An aerial view shows Sharjah Waterfront City, a brand new luxury development in the UAE
A mixed-concept theme-water park boasting a mixture of 40 wet and dry attractions is coming to the emirate of Sharjah in the UAE.
Jack Rouse Associates (JRA) has unveiled the master plan and the preliminary designs for Crystal Lagoon water-theme park, part of the $5.4bn (£3.5bn, €4.8bn) Sharjah Waterfront City development.
Crystal Lagoon will be sited on one of a series of 10 islands interconnected by man-made canals – part of the upcoming Waterfront City, a luxury residential, commercial and tourism destination across on 36km (22.3 miles) of coastline.
Attractions will include a combination of waterslides, family rides, thrill rides, 4D dark rides, a state-of-the-art planetarium and children’s rides. Crystal Lagoon will also have a rollercoaster that combines the action of a water ride with the interactive nature of a video game.
Crystal Lagoon will feature a night water show made up of a series of coloured fountains as a “relaxation” event for visitors to chill out after spending a day in the water/theme park hybrid.
“We have launched Sharjah Waterfront City in line with Sharjah’s development plans to attract 10 million visitors to its emirate by 2021,” says Hayssam El Masri, president of developer Sharjah Oasis Real Estate. The emirate currently receives 2 million tourists per year.
“These robust plans will increase demand for residential and commercial units as well as hotels, especially in prime locations that offer all modern facilities and we can proudly say Sharjah Waterfront City will be able to match the demands and provide the desired quality of living,” says El Masri.
The attraction will operate year-round, with a “well known waterpark operator” handling day-to-day operations at the park.
According to a feasibility study by Colliers International, more than 1 million people are expected to visit the attraction on an annual basis once fully operational.
All figures suggest that Crystal Lagoon is aiming high; the most-visited waterpark in the UAE, Aquaventure in Dubai, attracted 1.4 million guests in 2014. Estimates from Crystal Lagoon Entertainment, who will own the park, forecast it will generate an ROI of between 19 and 24 per cent.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
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An aerial view shows Sharjah Waterfront City, a brand new luxury development in the UAE
A mixed-concept theme-water park boasting a mixture of 40 wet and dry attractions is coming to the emirate of Sharjah in the UAE.
Jack Rouse Associates (JRA) has unveiled the master plan and the preliminary designs for Crystal Lagoon water-theme park, part of the $5.4bn (£3.5bn, €4.8bn) Sharjah Waterfront City development.
Crystal Lagoon will be sited on one of a series of 10 islands interconnected by man-made canals – part of the upcoming Waterfront City, a luxury residential, commercial and tourism destination across on 36km (22.3 miles) of coastline.
Attractions will include a combination of waterslides, family rides, thrill rides, 4D dark rides, a state-of-the-art planetarium and children’s rides. Crystal Lagoon will also have a rollercoaster that combines the action of a water ride with the interactive nature of a video game.
Crystal Lagoon will feature a night water show made up of a series of coloured fountains as a “relaxation” event for visitors to chill out after spending a day in the water/theme park hybrid.
“We have launched Sharjah Waterfront City in line with Sharjah’s development plans to attract 10 million visitors to its emirate by 2021,” says Hayssam El Masri, president of developer Sharjah Oasis Real Estate. The emirate currently receives 2 million tourists per year.
“These robust plans will increase demand for residential and commercial units as well as hotels, especially in prime locations that offer all modern facilities and we can proudly say Sharjah Waterfront City will be able to match the demands and provide the desired quality of living,” says El Masri.
The attraction will operate year-round, with a “well known waterpark operator” handling day-to-day operations at the park.
According to a feasibility study by Colliers International, more than 1 million people are expected to visit the attraction on an annual basis once fully operational.
All figures suggest that Crystal Lagoon is aiming high; the most-visited waterpark in the UAE, Aquaventure in Dubai, attracted 1.4 million guests in 2014. Estimates from Crystal Lagoon Entertainment, who will own the park, forecast it will generate an ROI of between 19 and 24 per cent.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2015 issue 4
Attractions: Gone, Not Forgotten
We find out what people thought of
Dismaland, Banksy’s twisted theme park
and contemporary art attraction – and
talk to one of the Dismal Stewards
Promotional feature: IdeAttack
Mysteries of China’s rich culture are at the heart of IDEATTACK’s new mixed-used tourism destination
Zoos & Aquariums: Turn over a New Reef
The Florida Aquarium is teaming
up with the National Aquarium of
Cuba in a bid to save and restore
the region’s precious coral reefs
OMA has completed a major transformation of New York's New Museum, creating a larger
cultural campus that combines expanded exhibition spaces with learning, performance,
hospitality and public programming.
A US$50 million (£44.2 million, €51.2 million) transformation of Chicago's historic McCormick
Mansion has created a new destination that combines live magic, immersive theatre, dining and
private membership under one roof.
The Montana Historical Society has officially celebrated the opening of its new Montana
Heritage
Center, a US$107 million (£79 million, €92 million) destination that combines immersive
storytelling with cutting-edge audiovisual technology to bring the sta
San Antonio Zoo has reported a US$283 million economic impact for 2025, following a decade-
long transformation programme that has seen almost US$200 million invested into the Texas
attraction.
Plans for the AU$180 million redevelopment of Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville, Australia, are
progressing, with the project set to transform the attraction into a global centre for reef
education and conservation.
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Disney has reaffirmed its commitment to investing US$30 billion in its US parks and cruise
business by 2033, using new America250 celebrations to underline the role its attractions play
in supporting jobs, tourism and economic growth.
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
The Toverland theme park in the Netherlands has announced a €98m expansion programme
that will add a resort, new attractions and staff facilities as it pursues plans to become a multi-
day destination.
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