Developers planning 22-acre water park in Henderson
Developers have plans to build a 22-acre water park in Henderson that would open next summer and feature 20 water slides, thrill rides, a lazy river, restaurants and cabanas. Project developer Shawn Hassett told the Henderson Planning Commission on Thursday that his company is in the final stages of putting financing together and will not start the project until the money is in place.
The commission approved a conditional use permit to Vegas Residential LLC and ordered a design study for the proposed park at Galleria Drive and Gibson Road. With the city’s go-ahead, the attraction could be open as early as summer 2012, Hassett said.
Since the closing of Wet’n Wild on the Strip, the valley has missed out on a water park, Hassett said.
“There aren’t really that many options for good, wholesome family entertainment,” said Hassett, a nine-year resident of Henderson. “It will be a huge benefit to the community.”
The proposed park would be located near Union Village, a $1.5 billion medical, retail and residential complex.
It would include a lazy river, a wave pool, thrill rides, family water slides and a family play area. There will be about 20 water slides, surrounded by restaurants, cabanas and volleyball courts.
“We want to introduce some new rides and some favorites and classics rides,” Hassett said.
In the past, Hassett has been involved with several projects locally and out of state, working extensively on the financing for one of the Panorama Towers near the
Strip. His partner Ben Howell worked for Del Webb building hundreds of homes in the valley and also worked in the pool industry for more than 15 years.
One of the other members of the development team, Don McCrary, has designed and developed 30 to 40 water parks, and the former general manager of Wet’n Wild will also help develop the park.
After the economy took a plunge, Hassett said, he pulled out of developing, until he found a decently priced piece of land for the water park.
“A water park is something that has always been on our mind,” Hassett said. “The challenge is that land prices were so expensive, so it didn’t make sense. In the last 12 months, prices are more realistic.”
He declined to disclose how much the company paid for the land.
The planning commission expressed some concerns about traffic and noise. The park will include an eight-foot, decorative wall along Galleria Drive with a buffer of trees and landscaping for visual and sound buffering.
The water park would be open from Memorial Day to Labor Day and some weekends in the spring and fall.
Tentatively called the Henderson Water Park, Hassett said, he will release the official name once construction is started.
Hassett said the next step is obtaining construction permits and that he hopes to break ground early next year.
