A crowd of people gathered in a field near the northwest corner of Highway 34 and Highway 75 for the official groundbreaking ceremony of the Bellevue Bay Water Park. Since the initial announcement of the water park in February of 2024, it has become the talk of the town.
When all is said and done, Bellevue Bay will be the fourth largest water park in the country and is projected to attract visitors from a 300-mile radius. Some of the water park features include:
- Multiple slides, ranging from high-speed body slides to family-friendly tube slides
- A dedicated rock-climbing structure within the pool area
- A retractable roof
- A lazy river
- A wave pool
- A surf machine called the Flowrider
- Private cabanas for families and groups
- Designated spaces for birthday parties and group events
- A grotto area with beverages for adults
- Multiple dining options
- At least one connected hotel
The water park is set to be open year-round in what the city hopes will be a constant source of entertainment.
Bellevue City Council President Rich Casey was on hand for the groundbreaking. “It’s the beginning of an exciting time for Bellevue. This is a great leaping stone to hopefully increase our tax base, lower our property taxes, and provide a form of entertainment for the area.”
Casey expanded on one of the ideas behind the water park: to bring tax revenue into Bellevue from other sources, so the tax burden does not rest solely on Bellevue residents. “With people bringing money from outside of Bellevue, into Bellevue, that’s never a bad thing,” Casey said. “It will also be a boost for other businesses in Bellevue. When people come, many will buy gas in Bellevue, eat at Bellevue restaurants, and shop at local businesses.”
There are high hopes for the overall development of the area, including other hotels (possibly connecting to the waterpark), shops and restaurants, and maybe one day a horse track and casino or other entertainment options to complement the water park.
Nebraska Director of Economic Development K.C. Belitz spoke at the groundbreaking and offered a Nebraska point of view from outside of Bellevue, “Bellevue Bay Indoor Water Park is going to be a premier tourism attraction that draws visitors to shop, dine, and spend the night in Bellevue. It will also be an amazing amenity for area families,” Belitz said. “Whether to beat the heat in summer or have a place to go when there’s snow, the water park will be a wonderful, year-round entertainment option. This is a generational project for Bellevue and Nebraska. Congratulations to Bellevue on the project’s official groundbreaking!”
Recently elected Nebraska District 3 State Senator Victor Rountree was on hand for the groundbreaking and offered his view of the ambitious project. “Today marks a monumental milestone as we break ground for Bellevue’s water park. When the project is completed and opened, it will draw thousands of visitors year-round, which will have a tremendous economic impact not only in Bellevue but also throughout Sarpy County, Omaha, and all of Nebraska,” said Rountree. “Bellevue Bay Water Park will be the crown jewel of destination attractions in our region. State Senator Rita Sanders of Bellevue and I will continue to work with our legislature to communicate any needs pertaining to our Good Life District!”
|| All Pictures Provided by Official Bellevue Bay Holland Basham Architects ||
