Irvine negotiating to bring back Wild Rivers water park

IRVINE – The Wild Rivers water park, once the iconic summer destination for families around Orange County, is making its way back home.

The Irvine City Council, acting as the Orange County Great Park board, on Tuesday, April 25, directed staff to begin negotiating with Wild Rivers officials to build and operate a water park at the Great Park. Wild Rivers closed in 2011 after a 25-year run when the lease with the Irvine Co. ran out, giving way to the Los Olivos apartment complex.

“Wild Rivers has been an icon in the city of Irvine,” Councilwoman Melissa Fox said. “We do know that it’s been well-managed. We know that as a parent we are able to rely on the safety of this venue, which was the most important thing.”

The city plans to lease its Great Park land to Wild Rivers, which would build and run the water park. Wild Rivers President Mike Riedel said Wednesday his company will start negotiating the lease terms and site location with the city.

Wild Rivers is proposing a 30-acre water park with waterslides, an uphill water coaster, water play structures for children, a wave pool, a lazy river and Wild Rivers’ popular Congo River Rapids. Construction would cost about $50 million, Riedel said, adding he’s secured $40 million in financing.

A preliminary concept of Wild Rivers’ proposed 30-acre water park at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine.<br />(Courtesy of Wild Rivers)

If things go smoothly, the new Wild Rivers could open in May 2019, he said.

“It will be Wild Rivers, but it will be better,” Riedel said. “There will be something for everybody.”

Riedel approached Irvine officials about relocating to the Great Park the year Wild Rivers closed. Then last year, rather than granting Wild Rivers a no-bid contract, the City Council decided to seek more proposals.

The city received two proposals by the February 2017 deadline. One consisted of three separate parks — Wild Rivers, a 20- to 25-acre rafting and kayaking whitewater park by Western Whitewater Works and S20

Design and Engineering, and a 15-acre surfing lake by Surfloch — under a single cover letter. Staff said it was difficult to evaluate the first proposal because the three parks had separate operations, site plans, branding and financial projections.

The other proposal didn’t meet requirements. Staff recommended that the council seek proposals again.

Instead of the staff recommendation, Fox made a motion to move forward with just the Wild Rivers’ proposal, not including the whitewater and surf parks for now.

The council approved it 3-1, with Mayor Pro Tem Lynn Schott opposing and Councilman Jeff Lalloway absent.

Schott, who supported seeking additional proposals, said she wants something new and innovative at the Great Park.

“I still wonder, ‘What are we going to miss?’” she said.