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Tide turns in favour of Wild Rivers 30-acre waterpark in Orange County Great Park

Wild Rivers Ivine
The original Wild Rivers waterpark (image courtesy Wild Rivers)

Wild Rivers water park, which closed in 2011 following the expiration of its lease, is set to make a comeback at a new site in Orange County Great Park, Irvine.

California's Irvine City Council has approved an exclusive negotiating agreement with Wild Rivers, LLC, to build and operate a 30-acre water park in the southeastern area of the park.

Plans are said to include an uphill water coaster, waterslides and a lazy river.

The next stage will be preliminary site planning and the first draft of a lease.


If all goes according to plan, the water park could be up and running by summer 2019.

It is understood that the company's CEO, Mike Riedel, first mooted a move to the Great Park in 2011 when the waterpark closed.

The council did consider other proposals including a rafting and kayaking whitewater park and a surfing lake.

Both were turned down in favour of the Wild Rivers proposal.

Image courtesy Wild Rivers

A water park by Wild Rivers is a step closer for Irvine’s Great Park – Orange County Register