Industry News

Mesa Arizona to receive new Waveyard water complex

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 29 November, 2007 : - - Mesa, Az – Waveyard, a state-of-the-art water sports resort and national entertainment destination, received overwhelming voter approval (65.36%) in a local election on November 6, 2007.

The vote, which was required by law due to tax incentives being offered by the City of Mesa to Waveyard LLC., transitions the project from dream to reality and allows developers to proceed with construction plans and strategic alliances.

“The city of Mesa is elated to bring such a dynamic and attractive project to its residents,” said Robert Brinton, executive director of the Mesa Convention and Visitors Bureau.  “In addition to providing a healthy and safe environment filled with outdoor activities for everyone in Arizona, we foresee Waveyard becoming an immediate vacation destination for both domestic and international visitors.”

First-of-its-kind

Waveyard is slated to become a first-of-its-kind tourist destination, featuring the largest surfing wave pool in the U.S., a multi-channel white water rafting and kayaking course,  scuba diving and snorkeling lagoon, wakeboarding park, massive sand beach, and a resort hotel with an indoor water park.

Additionally, Waveyard will boast a special events conference center, a spa and wellness center, an amphitheater, numerous restaurants, a surf shop and paddle sports store, entertainment retail, office space and several unique residential opportunities.

“We are thrilled that the voters showed their resounding support for this project. This is the first step in fulfilling our dream of providing healthy, safe, outdoor recreational activities for people of all ages,” said Richard Mladick, co-founder of Waveyard Development, LLC.

Waveyard will occupy 121-acres on the Southeast corner of the Loops 101 & 202 interchange in Mesa. Waveyard will be in close proximity to the Mesa Riverview retail development, Phoenix's Sky Harbor airport and Arizona State University (ASU).  The resort will generate an estimated $5 million in annual revenue for the City of Mesa and create more than 7,000 permanent jobs.

General admission to Waveyard will be consistent with other regional destinations of this scale. In addition, certain attractions, such as surfing on the primary breaks, white water rafting, and kayaking, will require additional fees. It is projected to attract between 1.2 and 2 million visitors per year, with nearly half from out of state.  

Water resort in the desert?

Through the practice of environmentally conscious thinking and the use of eco-friendly technologies during construction, Waveyard developers have ensured that the resort will conserve as much water as possible. 

In fact, the annual estimated water usage at Waveyard will be directly on par with an 18-hole golf course.  Waveyard will require a one-time fill between 30 and 50 million gallons. Daily use, evaporation and the splash effect will require between 60 and 100 million gallons each year. In comparison, a typical 18-hole golf course uses 144 million gallons per year.

“Waveyard’s recreational water needs represent only one-quarter of one percent of the city’s annual water use,” said Colette Moore, Mesa’s water resources specialist. “I’m confident that we can meet the needs of the Waveyard project without affecting our existing customers or our long-term water supply.”

“We’re committed to applying some of the most effective environmental and conservation thinking to our project,” adds Jerry Hug, co-founder of Waveyard.

Waveyard has already attracted world-class talent to design, engineer and construct the resort’s water features. Jeffrey Gustin will serve as VP of construction management. Gustin, who played an integral role in the planning and project management at the U.S. National Whitewater Center (USNWC) in Charlotte, brings a wealth of experience to the team.

Groundbreaking is currently slated for mid-2009, with opening day scheduled for 2012.

www.waveyard.com

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Bo Morris

Industry - Surfersvillage