After waiting for decades, Eilat is starting to build the attraction that should long ago have been part of its tourist facilities - a water park.
The park, which will cost NIS 60 million to build, will be constructed on the ruins of what was once the Texas Ranch. It will cover 20 dunam (five acres), and will later be expanded to 28.5 dunam (7.125 acres). The park, scheduled to open during Passover 2021, will be built by three private developers, who rented the land belonging to Isrotel in a 25-year lease.
Ran Epstein, one the developers, told "Globes," "The park will some of the world's most innovative water slides and other water attractions. There will be unique water slides with technological effects, such as broadcast screens." Epstein added that the park would include the highest water slide in the Middle East - 24 meters high. "The idea is to appeal to the whole family and all ages, so the park will have a giant children's area, a bump boats area, carousels, and so forth. We have created a combination of amusement park facilities here with water attractions," he said. The park, to be called "Splash," is designed to operate eight-ten months a year in the sunny Eilat weather, and be open seven days a week. Half of this time, 120 days a year, (mainly in the hotter months), it will also be open at night.
Eilat Mayor Meir Yitzhak Halevi has tried to have a water park built in the city for years. He demanded that the landowners make offers or return the land to the Israel Land Administration, so that it would not remain abandoned. The park will supplement the southeastern promenade being developed by the municipality, which plans to establish two more water parks and a first underwater promenade on the southern beach.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on December 23, 2019
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