California Dreamin’ Entertainment
Founded in 2023 by Sacramento native Steve Dooner, California Dreamin’ Entertainment is led by a team of industry veterans from iconic brands including Disney, Universal Studios, Knott’s Berry Farm, Chuck E. Cheese, Los Angeles Rams and GameWorks.
California Dreamin’ seeks to bring fresh, innovative family entertainment to the Sacramento area and reshape the region’s entertainment landscape by creating immersive, community-focused experiences for all ages. California Dreamin’s most recent ventures include the transformation of two former Raging Waters parks, Calibunga at Cal Expo opening in 2027 and Calibunga in San Jose opening in May 2025, into state-of-the-art waterparks.
In partnership with X Games, the company is also bringing the renowned action sports and music festival to Cal Expo in Sacramento each summer from 2025-2027!
“As a 40-year theme park veteran, I love creating iconic parks that help families build lasting memories. After acquiring the former Raging Waters waterparks in San Jose & Sacramento, we are working tirelessly to introduce residents to CaliBunga and showcase the improvements. We will continue reimaging these great waterparks with plans to add even more new and exciting attractions.”
– CEO STEVEN DOONER
Meet The Team
STEVE DOONER
Chief Executive Officer
LOUIS DIENES
Chief Operations Officer
THOMAS ANASTASSIOU
Chief Financial Officer
Steve Dooner
Steven brings over 45 years of experience in developing, operating, and revitalizing companies within the entertainment and theme park industry. His career began in the late 1970s at Chuck E. Cheese (CEC), where he played a key role in launching dozens of locations. By the time he left, the company had grown to 100 locations in just five years. Steven then spearheaded the acquisition and turnaround of Malibu Grand Prix from Warner Communications, boosting same-store sales by 39% in the first year.
At Disney, Steven was instrumental in developing iconic concepts like Club Disney, ESPNZone, and DisneyQuest, and later returned to oversee the expansion of Tokyo Disneyland. Throughout his career, he has been involved in building theme parks for industry giants like Disney and Universal Studios. Steven’s expertise in revitalizing businesses has led to significant turnarounds, including improving sales at Malibu Grand Prix and Discovery Zone. In 2010, he took on the role of CEO of Sega GameWorks after acquiring the company, further solidifying his leadership in the industry.
