New waterpark planned for Bellevue’s proposed entertainment district gets a name

The City of Bellevue announced the name last week in partnership with American Resort Management LLC.

With the naming, Bellevue and the management company are catching a wave that many other cities have ridden to successful tourism ventures.

In Boyne Falls, Michigan, tourists slide into the refreshment of Avalanche Bay — an indoor waterpark of 88,000 square feet. Visitors jump into 500,000 gallons of water at Blast Off Bay in Goddard, Kansas, 42 miles from Dr. Goddard’s Lab at the Cosmosphere museum of space exploration in Hutchinson, Kansas, and just minutes from Wichita, dubbed the Air Capital of the World for its aerospace companies, including Cessna and Beechcraft.

Adventure Bay in Altoona, Iowa, has a 25,000-square-foot wave pool (the state’s largest), and Boji Splash at the Bridges Bay Resort in Arnolds Park, Iowa, has a 500-gallon dump bucket.

Bellevue’s planned 100,000-square-foot, year-round indoor waterpark, with a retractable roof, aims to become a major family-friendly attraction.

Bellevue Mayor Rusty Hike is excited about the naming of this facility.

“We expect thousands of visitors from all over the Midwest to visit Bellevue Bay Indoor Waterpark every year, and this name lets them know exactly where it is and what it is,” he said. “It is important, and we are proud to have our city’s name attached to a project of this magnitude. Visitors will go back home and tell their friends how much fun they had at ‘Bellevue Bay Indoor Waterpark’!”

Modeled after another American Resort Management project, Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark in Grand Prairie, Texas, the waterpark is expected to feature a range of attractions, including thrilling water slides, a lazy river, wave pools and interactive play areas. Additionally, amenities such as food and beverage outlets, retail shops, attached hotels and event spaces will complement the indoor waterpark experience, offering visitors a comprehensive entertainment destination.

“This groundbreaking project represents a significant investment in Bellevue’s tourism and leisure infrastructure,” said Richard Coleman, American Resort Management CEO. “This will put Bellevue on the map as a premier destination for family-friendly entertainment. With its retractable roof, the waterpark will offer year-round enjoyment, regardless of the weather, ensuring a consistent flow of visitors and revenue for the local economy.”

The projected $60 million facility is planned to be built at the interchange of U.S. Highways 34 and 75 in southwest Bellevue. The city has purchased the property and has been working closely with design teams to create a modern, family-friendly, resort-style development with the waterpark serving as an anchor project.

Site work is expected to begin on this project by the end of the year, with construction expected to take 18 to 24 months.