Water park proposal gets wave of support

EAST COUNTY — The conference room Friday at Manatee County’s administrative building was flooded with business professionals sporting white polo shirts with red “Lost Lagoon” logos. By the end of two hours, the group convinced a four-person committee that Manatee County  staff should consider allowing them to build a regional water park attraction. The committee voted to recommend to the county administrator that negotiations ensue.

Members of an evaluation committee — Deputy County Administrator Dan Schlandt, Purchasing Official Melissa Wendel, Parks and Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker and Recreation Division Manager Mike Whelan — spoke with members of the Manatee Lost Lagoon Development’s leadership team about their proposal to build a 20-acre water park immediately south and east of Tom Bennett Park. 

“This group of companies and the companies’ leadership has demonstrated to me that through their past experience and their sincerity of moving forward that Manatee County would be in a good position to negotiate,” Hunsicker said. “It’s during negotiations (that) the fine details of protecting taxpayers’ interests will be defined and resolved.”

If constructed, the park would include a 2,667-foot-long lazy river, 20,000-square-foot wave pool, thrill and multiperson water rides, coaster slide and multi-level children’s play area. 

If negotiations are successful — the Manatee County Commission will have to approve them after several rounds of permitting and public input and they’ll have to pass other approval processes — park developers hope to open the park in late February 2017.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to move forward,” said Tandem Communications’ Bill Gridley, spokesman for Manatee Lost Lagoon Development. “This is such an exciting opportunity to do something from the ground up for Manatee County.”

“It’s during negotiations (that) the fine details of protecting taxpayers’ interests will be defined and resolved.” — Charlie Hunsicker, evaluation committee member