A SOON-to-be-open waterpark is already making waves with all of the activities it is expected to offer. The park will be in close proximity to the largest shopping mall in the country. SWIMMING SUCCESS The massive waterpark is set to open next to the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, following the city's approval of a tax subsidy for the $422 million project, according to Star Tribune .
The park will open sometime this year after years of construction and some setbacks. "The attraction will feature the largest indoor pool hall and longest indoor beachfront for a water park in North America," said Port Authority Administrator Schane Rudlang. The park is going to be called Mystery Cove, according to Axios Twin Cities , who have obtained renderings of the site.
Read more in water park Those drawings show the park will feature a clear roof, as was originally planned, with one noticeable upgrade - it will now be retractable. This means that it can be opened on warm days to "reduce energy costs," according to the staff memo. The drawings of the family-friendly attraction show plenty of loungers and slides.
Visiting the planned 320,000-square-foot-park will set you back $60, with Bloomington residents eligible for a 25% discount. Most read in Travel The Bloomington City Council and Port Authority voted to create a tax-increment financing district that would generate $105 million for the development of the park by MOA owner Triple Five. Before the pandemic, the water park was said to cost $260 million in private costs, but due to labor shortages and other delays, the cost went up exponentially by 22%.
Kurt Hagen, Triple Five's senior vice president, told the Port Authority and City Council how the project will "strike a balance between retail and entertainment." He believes that the close proximity to the mall will give the area an economic boost and create jobs . Hospitality is already the city's biggest tax generator.
A 1,600-stall parking ramp is expected to be installed with space for a hotel and future commercial expansion. FIRST OF ITS KIND Triple Five has been entertaining the building of a water park since the 1980s - and they still set a high bar. The park is set to be the first-ever LEED-certified water park.
The area knows a thing about water - they have almost 12,000 lakes and plenty of water-centric amenities. "There is no doubt in my mind this is going to be a roaring success," said Mayor Tim Busse. Read More on The US Sun While the Mall of America is not involved with the Expo bid, Triple Five agreed to use the increased tax revenue generated by the water park project to secure the land temporarily.
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