Water park proposal goes swimmingly

If negotiations with Manatee County go quickly, Manatee Lost Lagoon could be making its first splash as early as spring 2018.

The 20-acre regional water park at Tom Bennett Park appears to be back on track after Manatee County officials closed a second round of soliciting project proposals June 1. Manatee Lost Lagoon was the only entity to apply for the project.

Manatee Lost Lagoon’s original application proposed constructing a 20,000-square-foot wave pool with a simulated beach and surfing equipment, a multilevel children’s play area, a toddler play pool, a 2,667-foot-long lazy river and a variety of water slides, among other offerings. The new proposal places a 120-room hotel on what was a parking area.

Even without the parking spaces to be consumed by the hotel, Lost Lagoon spokesman Bill Gridley said the facility will have plenty of parking, as required by county codes.

Manatee County staff on April 24, 2015 selected Manatee Lost Lagoon as the best candidate for building a water park at Bennett Park. Negotiations stalled last summer when Manatee Lost Lagoon decided to add lodging to make the project more viable. County attorneys said the change was too big to deal with during those negotiations and issued a revised request for proposals on April 26.

When Manatee Lost Lagoon proved to be the only proposer, Manatee County Administrator Ed Hunzeker authorized negotiations to resume.

“We suggested adding a smaller boutique hotel that fits with the character of the area and the water park,” Gridley said. “The water park stayed exactly the same. It’s the same footprint and outline.”

“The infrastructure needs may change with this added use of lodging, but overall, I think we can pick up where we left off,” Chief Assistant County Attorney Robert Eschenfelder said.

Heritage Harbour resident  Timothy Petz sent an email to county commissioners and copied the East County Observer saying a group of about a dozen residents from Heritage Harbour is opposed to the project and hopes to meet with commissioners in the coming weeks. Petz declined further comment at this time.

Petz called his group, “Get Lost Lagoon Waterpark.”