The first modern water parks, or amusement parks, in which rides were replaced by slides, pools, paddling pools and other water activities, date back to 1977, when SeaWorld founder George Millay opened the first Wet ‘n Wild theme park.
Although there are now thousands of water parks operating around the world, water rides are expensive to operate. The wear and tear of bulk electrical systems from constant exposure to moisture and harsh pool chemicals increases the expense of hiring certified lifeguards to meet the necessary guest-to-staff ratios.
U.S. water parks that will close in 2026 because costs cannot be offset by visitor traffic include CaliBunga Waterpark and Fiesta Village in California, Wild Waves theme and water park in Washington state, and Clementon Park and Splash World in New Jersey.
“Cowabunga Bay will not reopen in summer 2027”
The latest water park to confirm its closure this week is Cowabunga Bay WaterPark outside Las Vegas.
Cowabunga Bay is about a 20-minute highway drive from The Strip in Henderson, Nevada. The water park is known for its high-speed slides, including Deuce’s Wild, the Ricochet Racer, a 60-foot mat slide, and the Texas Tornado, a raft and funnel slide.
The park opened in July 2014 as part of an effort to develop the area and provide families with children with more activities off the Las Vegas Strip.
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Park operator Pyek Group has now confirmed that the park closure is to consolidate the Cowabunga brand to a site in Summerlin, which will be renamed from the former Wet ‘n’ Wild site in 2022.
The park also faces declining attendance and the challenge of finding enough staff to operate both water parks, K-DAWN reported.
“After 12 unforgettable years, we have made the difficult decision that Cowabanga Bay will not reopen for the summer of 2027,” park operators wrote in a letter to the community. “We know this news may be disappointing, especially for the families who will visit us as part of their summer tradition. Please know that this decision was not made lightly.”
Cowabanga Bay Water Park
What will happen to Cowabunga Season Tickets in 2027?
Cowabunga Bay WaterPark closed at the end of September.
The park confirmed that anyone who has purchased a water park seasonal pass for next season will be able to use it at the Summerlin location.
Cowabunga Canyon in Summerlin is about 20 minutes’ drive in the other direction from The Strip and 22 minutes from the closed park in Henderson.
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The fate of the 23-acre Cawabunga Bay WaterPark is currently undecided, with the owners evaluating options such as selling the land or opening other projects at its location. The operator has not yet confirmed whether any of the rides will be saved and moved to the Summerlin location.
Pyek Group currently states on its website: “The property will be maintained and protected while the ownership evaluates its future plans.”
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