Waterpark Update
Otter Banks T
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium’s 9.2 hectare Zoombezi Bay waterpark opened to the public this year with a brand new expansion. Designed and built by Aquatic Development Group (ADG), the appropriately dubbed ‘Otter Banks’ aims to increase the value of the venue for its visitors. Paul Ruben reports.
he 3.7 million dollar addition to the park is the first expansion to the Zoombezi Bay waterpark since 2014. John Gannon, general manager of Zoombezi
Bay, said that guests were consistently asking for more space to relax, more slides, and more interactive water ride attractions. Otter Banks was designed to accommodate all these requests, bringing more value to visitors. “We conducted a survey after last season,” explains Gannon, “and our current and former season pass holders told us they wanted three things: more space, more slides, and more interactivity. So we incorporated all three into Otter Banks. First, there is space for about 500 more guests. This includes lounge chairs for about 150 guests. Second, there are three unique attractions, one of which is a drop slide. Zoombezi Bay already had 26 slides, including nine kiddie slides in the bucket dump climbing structure, but we did not have a drop slide. Guests love the new experience. Third, interactivity was accomplished in two ways. We put in an inflatable obstacle course and an activity pool with basketball hoops, in-water bench seating, waterfalls, and spraying fountains.”
Columbus Zoo’s Zoombezi Bay opens fourth waterpark expansion “The focus is certainly on the value Otter Banks brings to
the guests,” Gannon is quick to point out, “but Otter Banks gives Zoombezi Bay the opportunity to be more successful from a business perspective. More attractions to talk about, more PR, which helps attendance, and drives the bottom line. All profits from Zoombezi Bay go directly to the Zoo for its' mission of education and conservation. The Zoo just had some baby otters born,” notes Gannon, “so it was a nice tie- in during our inaugural year.” The new expansion was designed and built around
ADG’s Adventure Lagoon water attraction, and features 232 sq m of active water play area with three separate play areas, including an activity pool with basketball, three waterfalls and in-water seating, an 167 sq m action pool that holds an inflatable obstacle course, and a slide complex featuring two 9 metre drop slides from ProSlide. “Our goal here is to not have people standing in long lines, so the more activities we have, and the more space we have, the less lines people are going to be standing in,” says Gannon. Otter Banks has the capacity to accommodate
approximately 500 guests at a time, which should alleviate some of the congestion within the park. In addition to these thrilling water attractions, Otter Banks features an expanded lounge seating and 1,394 sq m of decking providing guests with the opportunity to relax along the shores of the three new pools and to slip into a tropical oasis without ever leaving town. Otter Banks also features all-new cabanas, which are the perfect place to gather with friends and family for a special occasion or just for a fun day in the sun. “We’re incredibly excited for the opening of Otter
Banks,” comments Columbus Zoo and Aquarium President/CEO Tom Stalf. “This aquatic attraction gives us the opportunity to provide our guests with an experience unlike any other in Central Ohio to include both adventure and relaxation while also offering more space and shorter lines during their visit.”
AUGUST 2018
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