Construction work is currently taking place on a new indoor waterpark at Swedish theme park Liseberg in the city of Gothenburg.
Designed by Swedish architects Wingårdhs, the €110m park – called Oceana – will operate all year round and will cover an indoor area of 13,600sq m and a further 4,000sq m outdoors.
Due to open in Q1 2024, Oceana will complete the second phase of Liseberg’s planned expansion, marking the park’s centennial in 2023. Work began in 2019 on the first phase, the park-integrated Liseberg Grand Curiosa Hotel.
Oceana will feature 14 separate attractions designed and manufactured by WhiteWater, including “the first six-person raft rides in Europe, and the highest mega-drop Master Blaster in the World,” according to Thomas Sjöstrand, CPO of Liseberg’s Expansion Project.
Liseberg opened in June after 14 months of closure due to the pandemic.
Here Andreas Andersen, CEO of Liseberg, tells Attractions Management more about the project.
What will the opening of the Oceana waterpark and the Liseberg Grand Curiosa Hotel mean for Liseberg?
It will first and foremost turn Liseberg into a full-year destination. We operate hotels and campsites today, and we have also extended the park opening hours to include Halloween and Christmas, but with the expansion project Liseberg will be able to draw guests 365 days a year. This is positive for the business – and also for the city of Gothenburg.
What will be special about the waterpark? How would you sum up what it will offer visitors? Can you highlight a couple of the most exciting features?
It is one of the most ambitious indoor waterpark developments build in Scandinavia. We have prioritised world class rides – of which some are a first in Europe – but we also aim at creating a relaxing atmosphere for the whole family. The park is not themed per se but will feature a green oasis in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city.
The design of the waterpark and hotel is inspired by the history of Gothenburg and the Swedish East India Company. How will that be seen in the design?
Apart from greenery, rockwork and natural light, there will a lot of visual elements and storytelling inspired by the trade-history of Gothenburg. From a design perspective, it will be the east meeting west, and history meeting the present.
How has Liseberg been impacted by the pandemic? What do you expect the next couple of years to bring?
Liseberg has been highly impacted by the pandemic. We have been closed down since January 2020, due to a legal glitch in the Swedish pandemic legislation. Fortunately we have a strong balance sheet, but the losses so far have been substantial.
What are you most excited about over the coming few years?
We’ve been very excited about reopening; it’s been devastating being closed for so long.
We’re also very much looking forward to opening the new hotel and waterpark in a few years’ time. We believe in the future of our industry – and these investments are a testament to that faith.
