The first modern water park, or an amusement park where the rides are replaced by slides, pools, splash pads, and other water activities, dates back to 1977, when SeaWorld creator George Millay opened the first Wet ‘n Wild theme park.
While thousands of water parks now operate around the world, water rides incur high operational costs. Wear and tear from high-volume electrical systems’ constant exposure to moisture and harsh pool chemicals adds to the expense of hiring certified lifeguards to meet the necessary guest-to-staff ratio.
U.S.-based water parks that closed in 2026 due to expenses not being offset by visitor traffic include CaliBunga Waterpark and Fiesta Village in California, Wild Waves Theme and Water Park in Washington State, and Clementon Park and Splash World in New Jersey.
“Cowabunga Bay will not reopen for the 2027 summer”
The latest water park closure confirmed this week is Cowabunga Bay WaterPark just outside of Las Vegas.
Cowabunga Bay is approximately a 20-minute highway drive from The Strip in Henderson, Nevada. The water park is known for high-speed slides, including Deuce’s Wild, the 60-foot mat-racing slide Ricochet Racer, and the raft-and-funnel slide Texas Tornado.
The park opened in July 2014 as part of efforts to grow the area and offer more off-Strip activities for families with kids.
Related: 50-year-old theme and water park to close forever after summer season
Park operator Pyek Group has now confirmed that the park’s closure comes as part of the move to consolidate the Cowabunga brand to a single location in Summerlin that was rebranded from a former Wet ‘n’ Wild location in 2022.
The park also faced dropping visitor numbers and challenges finding enough staff to operate both water parks, K-DAWN reported.
“After 12 unforgettable years, we’ve made the difficult decision that Cowabunga Bay will not reopen for the 2027 Summer,” the park operators wrote in a letter to the community. “We know this news may be disappointing, especially for the families who have made visiting us part of their Summer traditions. Please know this decision was not made lightly.”
Cowabunga Bay WaterPark
What happens to Cowabunga seasonal passes for 2027?
Cowabunga Bay WaterPark had already closed for the season at the end of September.
The park confirmed that anyone who already bought a seasonal pass for the water park for the upcoming season will be able to use it at the Summerlin location.
Also an approximately 20-minute drive from The Strip in the other direction, Cowabunga Canyon in Summerlin is 22 minutes from the closed-down park in Henderson.
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The fate of the 23-acre lot of Cawabunga Bay WaterPark is currently undetermined as the owners assess options such as selling the land or opening something else in its place. The operators have also not confirmed whether any of the rides will be saved and moved to the Summerlin location.
“The property will be maintained and secured while ownership evaluates plans for its future,” Pyek Group currently states on its website.
Related: Iconic Disney ride to close after 43 years
