The $350 million Atlantic Park project in Virginia Beach, yes THAT development backed by musician Pharrell Williams and anchored with a Wavegarden Cove, just issued a new fly-through clip.

Hanbury Architects released a video showing plans for the project. The video tour is head-and-shoulders above much of the Y2K-era SIMS clips we see of upcoming developments. Animation gives a comprehensive feel for the facility which will start testing waves in Spring and open to the public in Summer. You can even buy surf sessions at this link.

This will be the first Wavegarden Cove to open in the US, just ahead of DSRT Surf in California which will fire off waves beginning summer of 2026.

Blake Hess of Beach Street Development, managers of the surfing component of the project, said that construction of wave pool is progressing smoothly, and they are gearing up for a grand opening later this summer.

“The compact Wavegarden Cove surf lagoon is scheduled to open this summer as the entire project comes together beautifully,” said Blake. “Key amenities, including a Live Nation music venue and commercial spaces, are also taking shape, promising to create a vibrant and dynamic destination for all visitors to enjoy.”

And it’s kind of a big deal. If you time travel back five years to see our Surf Planner Map, we were expecting an America populated with Coves by now. But wave pool projects take a long time. So this being the first in the entire US, we reached out to Wavegarden who responded with the following via their official channels.

“Wavegarden is pleased with the progress of the project and eagerly anticipates the first waves rolling out later this spring,” the company told WavePoolMag. “The assembly of the Wavegarden technology is well underway, with wave commissioning on track to be completed this quarter.”

Part of the transformation of the three city blocks in prime Virginia Beach real estate includes retail, restaurants, offices, apartments, and even a performance venue. The 5,000-seat indoor/outdoor concert venue called “The Dome,” is a nod to the district’s past. The original Dome was a prominent indoor entertainment venue that operated from 1970 until its closure in 1994, hosting concerts, sporting events, and conventions.