County to begin negotiations with for new East Manatee water park

MANATEE -- Manatee County moved one step closer to getting a state-of-the-art water park in East Manatee.

After more than an hour's presentation from representatives from the design, construction and operation aspects of the Lost Lagoon water park -- who all wore matching white Lost Lagoon shirts -- the county's evaluation committee made a recommendation to the county administrator to begin negotiations with Manatee Lost Lagoon Development LLC of Orlando.

The water park would be built on a 20-acre site, at 400 Cypress Creek Blvd., Bradenton, which is part of 188 acres at the county-owned Tom Bennett Park.

According to Lost Lagoon Development LLC's proposal, the water park has a tentative grand opening date of Feb. 25, 2017.

Lyndell Mims, president of Manatee Lost Lagoon Development LLC, said the park will be a good neighbor with Manatee County.

"We know we will be proud of it, but you will be proud of it," Mims said during Friday's evaluation committee meeting. "We are here to stay and be partners in the community."

Manatee Lost Lagoon Development is proposing the park include more than a dozen rides, including a ropes course, two wave pools, lazy rivers and a number of slides. It also is proposing possible future expansions, including an amphitheater, small-format zoo, miniature golf and aquatic or athletic facil

ities. Many of the representatives who will be working on the water park have previous experience working on projects at Disney, Universal Studios and Atlantis in the Bahamas.

"We have a unique opportunity," said Mark Lewis, design building manager for Manatee Lost Lagoon Development LLC. "The site is tremendous. We feel like because of that particular location this water park will be a smash for years to come."

Manatee Lost Lagoon Development LLC of Orlando was asked by the proposal evaluation committee to return for an oral presentation. The other proposal the county received, from Hans Carl Clausen of Bradenton, was determined by the evaluation committee as not-responsive last month. The committee consists of Dan Schlandt, deputy county administrator; Charlie Hunsicker, director of parks and natural resources department; and Melissa Wendel, county purchasing official.

The closest water park to the property is Tampa's Adventure Island, which is 49.9 miles away, and more than 2.9 million people live within a 50-mile radius of the proposed water park, according to county staff.

According to Lewis, the park wants to achieve at least 80 percent local participation on construction and operation of the park, which has a projected build schedule of 13 months.

In the proposal, officials said they expect to sell between 248,000 and 300,000 tickets per year.

Claire Aronson, Manatee County reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7024 or at caronson@bradenton.com. Follow her on Twitter @Claire_Aronson.

This story was originally published April 25, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "County to begin negotiations with for new East Manatee water park."