Splash City: St. George water park more than a pipe dream?

ST. GEORGE ā€” Not much has changed for a potential St. George water park since September 2019, when Splash City Adventure Park owner Jim Mayoros broke ground on the site at 2100 E. Middleton Drive.

The site where Splash City Adventure Park may be built, St. George, Utah, June 8, 2021 | Photo by David Dudley, St. George News

Now, as temperatures are topping triple digits, the question remains: When will the water park be open for business?

“COVID-19 certainly put the brakes on Splash City,” Mayoros told St. George News via Facebook Messenger. “Between labor and materials shortages and skyrocketing costs, Iā€™m being told ridiculous time frames.

“What I can tell you,” he said, “is that Watts Construction has been given the green light again to commence. As far as timing goes, I’m not really sure when we’ll open.”

Len Erickson, associate director at the Small Business Development Center at Dixie Tech., said that Splash City recently got its final financing.

Construction vehicles sitting idle at Splash City Adventure Park, St. George, Utah, June 8, 2021 | Photo by David Dudley, St. George News

“I expect they may begin building within a month or two,” Erickson told St. George News. “It’s unfortunate, but sometimes these things take longer than others.”

To be sure, the raw materials are there: Sections of slides are gathered in two areas at the park’s west and north borders. Construction vehicles sit idly on the site, where there may one day be a water park that could include a tower of nine waterslides, a 900-foot lazy river, a wave pool and splash pads, as well as a family fun center.

Still, much of the ground looks untouched. Because of the delays, some city codes have changed. While the city of St. George didn’t respond to questions about which codes had changed, Mayoros confirmed that he had to apply for new permits and reapply for others.

“The city has bent over backwards and has helped walk us through everything,” Mayoros said.

That process hasn’t been too difficult, he said. But as the state of Utah is in the midst of a historic drought, water has become more of a concern than it was back in 2019.

“Water is a big concern,” Mayoros said. “But our water is recirculated.”

Because of this, he said, Splash City may use less water than a residential city block.

Assorted slide parts at Splash City Adventure Park, St. George, Utah, June 8, 2021 | Photo by David Dudley, St. George News

“And up to 15 times less water than an 80-room hotel,” he said, “and approximately 75 times less than an 18-hole golf course. Our plan has always been to develop as water efficient, green energy park as possible.”

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

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