Add to the recreational offerings of the growing town of Gilbert, Arizona, the construction of an extensive new water sports complex.
The 25-acre facility will go up inside the Gilbert Regional Park, just west of Higley Road on the south side of the city, and will be built as a public/private project.
It is thought that it will cost upwards of $35 million to build a complex that will also include an aqua park water obstacle course, surf lagoon, and floating stage.
The project will also see the construction of a pro shop, club house, several cabanas, and a restaurant.
Members of the Gilbert Town Council have agreed to enter into a partnership with a local company called The Strand @ Gilbert to get the project completed.
Work could begin later this spring or in early summer with a general completion date anticipated in the summer of 2020.
The water park project will mark Gilbert’s first foray into a recreational option that is becoming increasingly popular across the country.
According to the industry group Hotel & Leisure Advisors, there are currently more than 1,000 operating waterparks in the U.S., with around 30 new parks built every year.
Those parks represent more than $1 billion in capital investment.
In a statement, Jenn Daniels, the Mayor of Gilbert, said the new water park will offer users the “newest and most innovative technologies in water sports activity and amenities.”
Mayor Daniels added that upon being opened for business the park will prove a “sports destination for Gilbert and the surrounding region.”
The larger 272-acre Gilbert Regional Park was carved out by town officials some four years ago, with construction launching last year on an amphitheater, dog park, recreation center, and recreational fields.
By Garry Boulard
