The Beach Waterpark's closure is permanent, new owner says

[CoastersRZ]

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/09/22/the-beach-waterpark-permanently-closed.html

[MDMC01]

Can't read much of the article because of a paywall, but my two thoughts are finally!!! and That's sad. I've had some good times at Beach when I was younger including riding a lot of the slides and being excited for Volcanic Panic, which was new for 2005. Although my last experience at the Beach was lackluster (Beach Mountain was expensive for what you got, which was one sledding hill), it is sad that it is finally closing. That being said, I am glad that a decision has been made as it's been SBNO for years. I wonder if any of the slides will be going anywhere.

[disco2000]

I would say most here probably concluded that this park was not going to re-open.

[MDMC01]

For those feeling nostalgic, here's the ride list on the old website (courtesy of Internet Archive) with the original names. Enjoy!

https://web.archive.org/web/20050308050704/http://www.thebeachwaterpark.com/rides/adults/

Also, according to the website, Volcanic Panic opened in 2004...

EDIT: If you click "Park Map" on one of the web pages, it will automatically download a PDF of the 2004 Park Map!

[CoastersRZ]

And don`t forget for several years they had Holiday Fest.  You could ride in a pedal boat in their lazy river!  Holiday Fest wasn`t much, but I ended up going to it a few times.  Winterfest is hands down better.  I only visited the water park once in the late 90`s.  We had received some comp passes from some family when we went.

[TombRaiderFTW]

8 minutes ago, CoastersRZ said:

You could ride in a pedal boat in their lazy river!

The annual retelling of the sinking of the S.S. Gator was one of my favorite traditions here for years. Where will you go to have a pedal boat sink in a lazy river with your family aboard now, @XGatorHead 8904?!

This is one of those things that doesn't really affect me but I'm still sad to see it happen. I never went to The Beach since I'm not the biggest swimmer, but all the same, part of my experience of going to Kings Island for many years involved driving past The Beach and seeing people having fun.

[BoddaH1994]

There is more to this story. 

Pat Madden owns the property now. Adventure Holdings still owns the business. They still pay for the lease. Whether or not it reopens may or may not be a decision that has the new owner’s involvement. 

The future of The Beach, as a water park, is likely grim, but this article is likely not exposing the final nail in the coffin. 
 

It is worth noting that Mr Madden has bought several properties down Waterpaek Dr in Mason. 

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

2 hours ago, BoddaH1994 said:

There is more to this story. 

Pat Madden owns the property now. Adventure Holdings still owns the business. They still pay for the lease. Whether or not it reopens may or may not be a decision that has the new owner’s involvement. 

The future of The Beach, as a water park, is likely grim, but this article is likely not exposing the final nail in the coffin. 
 

It is worth noting that Mr Madden has bought several properties down Waterpaek Dr in Mason. 

Does anyone know what Mr Madden does? That could give us an idea on the future. Is he a real estate developer? Is he an entertainment/shopping district developer?

[SonofBaconator]

2 hours ago, BoddaH1994 said:

It is worth noting that Mr Madden has bought several properties down Waterpaek Dr in Mason. 

My thoughts are that he might be trying to put in a shopping/night life district in that part of the area. 

[XGatorHead 8904]

3 hours ago, TombRaiderFTW said:

The annual retelling of the sinking of the S.S. Gator was one of my favorite traditions here for years. Where will you go to have a pedal boat sink in a lazy river with your family aboard now, @XGatorHead 8904?!

Thanks for the flashbacks, TombRaiderFTW!   I haven't been on a paddle boat since.  Mrs. Gator & GatorGirl have done them at Coney Island, Lakemont and Sharon Woods in the 14 years since then, but I've steered clear.  I just wait for them on dry land!

For those of you who weren't around for it, here is the epic tale of the Sinking of the S.S. Gator: 

 

[westcoaster]

https://local12.com/news/local/cincinnati-beach-waterpark-mason-closure-close-closed-permanent-new-owner-open-patrick-madden-purchase-property

[westcoaster]

I would think most everything will be scrapped. We shall see what the lands future holds. Next Chapter. 

Goodbye The Beach.

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

3 hours ago, SonofBaconator said:

My thoughts are that he might be trying to put in a shopping/night life district in that part of the area. 

That would actually be pretty cool. Maybe more hotels too. With the building of Camp Cedar and the hospital as well as the rapid growth of houses in the area (I can't even count how many empty fields around the area have signs of construction) I feel as if the area will be getting a boom in entertainment/shopping options. I think that's exciting for us as that may mean more investment in the park. Hopefully we see a KI on site hotel eventually. Not necessarily Breakers size, but maybe something along the lines of the Marriott suites hotel by Carowinds?

EDIT: Here's a quote from an article I was able to grab before the paywall came up. Man isn't it frustrating how slow and sneaky these paywalls are lol

"The Beach’s replacement could be anything from retail to mixed-used development, Madden said. It’s too early to speculate on an exact timeframe for the site's redevelopment, he said, but something could be going in by early summer of 2023"

 

Here's a link to the article for if you have a subscription: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/09/22/the-beach-waterpark-permanently-closed.html

Based on that, I think housing with some retail/restaurants and hopefully a nice hotel is my guess. 

[BoddaH1994]

6 hours ago, Hawaiian Coasters 325 said:

That would actually be pretty cool. Maybe more hotels too. With the building of Camp Cedar and the hospital as well as the rapid growth of houses in the area (I can't even count how many empty fields around the area have signs of construction) I feel as if the area will be getting a boom in entertainment/shopping options. I think that's exciting for us as that may mean more investment in the park. Hopefully we see a KI on site hotel eventually. Not necessarily Breakers size, but maybe something along the lines of the Marriott suites hotel by Carowinds?

EDIT: Here's a quote from an article I was able to grab before the paywall came up. Man isn't it frustrating how slow and sneaky these paywalls are lol

"The Beach’s replacement could be anything from retail to mixed-used development, Madden said. It’s too early to speculate on an exact timeframe for the site's redevelopment, he said, but something could be going in by early summer of 2023"

 

Here's a link to the article for if you have a subscription: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/09/22/the-beach-waterpark-permanently-closed.html

Based on that, I think housing with some retail/restaurants and hopefully a nice hotel is my guess. 

He’s making bold claims. Remember that Adventure Holdings still has a 99 year lease on the property. I’m sure there is an option to buy out the lease, but he hasn’t.

Last time I spoke with the owner of The Beach was about a year ago and he was 100% confident that he was going to reopen it. Don’t get me wrong, the chances, even then, were unlikely, but it goes to show that he’s not specifically looking to get rid of the property. 
 

I don’t want to give anyone false hope. I don’t think it will reopen. But Madden essentially bought an apartment complex and is talking about tearing it down, but has a tenant with a 99 year lease who is not looking to move. Of course, every man has his price. 

[BB1]

For over a decade I thought my ride on Snake River Rapids was just a dream I had, now I finally have confirmation that this actually existed and I did not dream it. 

Honestly a shame to see the waterpark go, but it's not surprising considering the proximity to Kings Island. Hopefully some of the slides will be sold off (I would be a serious contender for some slide parts and some Beach signage), and we can finally see the area get renovated to something new soon.

[BoddaH1994]

13 minutes ago, BB1 said:

For over a decade I thought my ride on Snake River Rapids was just a dream I had, now I finally have confirmation that this actually existed and I did not dream it. 

Honestly a shame to see the waterpark go, but it's not surprising considering the proximity to Kings Island. Hopefully some of the slides will be sold off (I would be a serious contender for some slide parts and some Beach signage), and we can finally see the area get renovated to something new soon.

None of the slides will be sold off. The only one that's not far beyond end-of-life is that horrible Arihant racing slide that they added in 2015. That will likely be moved to a different property. Everything else is 35 years old and hasn't been earnestly maintained the past three years. There may be some pumps and office equipment and maybe some landscaping stuff that could be salvaged.

Snake River Falls was legit. You probably thought it was a dream because it was a live version of a fever dream. Hinkel Schueller created the slide and added onto it regularly. It was part water slide, part lazy river, and part rapids ride. It was closed in 2009 because for "rehab" aka it was leaking water like a sift. They planned to rehab it, but then went bankrupt. It was SBNO for several years and was ultimately turn out in late 2015.

As a reminder, The Beach still has employees who are there every day. They also have a robust camera system. Mason PD has standing instructions to arrest trespassers, which happens often. Trust me, you'll want to remember it the way it was rather than the way it is.

[MDMC01]

23 minutes ago, BoddaH1994 said:

None of the slides will be sold off. The only one that's not far beyond end-of-life is that horrible Arihant racing slide that they added in 2015. That will likely be moved to a different property. Everything else is 35 years old and hasn't been earnestly maintained the past three years. There may be some pumps and office equipment and maybe some landscaping stuff that could be salvaged.

Snake River Falls was legit. You probably thought it was a dream because it was a live version of a fever dream. Hinkel Schueller created the slide and added onto it regularly. It was part water slide, part lazy river, and part rapids ride. It was closed in 2009 because for "rehab" aka it was leaking water like a sift. They planned to rehab it, but then went bankrupt. It was SBNO for several years and was ultimately turn out in late 2015.

As a reminder, The Beach still has employees who are there every day. They also have a robust camera system. Mason PD has standing instructions to arrest trespassers, which happens often. Trust me, you'll want to remember it the way it was rather than the way it is.

Really? I thought it was still there (on the same platform as that racing slide)! Did that racing slide end up taking its place?

[BoddaH1994]

56 minutes ago, MDMC01 said:

Really? I thought it was still there (on the same platform as that racing slide)! Did that racing slide end up taking its place?

Not exactly. Riptide Racer is about 300’ south of Snake River. The tower for Snake River is still there. The new owner wanted to turn that into a bird watching tower for some reason. 

[MDMC01]

Oh, ok. That's random. I was wondering as I'm always seeing that part of The Beach when traveling I-71

[BB1]

12 hours ago, BoddaH1994 said:

None of the slides will be sold off. The only one that's not far beyond end-of-life is that horrible Arihant racing slide that they added in 2015. That will likely be moved to a different property. Everything else is 35 years old and hasn't been earnestly maintained the past three years. There may be some pumps and office equipment and maybe some landscaping stuff that could be salvaged.

Snake River Falls was legit. You probably thought it was a dream because it was a live version of a fever dream. Hinkel Schueller created the slide and added onto it regularly. It was part water slide, part lazy river, and part rapids ride. It was closed in 2009 because for "rehab" aka it was leaking water like a sift. They planned to rehab it, but then went bankrupt. It was SBNO for several years and was ultimately turn out in late 2015.

As a reminder, The Beach still has employees who are there every day. They also have a robust camera system. Mason PD has standing instructions to arrest trespassers, which happens often. Trust me, you'll want to remember it the way it was rather than the way it is.

Honestly I thought it was a fever dream. The concept of a shed slide being at The Beach puzzled me but I guess it was an actual attraction. I never actually knew the real history behind the slide as I only went once during it's original run and twice after they reopened. (Media day was interesting to say the least, they handed out tickets to come back during the season and I honestly enjoyed it. I should have that folder somewhere in my office)

As for the trespassing comment, if you're not allowed to be there don't touch it. "Urban exploring" sounds cool, but in reality can lead to some serious charges and the last thing I would want to see is another "Local enthusiast arrested for trespassing on The Beach property". Don't be stupid, don't do something you will regret in the future. 

 

[RedSummit20]

tbh i love Soak City, but they need huge improvments. The Beach was dedicated to just a water park which was nice. 

I didnt go there a lot growing up. But now as an adult i would love to have that other option for a water park. Or Cedar Fair could buy it and operate a stand a lone water park. 

[Oldiesmann]

My only memory of The Beach for the most part is from when I worked there during the summer of 2006 and the Holiday Fest that winter. During the summer I worked at the main Dippin Dots stand and in the winter my sister and I worked at the donut stand (where Blue Ash Chili was during the summer months). I did visit once or twice when I wasn't working as well. It was a fun experience and far different than what's now Soak City, in part because there was no big corporate group overseeing things.

[BoddaH1994]

2 hours ago, Oldiesmann said:

My only memory of The Beach for the most part is from when I worked there during the summer of 2006 and the Holiday Fest that winter. During the summer I worked at the main Dippin Dots stand and in the winter my sister and I worked at the donut stand (where Blue Ash Chili was during the summer months). I did visit once or twice when I wasn't working as well. It was a fun experience and far different than what's now Soak City, in part because there was no big corporate group overseeing things.

Where was Blue Ash Chili? That’s news to me!

[Oldiesmann]

It was off to the right as you came down the hill from the parking lot. You can see it on the 2006 park map here: https://web.archive.org/web/20061119185652/http://www.thebeachwaterpark.com/rides/map.pdf

[Oldiesmann]

A bit more info on the situation from the Enquirer: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2022/09/23/the-beach-water-parks-future-is-unclear-new-owner-eyes-redevelopment-mason-ohio/69511199007/

[MDMC01]

Speaking of maps, I did not even know (or remember? I know it was at least one of those two that I thought did not have a name...) the "Riptide" and "Watusi" slides had names until I looked at the map!

[befat]

https://local12.com/amp/news/local/former-beach-waterpark-property-build-apartments-mason-cincinnati-milhaus-brad-vogelsmeier

I wonder where exactly this apartment complex will be. 

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

According to the Cincinnati Business Courier, the new apartment complex will be along Beach Boulevard to the west of the beach waterpark. Here's a screenshot of Beach Boulevard from Google Earth:

Also the developer for this complex is based out of Indy. I believe the one who purchased the beach is based out of Lexington.

Also, according to a statement in the CBC article, it says that the beach will likely be developed for a different purpose: "Milhaus has not had any direct conversations with the new owner of the Beach property, but the developer plans to extend the Beach Boulevard road connection to the north to help link the surrounding district, Vogelsmeier said. The Beach came under new ownership this fall, and its new owner has since said he plans to redevelop the site for a different purpose."

 

Link to article: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/11/14/milhaus-the-beach-mason-apartment-community.html?ana=cincinnati_local12_bd