Hey there Lucky, these are the wave pools you will be surfing in the next year
The 2023-24 surf park landscape is not the one we imagined seven short years ago. Do you remember The Wave Pool Space Race? Well, it hasn’t panned out as anticipated.
Following Kelly’s Lemoore reveal in 2015 digital surf platforms frothed while financial news media drew comparisons between Wavegarden and Sputnik. Fast forward to the present day and the wave pool world, like much of the globe, would appear to be on hold. Covid, recession worries and inflation have shelved or delayed several dreams.
So where does that leave us today?
The industry has learned that it’s damn hard to get a wave pool built and running. NLand, Coral Mountain and Snowdonia gave us a heads up of what pitfalls await. Fortunately, each and every project today is learning from the others. The Wave, URBNSURF and Waco Surf have all put in the hard hours and fine-tuned and customized their models to profit. The space is thriving, just not in the same way many had forecast at the height of The Wave Pool Space Race.
In this feature, we list and celebrate noteworthy wave pool projects that are busy digging, commissioning and planning opening day. We’ve listed the wave pools we will be surfing in the next year along with their opening dates. Take a closer look at Qiddiya, Revel, Munich, Sydney, Abu Dhabi, New York, Edinburgh, Garopaba, Palm Springs, Curitiba and The Hague.
QIDDIYA – SAUDI ARABIA, OCTOBER 2024
The Qiddiya gigaproject under development in Riyadh will include an Endless Surf wave pool as the centerpiece to its upcoming water park. In press images, the $ 750 million development shows renderings of an elaborate attractions space that includes the pneumatic surf-making system by Whitewater.
Set in a canyon, Qiddiya will include nine entertainment zones, among them waterslides, pools, splash zones and the surf lagoon. The park stated that the design is inspired by the natural world. As such, surf sessions will go off under the watchful eye of larger-than-life cement animals. The wall that houses Endless Surf’s caissons will have an elaborate rock facade. The futuristic development will cover 376 square kilometers or 145 square miles. For comparison, Walt Disney World in Florida is 39 square miles while the entire city of San Francisco is just 47 square miles.
REVEL SURF PARK – ARIZONA, SPRING 2024
Revel Surf is leading the pack among the other four Arizona wave park developments and looks to be making headway in filling the void left in Arizona surfing by OG wave tank Big Surf.
The project broke ground two years ago and shortly after began testing the world’s first SwellMFG technology, a design that uses a series of paddles to push out waves in sequence. Matt Gunn of Swell MFG describes the surf system featured in the two-acre lagoon as a “natural surfing lineup with a peak wave providing some of the most epic and diverse waves for every level of surfer, ” adding that he hopes that Revel Surf will become a “home break” for those in the Phoenix area.
The wave sits in the middle of Cannon Beach, a 37-acre mixed-use development with a four-story hotel, office buildings, and a co-working environment. The development will include a gym, experiential dining, retail shops, and various community spaces such as fire pits, water features, cabanas, splash pads, and outdoor games.
Despite more than a month of daytime highs pushing 110F (43C) this summer construction is meeting targets and the crew at Revel are optimistic, pushing out social media clips and telling the world they’ll be ready in Spring 2024.
O2 SURFTOWN MUC – MUNICH, SUMMER 2024
This surf park will be located near the Munich airport which already hosts a rapid wave pool and draw a crowd from Germany’s estimated 2,500,000 surfers. The group broke ground on an Endless Surf ES34 system in 2022 and will open its doors in 2024. Adjacent to the surf park, the project developer Rock Capital Group is planning a 29,000-square-meter multifunctional hybrid building with offices, catering and retail under the name “Hybrid One”. The goal is a unique work-life and leisure quarter instead of typical office space.
The waves are generated by Endless Surf technology using a pneumatic chamber system that converts pressure into wave energy and can generate waves from 30 cm to more than two meters in height (1 foot to 7 feet). The surf pool will have a surface area of around 10,000 square meters.
O2 SURFTOWN MUC will also include an outdoor fitness area, a children’s playground, a beach area with sunbathing areas and a contemporary restaurant concept. Expected to be the first public-facing Endless Surf wave pool, the official opening of the O2 SURFTOWN MUC is planned for early summer 2024.
URBNSURF – SYDNEY, AUTUMN 2024
Sydneysiders and the rest of the world will soon have access to URBNSURF Sydney which sits just 20 minutes away from downtown. URBNSURF Sydney will be the first-ever wave generated park in New South Wales and the second public-facing wave pool in Australia. The company said that once open it will provide waves for an estimated 1000+ people every day for surf sessions, and countless more to enjoy other amenities on site.
URBNSURF Sydney is set on a 3.2 hectare site and will include a massive event space next to the lagoon which can host 2000 people for live events. Other amenities include a Surf Academy, Cabanas for private use, a 20m leisure pool and an 8m kids pool, a playground, a surf-skate pad, retail store, a high-performance center, a multifunction room and a health and wellness studio.
“We’re pumped to open the park to everyone from Autumn 2024,” said CEO Damon Tudor. “Due to heavy rainfall that was unfortunately unavoidable during construction, we have experienced delays from when we first hoped to open it to the public.”
KELLY SLATER WAVE POOL – ABU DHABI, DECEMBER 2023
The new mega surf facility in Abu Dhabi is part of the Hudayriyat Island development. The project will span more than 51 million square meters or roughly half of Abu Dhabi Island. Touted by the Crown Prince’s news organization as “the biggest and most advanced artificial wave facility in the world,” the surf park will open at the end of 2023.
“Surf Abu Dhabi will be the biggest and most advanced artificial wave facility in the world,” the company said in a statement. “Designed in partnership with Kelly Slater Wave Co., the landmark destination will offer a high-performance surfing experience, featuring the world’s longest ride, biggest barrel, and largest man-made wave pool.”
As part of Abu Dhabi’s sporting and leisure push, the wave pool seeks to attract those living in the development on Abu Dhabi Island as well as international visitors. The press release said the wave pool will play a major role in developing the surfing community locally and regionally. Something that Kelly Slater is touting as a major reason for building here.
ATLANTIC PARK – VIRGINIA BEACH, LATE 2024
The Wave at Atlantic Park is an ambitious project backed by Pharrell Williams that will sit on property once occupied by Virginia Beach landmark The Dome. Project developers are worked closely with the city council to move through restrictions and zoning issues.
The $325 million Atlantic Park development will cover three city blocks and feature retail and restaurants, offices, apartments and almost 2,000 underground parking spaces and a 3,500-seat live performance venue. At the center of the project will be the Wavegarden Cove surf pool.
The project broke ground this year and will pump out its first test waves in Q3 of 2024 with gates open to the public in late 2024.
CREST SURF CLUBS – NEW YORK, 2024
Crest Surf Clubs celebrated the groundbreaking of its debut location this year less than an hour from Manhattan at the gateway to the Hamptons in Mastic-Shirley. The 55,000 square foot surf pool, designed exclusively in partnership with Premier Surf Systems, and the 9,000 square foot clubhouse, designed by GRCH Architecture & Curious Yellow Interior Design, said they will open in 2024. The one-of-a-kind surf club will allow surfers of all ages and experience to train year-round, day or night in a surf pool explicitly designed for this project with projected wave heights of two to seven feet and ride lengths of up to 85 yards.
Owners stated that besides surfing, patrons of Crest New York will also receive access to coaches and fitness professionals, on-site yoga, Pilates, mediation, bodywork, dining, lounge, balcony bar, semi-private nooks and alcoves for business meetings, as well as concierge services.
LOST SHORE SURF RESORT – SCOTLAND, SUMMER 2024
Lost Shore Surf Resort is a surf park being marketed as a major leisure and staycation destination. The £55m landmark development by Tartan Leisure Ltd in Ratho, near Edinburgh is expected to open to the public in summer 2024. It is set to deliver significant sustainability and community benefits, along with providing a recreational and tourism boost while creating up to 130 jobs. It is expected to bring up to £11m to the local economy and attract over 180,000 visitors each year.
Lost Shore Surf Resort will feature waterside accommodations set within a 60-acre country park. It will also include the HUB, with facilities such as a waterfront restaurant and food market, retail outlets, a surf school offering surf therapy, and a wellness spa.
“We wanted a name that truly encapsulates everything that our leisure destination will represent – family, wellness and adventure,” said Andy Hadden, founder of Tartan Leisure Ltd. “Lost Shore Surf Resort will for the first time give Scottish surfers, of all abilities, the opportunity to either dip their toe in the sport or train in Scotland all year round to improve their chances of competing at major events, including the Olympics.”
Check out our podcast with Lost Shore CEO Andy Hadden
PALM SPRINGS SURF CLUB – CALIFORNIA, SPRING 2024
The Coachella Valley has had its ups and downs as the wave pool projects slated to be built go through the processes it takes to reach final completion. Out of the four projects, the Palm Springs Surf Club, Coral Mountain, Desert Surf and the Thermal Beach Club, three are still on the books to be completed.
The Palm Spring Surf Club took over the old Wet’n’Wild water park in Palm Springs. The old park already had a pool space available for them to build in and test their equipment before actually starting on the larger pool. The old pool was eventually replaced with a larger one with a completely different bottom to help form perfect waves. There is a lot of footage of the test pool from 2020 and many world class surfers got a taste of what will be a very unique surfing experience. Since then, it’s been more construction and waiting as the opening date was pushed back due to undisclosed reasons. But a recent post on Instagram showed the pool being filled with water just ahead of testing. Cautiously the crew, led by Cheyne Magnusson, has been mum about a firm opening date. However, some are saying Spring 2024 if not earlier.
SURFLAND BRASIL – BRAZIL, NOVEMBER 2023
Surfland Brazil in Garopaba announced they will officially open their doors on November 17, 2023. The company will also start scheduling surf sessions beginning that same day adding that owners will be able to purchase extra surf sessions prior to the launch date. Surfland said they would be operating a soft opening from November 2023 to May 2024 and allow owners to refer friends as long as spaces remain available.
“In the first 14 days of sales July 17th to 30th, owners will have exclusive access to choose their sessions,” said Surfland Brazil in a statement. “After this period, if session tickets are still available, the friends named by the owners get the chance to acquire these tickets.”
The Surfland Brasil project is being sold in a timeshare format and is now in the final sales stretch. The complex will cover 464,000 m², 300,000 of which are preserved areas. Along with 278 apartments spread throughout seven buildings, the venture also has an innovative skatepark of approximately 2,000 m² planned by champion Pedro Barros. There will also be restaurants, a fitness space, spa, kids space, surf lessons, tennis and beach tennis, soccer, bowling, a surf museum and other attractions.
Soft opening late 2023 through to Spring 2024.
SURF CENTER – BRAZIL, 2024
Eight years after developing the concept, Surf Center has already broken ground on their new wave pool in the southern Brazilian metropolis of Curitiba. When the pool launches in the second semester of 2024 it will be a series of firsts for the South American wave pool sector. It will be the first glimpse of Brazilian-made wave technology, the first indoor wave pool, and the first heated wave pool.
Surf Center also doesn’t claim to have created the world’s best pool wave. The technology, which has been dubbed Surf Center’s GT3K wave generator, is pneumatic. In layman’s terms, it uses pressurized air to transfer energy to the water in the pool, which creates waves.They’ve designed a relatively small one meter, low-cost wave that lowers the barriers of entry for both investors and surfers.
And with the new technology comes a new business model. A $10K buy-in along with $200 per month grants access to new tech which plans on opening 20 new surf clubs in the next five years throughout Brazil.
SURF POEL – THE HAGUE, 2024
Europe’s first commercial indoor surfing wave pool planned for The Hague was expected to open the early 2019 but was delayed due a variety of factors including COVID. Currently, Surf Poel has been heavy on Instagram showing a lot of progress on the indoor facility that will house a foil wave generator that runs along a track much like Kelly’s wave and early Wavegarden designs.
The company finished construction of the wave basin portion and lining early this summer and has since connected the water treatment systems. At the time of this writing they are building the platform that will allow access to the wave.
“Every day we are getting closer to realizing our wave pool,” Surf Poel said on an Instagram post. “In the near future we will be working on the wavemaker and the steel construction for the drive system. We will keep you informed.”
BONUS PEEK: A FEW GEMS FOR 2025
WAVEGARDEN MADRID – SPAIN, 2025
This project will change the leisure landscape of Madrid, transforming four hectares of land into the next Sports City with an expansive artificial beach. Thanks to a collaboration between Atlético de Madrid, Stoneweg, and Teras Capital, the city will soon become a surf destination equipped with an artificial beach and waves.“This project represents a significant milestone for Wavegarden as it further solidifies our vision of bringing surfing and its lifestyle to landlocked areas,” said Josema Odriozola, CEO and founder of Wavegarden. “In collaboration with the Terras Capital team, we have dedicated several years to finding the ideal location in Madrid, and we could not be more satisfied than to be part of this exciting Ciudad del Deporte (Sports City) project being developed by Atlético de Madrid.”
Although a specific month or even season wasn’t mentioned, the group is confident for a 2025 launch date.
PERTH SURF PARK – WESTERN AUSTRALIA, 2025
Led by URBNSURF pioneer Andrew Ross, Aventuur received development approval for the Perth Surf Park. The approval granted by the Metro Outer Joint Development Assessment Panel (JDAP) will see the Cockburn Gateway precinct transformed into a major tourism, sporting and entertainment hub. Construction is expected to commence in late 2023, with the Perth Surf Park opening to the public in late 2025.
Located on Prinsep Road, Jandakot (adjacent to the Kwinana Freeway and the Cockburn Central Train Station), the $100m development will create a sustainable surf park welcoming over 1 million visitors each year. The heart of the park will be a 56-module Wavegarden ‘Cove’ surfing lagoon. The innovative precinct will also feature a beach club, bars and restaurants, high-performance surfing academy, surf hire store, wellness and recovery centre, fitness studio, co-working lounge, function spaces and community amenities including a skate park, pump track and naturescaped gardens. The surf park is also expected to host regular events, including surfing competitions, cultural and music festivals, and charity fundraisers. The Perth Surf Park is expected to create over 260 jobs during construction, and contribute more than $250m to the WA economy during its operating life.
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