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Astrid González Nariño identifies two important waterpark projects that will begin operations soon in the relatively mature market of Mexico and also Nicaragua, where this sector of the industry is just about to begin!
A tale of two waterparks Ones to watch in Latin America
Hurricane Harbour Oaxtepec Oaxtepec city is considered a tropical paradise and is located in the state of Morelo, 65 kilometres south west of Mexico City. Here construction is currently taking place on what will be the fifth franchised Six Flags park. Formerly known as Parque Acuático Oaxtepec, Hurricane Harbor Oaxtepec reopens this coming ebruary following a USD$18 million investment by Six Flags,. The waterpark is located next to the Centro Vacacional
IMSS "President Adolfo Pérez Mateos", an old park of the Mexican Social Security Institute, and had been closed for several years before its acquisition by Six Flags. The governor of Morelos, Graco Ramirez, said that investment in the waterpark is a part of a wider project aimed to boost the economic development of the region. This also includes improvements in the Siglo XXI highway and the installation of the first power generating plant. Sales director of Six Flags Entertainment, Debbie Stuart
confirms that Six Flags will operate the park for 20 years, after winning a public tender last year. Following its transformation, the waterpark will feature many attractions that can be found in parks of the United States. According to Six Flags Mexico public relations manager
America Sosa this will include a large wave pool, a lazy river, a multi-level water playground structure and various types of water slides including an attraction a hybrid attracton from ProSlide. Sosa also announced that Hurricane Harbor Oaxtepec is developing from a masterplan which includes theming and total water reuse attractions by a modern treatment plant, which will ensure full respect for the environment. Whilst the new attractions are expected to be supplied by North American manufacturers, they willl provide an authentic Mexican touch in their appearance. The new waterpark area will also be surrounded by trees, providing a harmonious environment with nature.
Puerto Salvador Allende Nicaragua, in Central America, had not dabbled in the waterparks industry previously but for the first time the government has allowed the construction of a complex in this category, which will be located in Managua City's Salvador Allende Port. The port, whose name pays tribute to Chilean president
Salvador Allende, sits on the shores of the capital city's Xolotlán Lake and was opened in 2008. Currently the most visited touristic place of Nicaragua, it seems a good place to build an attraction like this. Great Parks Company, a US-based organisation with
over 43 years’ experience in the design, construction and equipment of water and theme parks, will be in charge of developing the project, whose total investment will be USD$4.5 million. Company spokesman Juan Manuel Lagos has announced that the attractions to be installed are in the process of manufacturing in the United States and said that initially they will open 10 of them and, after expansion works, they will be extended to 20. Virgilio Silva, president of the National Port Company of
Nicaragua (EPN), which granted the license for the development of the waterpark and 31,600 square-metres of extension, said that this project will be a revolution in tourism in the city of Managua and emphasised the job creation that will occur as a result of the interest of foreign investors. Great Parks, whose headquarters are in Atlanta,
Georgia, currently clains to have projects in more than 40 countries around the world, and will install pools, slides, interactive games for children, mini slides and a lazy river. Carlos Aragon, the company's CEO for Latin America, Africa, Spain and Portugal, said that currently it is finishing the work of land compaction and after they will begin the construction of the pool areas, those zones will not be built in concrete but will have a structural membrane to provide greater visitor safety in case of falls. This technique will also allow the works to progress more quickly. Aragon, who recently made an inspection of the works himself, said that they will be completed during the first half of 2017. The waterpark is expected to act as a catalyst for the
economic development of Puerto Salvador Allende, not only for the generation of new jobs that will be directly created, but also for the further business partnerships that are expected to be formed between local companies and foreign investors as a result. The waterpark, whose name has not yet been revealed,
will be the prelude to a new stage of development of the Salvador Allende Port that will also include theatres, a shopping centre, casino, 13 restaurants and a hotel – making it a one-stop leisure destination in Nicaragua.
SEPTEMBER 2016
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