PRODUCT NEWS
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| City plans to reopen short-lived US$22m Texas waterpark |
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| 27 Apr 2017 . BY Tom Anstey |
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| With the city in debt, the waterpark only remained open for a period of six months / Shutterstock.com |
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A US$22m (€20m, £17.2m) Texas waterpark opened in July last year and closed just six months later could be about to get a second chance as officials search for a way to restart the venture.
Alice, which relies heavily on oil prices to bolster its economy, took a hit in 2014 following a collapse in crude oil value, resulting in the city falling into debt. The municipality-owned waterpark was supposed to be at the heart of a development planned by the city, but the cash crunch meant the plans were put to one side and delayed the grand opening for a number of months.
Finally opening on 1 July, the waterpark remained in operation until 14 December when the Alice City Council voted unanimously to suspend operations, saying the attraction had become too expensive to operate.
A now-dissolved committee representing the waterpark have insisted that the facility was closed before a complete financial picture of its expenses had emerged. According to the city, the Council will explore a number of scenarios for reopening the Alice facility’s doors, with one consideration being a seasonal approach.
The waterpark isn’t the only Texas waterpark to have encountered financial issues, with another troubled waterpark in Katy recently saved with a new operator in Typhoon Texas and a refinancing to the tune of US$25m (€23m, £19.5m).
The waterpark took three years to develop, with work completed in September 2015. It features three 30-foot slides, three children’s slides, a lazy river, play area, picnic area and a 25m (269ft), eight-lane swimming pool. Naismith Engineering acted as lead architect for the project, while Corpus Christi-based Marshall Company were the general contractors.
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| While others pour concrete and steel, AStation launches dinosaurs and heroes within weeks —
no construction required. Its outlets are redefining entertainment with cutting-edge,
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massive Mixed Reality playgrounds. |
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