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Signs throughout California’s Great America promise that “amazing is coming.”
On Thursday morning, officials unveiled exactly what they mean by that pledge as they announced plans for a new water park to open in summer 2020 at the Santa Clara theme park.
Meet South Bay Shores, which will take the spot — and then some — of the incredibly popular Boomerang Bay.
“South Bay Shores represents the newest phase of a multi-year revitalization of California’s Great America,” said Manny Gonzalez, the park’s vice president and general manager.
This won’t just be a facelift to the old Boomerang Bay Area. Instead, the area will be “completely transformed” and increase in size from from 10.5 to 15 acres, said Jason Soyster, the park’s director of marketing and sales. Also, the number of attractions will increase from 10 to 18.
It marks the end of Boomerang Bay, the waterpark that opened 15 years ago and went on to become “perhaps the most popular part of Great America,” Soyster said. The area will remain open for the time being as South Bay Shores is readied.
Officials are looking at South Bay Shores as a defining next chapter for the park and referred to Thursday’s announcement as “an historic and important day for us,” as Soyster put it.
The new attractions in South Bay Shores will include:
- Shark Reef Plunge: This will likely be the No. 1 attraction for adrenaline junkies at South Bay Shores. It consists of four six-story-tall body slides, which “simultaneously send four guests — each in a separate enclosed launch chamber — on a nearly vertical free fall when the floor drops out from under them,” according to the news release.
- Feeding Frenzy and the Barracuda: Guests will travel, alone or with a friend, on tubes down five-story slides, which wind through enclosed tunnels and go through a series of drops and turns.
- Tide Pool: The new family lagoon area will consist of eight kid-sized water slides, surrounding a zero-depth-entry pool. This will be a good place for parents to hang out in the shade while the little ones frolic in the water and sun.
- Barefoot Beach: It’s exactly what you’d imagine: a sandy beach area for families to enjoy.
Fans of the water park’s existing slides and attractions don’t have to worry: They aren’t going away, but will instead receive makeovers, and some will get new names that match the South Bay Shores theme.
Beyond the new water rides and upgraded attractions, South Bay Shores will also increase the number of dining options from one to three. The options will include Pier 76 Cafe, which will offer up such appropriate choices as fried shrimp and fish tacos as well as usual suspects like chicken tenders and waffle fries.
The announcement of the new water park was made on Wednesday, when members of the media, officials and others were given a tour of the construction site. Santa Clara Mayor Lisa Gilmor was one of the speakers and she used the opportunity to note how improvements to the theme park will impact the city of Santa Clara.
“You will fill up our hotels,” she said. “You will fill up the nearby restaurants.”