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Beach Waterpark Ralph Vilardo Jr. stands on top of the park’s highest water slide, the Kamikaze. That slide and the entire park has been renovated. Furthermore, new attractions have been added. Altogether, the venue’s new owners spent $5 million updated the park that will re-open May 18, 2013. Photo taken by Adam Kiefaber May 16, 2013. / Adam Kiefaber Enquirer

Adam Kiefaber reports:

After being closed since September of 2011, new owners of the 35-acre Beach Waterpark gave the local media a sneak peek at the tourist attraction during a VIP event Thursday night.

During the event, owners Hank and Susan Woodburn of Adventure Holdings greeted guests, while general manager Ralph Vilardo Jr. showed off the $5 million in upgrades to the park. Vilardo and the new owners hope that the regular Beach visitors will notice a big improvement.

“It has been day and night working to get this park back to its former glory, while adding new attractions and some of our own touches,” said Hank Woodburn, who with his wife own 18 entertainment parks nationwide. “We’ve put $5 million into this project because we really wanted to bring the Beach back to life in each facet of the park.”

When the park re-opens Saturday, Beach goers will notice some new attractions that include a heated wave pool and an interactive kids play area, which has multiple slides and a 600-gallon dumping bucket.

In addition to the new attractions, the $5 million budget was also used to renovate common areas, slides and play areas.

“The wave pool is one of the biggest changes you will see,” Vilardo said. “We went with the latest, greatest technology, which is going to give you real ocean crashing waves that are consistent throughout the day. The interactive kids area is second to none and we also took the existing slides and improved them.”

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Posted in: Arts & Entertainment, The Beach Waterpark |

Tags: Tags: adventure holdings, lawsuit, mason, Ralph Vilardo Jr., reopening, season pass, the beach, the beach waterpark, upgrades, water park

The newly-renamed The Beach at Adventure Landing is hoping professional beach volleyball and $5 million in park upgrades will be enough to lure back patrons when the park reopens May 18.

The Mason water park today signed a three-year contract with the National Volleyball League to host its Midwest Championships and Junior Festival.

The agreement marks the first multi-year contract the NVL has signed with a venue.  The Los Angeles-based organization selected The Beach due to its location and amenities, said NVL CEO and founder, Albert “Al-B” Hannemann.

Photo provided

The Ohio Valley Region of USA Volleyball boasts more than 20,00 junior volleyball members, making it the largest region for junior volleyball, he said.

“The Beach has been very accommodating and we’re looking at long-term growth here,” said Hannemann.  “You can’t find a better place than this.  I’m kind of like a kid running around right now because it’s so exciting.”

The tournaments, which take place July 19-21 this year, are expected to bring thousands of nationally-recognized beach volleyball players and fans to the area.

The Beach is renovating five regulation-size sand volleyball courts with combined stadium seating for 2,500, said Ralph Vilardo, Jr., the park’s general manager.

Ticketholders can watch preliminary matches at no charge; there’s an extra $10 fee to watch final matches, he said.  Volleyball-only tickets will also be available for purchase.

The courts will be available for use by patrons at no additional charge on non-game days.  The park will also host league play five nights a week, with an OVR junior elite league playing Monday through Thursday and a recreational co-ed league on Friday nights.

The announcement comes months after new owners of The Beach announced the park will undergo $5 million in upgrades this year — the first in a series of improvements to one of the region’s top tourist attractions.

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Posted in: Arts & Entertainment, Business, News, The Beach Waterpark |

Tags: Tags: contract, mason, national volleyball league, nvl, professional volleyball, sand volleyball, the beach at adventure landing, the beach waterpark, upgrades, volleyball, water park, waterpark

Macy McReynolds, 12, of Mason and her brother Micah, 8, play in waterfall at Lou Eves Municipal Pool in Mason last summer. File photo

Splish Splash. The Lou Eves Municipal Pool at Corwin N. Nixon Park opens Memorial Day weekend.

The pool opens Saturday.  Hours are noon to 8 p.m. through Memorial Day weekend.  The pool reopens the weekend of June 2-3; daily operation runs from June 9 through Aug. 19, with weekend operations Aug. 25-26 and Labor Day weekend.

The outdoor community pool, which opened in 1995, was recently upgraded with new pumps, paint, and a new custom-fitted PVC pool lined was installed.

Amenities include a climbing wall, water slide, baby pool, children’s play area and snack bar.  Morning swim lessons by the Mason Swim Academy begin June 11.

Regular resident passes are $73 adults; $45 youth and senior citizens and $128 for families.  Non-resident cost is $157 adults; $96 youth and senior citizens and $321 for families.   Special rates are also available for Mason business employees and their families.

Daily resident admission is $5.50 adults and $4.50 youth and seniors; non-resident daily rates are $8.50 adults and $7 for children and seniors.  Children ages 3 and under are free.  Daily pass rates are discounted 50 percent after 5 p.m.

The pool is at 6249 Mason-Montgomery Road.  For more information, call the City of Mason at 513-229-8500.

Posted in: Community, Events, Recreational events |

Tags: Tags: corwin nixon park, lou eves municipal pool, lou eves pool, mason, memorial day, pool, upgrades

The Lou Eves Municipal Pool was upgraded with new pumps, paint and PVC liner this season. The pool opens Memorial Day weekend. Provided photo

City workers are putting the finishing touches on improvements to the Lou Eves Municipal Pool.

The outdoor community pool, which opened in 1995, was recently upgraded with new pumps, paint, and a new custom-fitted PVC pool lined was installed.

The pool opens on Saturday, May 26 and will be open from noon to 8 p.m. Memorial Day weekend.  The pool reopens the weekend of June 2-3; daily operation runs from June 9 through Aug. 19, with weekend operations Aug. 25-26 and Labor Day weekend.

Amenities include a climbing wall, water slide, baby pool, children’s play area and snack bar.  Morning swim lessons by the Mason Swim Academy begin June 11.

Regular resident passes are $73 adults; $45 youth and senior citizens and $128 for families.  Non-resident cost is $157 adults; $96 youth and senior citizens and $321 for families.   Special rates are also available for Mason business employees and their families.

Daily resident admission is $5.50 adults and $4.50 youth and seniors; non-resident daily rates are $8.50 adults and $7 for children and seniors.  Children ages 3 and under are free.  Daily pass rates are discounted 50 percent after 5 p.m.

The pool is at 6249 Mason-Montgomery Road.  For more information, call the City of Mason at 513-229-8500.

Posted in: Events, Recreational events |

Tags: Tags: city of mason, community, corwin nixon park, lou eves pool, mason, outdoor pool, upgrades