The new owners of Splash Kingdom, Redlands, California, have spoken of their big plans to give the park a new look by 2019.
Ryan Sauter and Dan Martinez took over Splash Kingdom in May 2017. The new owners say they will revamp the park’s overall look and add amenities for all ages as their top priorities.
They intend to create a year-round experience for guests.
“We’re all about finding ‘diamonds in the rough,’” Martinez told Redlands Daily Facts.
“We think if people just got together over a beer, a Coke or an arcade game, it would go a long way in making people realize they’re a lot more similar than different,” Martinez said. “And then there’s this notion of the Inland Empire not necessarily having kind of a go-to place, a hub for family entertainment. And so, the long-term vision is to create a place that is affordable, that is kind of home for the Inland Empire whether you’re in Redlands, Riverside or somewhere else.”
“When this location came up, we thought it could be a platform to kind of galvanize our vision,” Sauter said. “For me, this is a launching plan to do a lot of things.”
The park was the founded of James Braswell. His intention was to create a space where guests could ride go-karts, play a few rounds of mini-golf and cool down in the water. Over the years, the property has been owned and sold by a number of owners.
“We don’t want to lose that initial magic the Braswell family created here,” Martinez said, “but we want to do something that celebrates what they had in mind.”
One big change coming to the park is the removal of the large Pharaoh statue’s sunglasses. The owners say they will soon do away with the Pharaoh altogether.
Image courtesy Splash Kingdom
Goodbye, Pharaoh? New owners of Splash Kingdom in Redlands have big plans for theme park
