointed out that Phase II of Kalahari Resorts added $1 million per year to Pocono Mountain School District and $100,000 to the county in taxes.

Moyer also feels that the project fills a niche that he long felt was lacking in the area.

“I have thought for years that the Poconos needed something like this,” Moyer said. “Someplace where people can go when they are done doing what they came here for. Now they will have someplace to visit after they ski or canoe or hike.”

The first phase of Pocono Springs Village is expected to open to the public in the summer of 2021.