There is a moment, witnessed again and again at Waco Surf, when someone rides a wave for the very first time and emerges from the water with pure joy beaming from their face. That moment is the guiding star of everything Waco Surf has built, and it is the beating heart of what comes next. Today, the Waco Surf team is excited to announce The Desperado, a residential community built on 450 acres adjacent to Waco Surf that is unlike anything else in Texas, or anywhere in the world. Homes are available to purchase now. Construction begins in the summer of 2026, with the first homes ready for move-ins in the summer of 2027.
The Desperado is not a gated enclave; It’s not a typical “development.” It’s a community – a beach and surf club for those who crave high access, not high walls. From the beginning, the inspiration was clear: they wanted to grow the energy behind Waco Surf into a place where families could put down roots, without ever losing the culture, the warmth, and the relaxed, joyful feeling that has made Waco Surf so beloved. This isn’t a slick project built by developers at a distance. It’s deeply personal, full of heart, and built to last.
At the center of it all is the surf. The Desperado community will be anchored by two surf lagoons, along with a standing wave known as the Shredmill. One of the surf lagoons and the standing wave are already part of Waco Surf, which all homeowners will have direct access to. A second surf lagoon is being built at the heart of The Desperado itself and will open with the first homes in the summer of 2027. Residents will be able to drop into a wave whenever the mood strikes, and they’ll have access to world-class surfing events held at Waco Surf. For families with children who have never surfed, this proximity is transformative. The Desperado is not only for those who already love to surf, it’s equally for those who aspire to that lifestyle, who want to learn, and who want to raise their children somewhere the fun of the outdoors is never more than a few steps away.
The Desperado will offer 88 homes – 44 standalone homes and 44 duplex townhomes. The standalone homes come in 3-, 4-, and 5-bedroom configurations ranging from approximately 2,000 to 3,000 square feet, designed for bringing families and friends together, each oriented so that residents have some view or connection to the surf lagoon where you can sit in your backyard and see or hear the waves. The duplex townhomes offer 2- and 3-bedroom layouts ranging from approximately 1,600 to 1,800 square feet, designed for flexible living. Both premium and standard lots are available, with pricing starting at $1.6M. The limited number of homes is intentional. This community is meant to be close-knit, with a shared sense of belonging that scales to fit the people who live there.
Flow is the organizing principle of The Desperado – in its design, in its spirit, and in the daily rhythms it makes possible. The homes are 3D-printed by ICON and designed by FIRMAH Architecture, led by founder and principal Ashley Heeren, who was also a leader of the architecture team behind ICON’s celebrated House Zero in Austin. Heeren brought the same sensibility from that project into The Desperado: walls with gentle curves and rounded corners, forms that echo the movement of waves, and interiors that create an open, connected feeling between you and the land, the community, and the people around you. In 3D-printed concrete, the idea of flow isn’t just a metaphor, it’s embedded in the material itself, in the contours of every wall.
Anyone who has spent time at Waco Surf knows the feeling. It’s been described more than once as adult summer camp, the kind of place where you exhale the moment you arrive. There is no pretense, no uniforms, no pressure – just a deep sense of Texas hospitality felt throughout. People are relaxed, friendly, and genuinely happy to be there. Families spread out across the property. Kids discover surfing for the first time while parents float down the longest lazy river in the world or catch a wave of their own. Pro surfers, including members of the U.S. Olympic Team, train alongside first-timers who just showed up to try something new. That rare mix of accessibility and excellence, of serious surf and serious fun, is what makes Waco Surf unlike any other surf park in the world. The Desperado is that same feeling, made permanent.
“Spreading the joy of surfing has always been the soul of Waco Surf, watching someone ride a wave for the first time and seeing that look on their face, especially a kid’s, is why we do all of this,” said David Taylor, owner and co-president of Waco Surf. “The Desperado is the natural next step. We wanted to create a place where families can actually live inside that feeling, not just visit it. A community where your kids grow up around the water, around the outdoors, around people who share that same love for life. That’s what we’re building.”
At The Desperado, Texas ranch life meets high-level surf meets family life and intentional living. Prairie land and the wide-open feeling of the Texas landscape form the backdrop for a community oriented around the water, the outdoors, and each other. Vehicles stay in the garage, as residents move through the property by golf cart, by bike, or on foot along dirt paths and sealed gravel trails, because the owners want it to feel exactly like what it is: a Texas ranch. You won’t find asphalt cutting through the community. You will find yourself somewhere that feels genuinely natural, genuinely grounded, and genuinely alive.
That same sense of flow extends to the community as a whole. The Desperado is designed so that residents can move easily and naturally between different energy states – from high-adrenaline to deeply restful – in the same day, on their own terms. Catch a wave in the morning, then take a walk through the forest in the afternoon. Play pickleball, then drift into the Nordic spa. Skate the pump track with your kids, then sit in the hot tub as the sun goes down. Sip a margarita on the beach. Cast a line in the lake. Float the lazy river. The property is laid out to make all of these transitions feel seamless, natural, and unhurried.
“We designed The Desperado around this idea of living in flow,” said Luke Schock, owner and co-president of Waco Surf. “The architecture, the land, the surf, the trails through the old-growth forest – it all fits together to give you a life where you can move between these completely different experiences in the same day. High energy, quiet and restorative, everything in between. That’s not something you find anywhere else. There is no community like this in Texas or the world, and we built it to stay that way.”
Across 450 acres, the amenities at The Desperado are deliberately designed to feel like the land itself: unforced, unpretentious, and exactly right. At the heart of the property, 100 acres of old-growth Texas forest are being preserved in their natural state – ancient trees, native understory, and trails that wind through the land. This is not a landscaped park. It’s a forest that has been here for generations and will remain, offering residents a place to walk, breathe, and reconnect with something larger than themselves. The 13-hole golf course is designed in that same spirit, not a formal PGA-style course, but the kind you could play barefoot, in about an hour and a half, with your kids beside you. The fishing lakes feel like a body of water you stumbled upon deep in the woods on a working ranch. Additional amenities include a 25-acre lake, pickleball and sport courts, a pump track, playgrounds, climbing areas, RV camping, a Nordic spa, clubhouses, restaurants, and work and meeting spaces – everything needed for a life that is full, flexible, and deeply enjoyable.
Sustainability is a core value at Waco Surf, and The Desperado reflects that commitment. The owners have set a goal of achieving water neutrality by 2027, to be accomplished through water capture systems channeled throughout the community into its lakes and ponds. The land, the water, and the natural world around The Desperado are not just amenities, they are something to be cared for, enjoyed, and passed on.
Prospective homeowners can join the Desperado Founders Club right now by purchasing a membership which will be credited to the purchase price of a home once they are contracted to purchase. When you join the Founders Club, you’ll have access to Waco Surf and all its amenities right away. You can start surfing now! Founders are the pioneers of The Desperado community, establishing its ethos, vibe, and culture from the ground up. As a Founder, members gain exclusive access to once-in-a-lifetime benefits, including priority lot selection, priority surf bookings, a Founder Golf Cart, food and beverage discounts, property management services, and more.
Exclusive sales and marketing by Legacy International Resort Properties. For more information or to reach out about buying a home at The Desperado, contact the team at desperadoclub@wacosurf.com or call 254.602.4246. Additional information is available at wacosurf.com/desperado.
ABOUT WACO SURF:
Located in Waco, Texas, Waco Surf is a premier inland surf resort, waterpark, and outdoor recreation destination spreading the joy of surfing one wave at a time. At the heart of the resort is a 2½-acre Surf Lagoon powered by cutting-edge wave technology that delivers consistent, perfectly shaped waves for surfers of all skill levels. Waco Surf also features the Shredmill, a high-performance stationary wave built for carving, progression, and continuous turns; a full waterpark with slides and one of the nation’s longest lazy rivers; and a broad range of outdoor activities designed for families, groups, and travelers. On-site lodging includes the Waco Surf Hotel, private cabins, group-friendly homes, and RV hookups, making it easy to turn a visit into a multi-day getaway. With distinctive dining options and experiences both on property and nearby, Waco Surf has become a year-round Texas destination for surfing, outdoor fun, and memorable stays.
