SANDUSKY, Ohio - Sure, new roller coasters attract attention and visitors to Cedar Point. New hotel rooms, however, entice those visitors to stay longer and spend more money.

Cedar Point's plan for 2017, announced last week, focuses on getting visitors to spend more time and money at the park - both by increasing the number of hotel rooms at the resort and by adding attractions outside of the main park that encourage multi-day stays.

It's part of a longer-term effort to transform the park into more of a vacation destination.

"You could make a week out of visiting Cedar Point if you wanted to," said Jason McClure, Cedar Point's general manager.

Within the last two years, Cedar Point has:

* Completed a $50-million, top-to-bottom renovation of its flagship hotel, historic Hotel Breakers. The makeover, which debuted last year, was so successful that Cedar Point is adding another 158 rooms to the hotel in 2018. Construction starts next month.

* Announced plans to develop Sports Force Parks at Cedar Point Sports Center, a massive complex a couple of miles from the Cedar Point's main entrance, with two dozens fields for youth tournaments. The complex, set to open next spring, is expected to draw families for multi-day sporting events, including baseball, lacrosse and soccer tournaments. Included in their stay: complimentary tickets to Cedar Point.

* Partnered with the Jet Express ferry service, which this summer is picking up guests at the Cedar Point marina and transporting them to the Lake Erie islands for a break from nonstop coaster riding.

In addition, later park hours, new special events and a renewed commitment to the park's mile-long Lake Erie beachfront have all contributed to a more resort-like atmosphere.

And coming in 2017: a major expansion and rebranding of Cedar Point's outdoor water park, which is changing its name to Cedar Point Shores. In addition to the half-dozen new slides and water attractions, the renovation includes more seating, new food options and better views of the adjacent beach.

The goal: To entice visitors, currently spending a day at Cedar Point, into staying for a night or two. (Toward that end: overnight guests at Cedar Point properties next year will receive a free passes to the water park, one for every regular Cedar Point ticket they buy.)

"This is an opportunity to make our water park more resort-like," said McClure. "We have a lot of guests who are looking for a mini-vacation. It gives us a different way to grow our business."

On an unrelated note, McClure said it was just a coincidence that Cedar Point announced its waterpark expansion one day before parent company Cedar Fair announced the closure of Wildwater Kingdom, the waterpark in Aurora on the grounds of the former Sea World. McClure said he knows of no plans to relocate Wildwater Kingdom slides or other equipment to Cedar Point Shores.

Overnight guests, of course, need a place to stay - and Cedar Point would prefer that they stay at a Cedar Point property, as opposed to, say, Kalahari Resort, a few miles down the road.

To meet demand, Cedar Point is increasing its hotel inventory by about 15 percent, adding rooms to two of its four hotels.

Breakers Express, which will change its name to Cedar Point's Express Hotel, will add 69 new rooms for the 2017 season. The expansion at Hotel Breakers, meanwhile, will be ready by spring 2018.

When the remodeled Hotel Breakers opened in spring 2015, it featured 139 fewer rooms than its earlier version, in part because Cedar Point knocked down an older wing of the property as part of the makeover.

Park officials intended to replace those rooms if demand warranted - and it did. "Our guests love staying at Hotel Breakers, because it's so close to the beach and so close to the park," said McClure. "We had a plan to put the inventory back. There's definitely room to add."

The new six-story tower will go up to the west of the main hotel, in roughly the same spot that the Bon Air wing occupied, but with more lake-facing rooms.

Dennis Speigel, the president of International Theme Park Services, a consulting company in Cincinnati, said the Breakers addition makes sense.

"It's a 10 strike for them," said Speigel. "It keeps people in the area and on their property longer. When that happens, revenues are higher."

The two additions will bring the park's total overnight inventory to more than 1,750, including 156 cabins and 97 campsites.

Sandcastle Suites, also located on the beach, to the west of Hotel Breakers, may be next up for a renovation. McClure said he's aware that many guests think the property, with 187 suites, is overdue for a remodel.

"We have no specific plans, but we're listening to our guests," he said. "It's definitely in our sights."

Cedar Point's Challenge Park, meanwhile, will be closing as part of the 2017 makeover. The area, adjacent to Soak City, was added in 1992 - ironically, to give overnight guests more to do outside of the main park.

The area featured a go-kart track, miniature golf, and several other attractions that carried an extra charge.

"We watch where people spend their time," said McClure. "The usage of Challenge Park has definitely dropped over the years."

Challenge Park's land will be split between the waterpark expansion and Hotel Breakers parking.

RipCord, a high-thrill, swing-type ride, is the only Challenge Park attraction that will return in 2017, though the park is still trying to figure out where to relocate it.

Speaking of thrill rides: McClure was coy when asked about the future of Mean Streak, Cedar Point's massive wooden coaster that will close next month.

Roller coaster fans are hoping that instead of being torn down, Mean Streak will be converted into a new ride - a so-called hybrid coaster with a wood frame and steel track.

McClure said any announcement of what will replace Mean Streak will come after the ride's last operating day, Friday, Sept. 16, the opening night of HalloWeekends.

"We'll string it out for a while," said McClure. "We like that people are curious."

He added, "The only thing I can tell you right now is that we won't disappoint you with what we do back there."