Another water park is coming to metro Phoenix: What to know about Cactus Surf Park
After years of delays, Gilbert is getting closer to building its first water park.
According to its updated timeline, Cactus Surf Park could open by September 2025. The 25-acre attraction at Higley and Queen Creek roads is described in a news release as a “much-anticipated state-of-the-art water park” within Gilbert Regional Park.
The updates were made public on May 2 when the Gilbert Town Council approved an amended agreement to a private company’s plans for the water park.
If this sounds familiar, it might be because the project has been in the works for years, before the regional park was finished. The water park project, then called The Strand @ Gilbert, was first announced in 2019 and predicted to open in summer 2020.
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What to expect at Cactus Surf Park in Gilbert
According to the surf park’s website, Cactus Surf Park would be inspired by “the world-famous East Cape Baja region of Los Cabos.” The latest available information about the project shows that the facility could offer activities including:
A surf lagoon.
An inflatable water park.
A sand beach.
Kayaks, canoes and paddle boards.
A restaurant.
Swimming areas.
Outdoor cabanas.
Inflatable play structures.
What we know about Cactus Surf Park’s water use
Last spring, the surf park had an expected opening date of April 2024. Since then, the developer has redesigned the amenities to reduce the amount of water used and pushed back the project’s development schedule.
During its May 2 meeting, the Gilbert Town Council approved the new timeline and amendment to water-credit use. According to the Town Council’s agenda, a “more efficient design” uses 60% less water than previous plans. The venue would require 100-acre feet of water credits each year rather than 200.
“This was achieved by reducing the depths of the lagoons, while maintaining the same desired effect,” the public document reads.
An acre-foot is approximately how much water would be required to fill a football field with a foot of water. That’s a little less than 326,000 gallons.
The water used at the park will not come from Arizona’s Colorado River water supply. Instead, the park “will purchase and use recovered water credits delivered through the town’s potable water system,” according to a news release.
The change was made after the developer received community feedback during an August 2022 meeting as well as comments from town staff.
What's next in the Gilbert surf park's timeline
Another community meeting about the development will be added to the town’s calendar, which can be found at https://www.gilbertaz.gov/residents. According to the development schedule, Cactus Surf Park’s public outreach deadline is June 15, 2023.
Current plans are for construction to begin in December and finish by July 31, 2025, for a September 2025 opening.
The wait for Cactus Surf Park has been prolonged
It’s been four years since Gilbert residents were told they would be getting a water sports complex.
In 2021, investment group Cactus Surf Park LLC took over the project through a full asset purchase. The LLC is registered in Delaware, and one of its members has an Orange County, California, address.
The town owns the land at 3005 E. Queen Creek Road and is leasing it to Cactus Surf Park LLC in a public-private partnership. The investment group takes on the cost of building, operating and maintaining the park.
“The public-private partnership with Cactus Surf Park LLC will be a financial benefit to the Town of Gilbert by providing a community amenity while also serving as an additional revenue stream for the parks system,” the town’s Parks and Recreation business manager wrote in a document to the Town Council.
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Surf and water parks being developed in metro Phoenix right now
Similar developments are in the works across the Valley in Glendale and Mesa.
VAI Resort, which is under construction near State Farm Stadium in Glendale, will be home to the state’s largest hotel. It also promises a white sand beach, rooftop pools, a “swimming oasis” and a party island, among other amenities. The Arizona Republic reported in April that the entire venue is expected to use about 5 million gallons of water from a yet-undetermined source.
Also, Cannon Beach is under construction at Power and Warner roads in Mesa. Plans for the mixed-use venue include a hotel, salons and spas, restaurants, an “indoor action sports playground” and a nearly 1.9-acre wave lagoon.
Details: https://cactussurfpark.com.
Reach the reporter at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @kimirobin and Instagram @ReporterKiMi.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Gilbert AZ water park gets new opening date. Here's what's coming