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Kings Island to double waterpark with $10M expansion

The water park will unveil a redesigned, expanded Soak City next year.

A rendering of the new park, renamed "Soak City."

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By Justin McClelland, Staff Writer Updated 1:05 AM Saturday, September 3, 2011

MASON — Kings Island is hoping to make a big splash in 2012 with a massive $10 million expansion and redesign of its water park.

Park officials announced Friday they were planning to nearly double the size of the former Boomerang Bay — which is being renamed Soak City — to 30 acres and were adding a gigantic wave pool, a redesigned action river and other amenities to create the “premier water park.”

“We’ve listened to what our visitors have told us they wanted and believe we’ve improved on even their expectations with what we have planned,” said Kings Island Vice President and General Manager Greg Scheid.

“No other local park can offer the amenities Soak City will,” Scheid said.

However, officials from The Beach, a rival water park located a couple of miles from Kings Island, said they did not expect Soak City to make an impact.

“I don’t believe this will have an affect on the Beach’s product and positioning,” said Pam Strickfaden, The Beach manager. “This is the third or fourth redesign (Kings Island has) had on their water park, It’s not exactly thundering news.”

The new attractions at Soak City include:

• An expanded 39,000-square-foot wave pool featuring more than 650,000 gallons of water and waves reaching up to four feet high.

• An action river with waterfalls, rapids and spray hoses.

• More amenities including the addition of 1,000 chairs, shade and sunning areas, new changing facilities, sand volleyball courts and a redesigned entrance.

• The area’s 30 water slides will be refurbished.

Soak City is scheduled to open Memorial Day weekend.

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