Wet 'n Wild Las Vegas to be replaced by new resort complex

Wow, this'll certainly change the skyline. They've been talking about it for years it seems. Wet n' Wild seemed out of place there anyway. I wonder if someone fill in the waterpark gap (or move the slides across town)?

I find it inetresting that Wet N Wild (a mainstay of the Las Vegas Strip since 1984, NOT 1977 as the article suggests) will be replaced by a resort featuring a large man-made lake, seeing that residents of Las Vegas are no longer allowed to use water for their own lawns as of January 2004 except by mandated Water District "watering days". I am tired of Las Vegas moaning about being out of water and enforcing it on the homeowner when they continue to build hundred thousand gallon scenic lakes. Can't anyone come up with a dry themed resort that is equally compelling? And surely the the observation ferris wheel will be closed half the time when we have our classic desert wind storms of 60MPH.

On one hand, that end of the strip is in dire need of something shiny and new, but is the water park actually under-utilised? That strikes me as odd.

I’m not a waterpark person and Wet N Wild always seemed busy when I passed by. Besides a waterpark in Las Vegas sounds like a no-loose proposition. I can understand wanting to build the next mega hotel but haven’t the newer hotels shown that the strip has been close to reaching capacity? Stratosphere has had problems, and the new Aladdin has been reorganized. With Wynn opening up a new casino next year on the old Desert Inn site (and Mandalay Bay building a new all suite hotel within Mandalay Bay)how much is too much? Besides I don’t see a big observation wheel being a big draw with Stratosphere right down the street. That area may be an eye-sore, but I also don’t see the logic in building an up-scale hotel in that area. People wanting new and upscale are going to want to be in the mid strip near the Bellagio or Venetian. Whose going to want to shell out the bucks to have a view looking out at the Sahara and Circus Circus?

This is the news I've been waiting to hear! Previous to this, WNW was insisting they were staying, so the project sounded like it was in limbo. But this pretty much confirms it's all go!

The concept art for this place looks absolutely stunning! Like something out of Star Trek, very futuristic looking. The wheel will definitely be a huge draw, something that part of the Strip needs. It's absolutely beautiful and striking, nothing else like it or even close to it in the US. I'm sure weather related issues have been addressed in the design, pointless to build such a huge attraction that would only be operational part time.

If I lived LV, maybe I'd feel differently. But from a tourist point of view, the more amusements and mega resorts to explore, the better! And with the new monorail opening soon, that part of the Strip will be even more accessable to the those staying at the more upscale resorts down the Strip. Sounds like another win/win situation for that part of the LVB.

http://www.voyager-ent.com/flashindex.html

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Besides I don’t see a big observation wheel being a big draw with Stratosphere right down the street.

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I had to wait 30mins to get up the Strat in October, and although I would still have gone up anyway even if the wheel had been there then, I belive many other people may prefer the new 'ride' if the queues and prices are cheaper. If its anything like the London Eye it will be amazing!

Speaking of big wheels, just imagine if they had built a La Qua copy there with the Big O and Thunder Dolphin, there would have definitely attracted visitors.

Actually, isn't there space across the street from Wet and Wild?

How much is too much? I'm sure the folks with the money have a good idea whether they'll make money on the deal in these fiscally conservative times. I'm sure that although the Stratosphere might not be doing as well as they once did when they first opened, they aren't going to close shop any time soon. Also, keep in mind that the Stratosphere is waaay down on the other side of the strip. All the other places enjoy sharing a lot of each other's business. With the traffic on the strip, who'd want to drive there...especially while having a good time with all those free drinks.

On a related note, does anybody know if the monorail will serve that end of the strip (all the way to the Stratosphere?)

The monorail will run between the MGM Grand and Sahara on Paradise Road.

Yes...when it opens, the monorail will run from the Sahara to the MGM, but in 2005 the extension will begin construction. That will take the monorail to Fremont Street.

Personally, I will miss Wet N Wild, and I am sure there are other places this could have been placed. That was my first summer job as well as my sister's. I had some great times there. It is always packed in the summer time as it is the only water park within 250 miles (closest now will be Six Flags Hurricane Harbor and Raging Waters in San Dimas).

As for the land across the street, there is the new timeshare property over there so the piece of land isnt as nearly as big as before, but I feel its still large enough to house this thing...

Even tho Wet N Wild is extremely popular among locals I cant say I didnt see this coming. Even when I worked there in the summer of 99' there were rumors of it going away. The whole chain of waterparks has went thru numerous management changes...from Ogden Entertainment of my time there to Palace Entertainment for the past few years and the acquisition of the Orlando park by Universal and the Texas park by Six Flags...

Itll be sad...thas for sure*** This post was edited by haiderodes 12/10/2003 5:35:13 PM ***

I read that it will eventually be extended to the airport too. That's go a long way towards reducing strip traffic. More power to it.

Seems to me WnW would most likely just be relocated, if it was as popular as you guys say it was. I imagine rent on that piece of prime real estate was astronomical, can't imagine why they just wouldn't relocate to somewhere cheaper off the Strip where there's plenty of room for a larger park as well as future expansion.

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Actually, isn't there space across the street from Wet and Wild?

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That's exactly what I was thinking. I seem to recall insane amounts of open land in that same block on the west side of the street.

It would seem that the empty land would be cheaper. Then again, perhaps Wet n Wild was already moving and the owner needed a tenant. Also, by placing it on that side of the street, the wheel faces both the strip and the 15.

Ha, I thought WNW was already closed for good. Then I realized it was November both times I was in Vegas.

Does any other waterpark have the type of slide WNW has, where you stand in a tube until a trap door opesn and drops you down the slide?

Saw this link on another site, apparently this location is no longer associated with the Voyager project, which is still looking for another location in Vegas. So it appears that Vegas will soon be home to 2 gigantic wheels!

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/gaming/2003/dec/08/515985969.html

Hmm...sounds like a boondoggle! ;)

Yeah, but think what the Vegas skyline will look like! It's already my personal favorite city skyline (at night anyways), this will only add to the surreal view.

Especially dropping down the hill on the 15 North...

I've been to Wet 'n Wild before and thought it was a very nice water park (it was even on the Travel Channels top 10 water parks in the USA). I heard about a year a two ago that it was going to be re-built somewhere off the strip, but things change a lot in that town so who knows..