Gilbert’s Cactus Surf Park washes out as developer exits deal

Gilbert’s long-planned Cactus Surf Park has collapsed after White Water West Industries and the town mutually ended their lease for the proposed attraction. The 25-acre project was expected to bring a surf lagoon, sandy beach and wave technology to Gilbert Regional Park, but construction never began after years of financing and development setbacks.

Key takeaways

• Gilbert and White Water West Industries agreed to terminate the surf park lease in May 2026.
• The project was planned for 25 acres near Gilbert Regional Park.
• White Water was expected to design, finance, build and operate the attraction.
• The town says it will explore other uses for the site and seek community input.

The termination ends a public-private partnership first announced in 2019. Gilbert spokeswoman Joanna Guzman said the town is reviewing a range of options for the property before moving ahead with another proposal.

A project marked by repeated delays

The surf park changed hands and names as its development stalled. Strand Resorts initially proposed a roughly $60 million water park called The Strand at Gilbert, with a planned opening in summer 2020. That target was later pushed to 2021.

In fall 2021, Strand was unable to secure financial backing and sold the project to ACA Arizona LLC. The new owner renamed it Cactus Surf Park. Gilbert extended the development schedule, requiring construction to begin by 2022 and operations to start by April 2024. Neither deadline was met.

White Water, a Canadian company specializing in water attractions, became the project’s third builder. Under the proposed arrangement, the company would have completed the project entirely at its own expense and operated it after opening.

Gilbert’s next steps remain undecided

The town has not announced a replacement developer, a new concept or a timetable for the site. Officials say community feedback will be part of any future planning process, leaving open the possibility that the property could be used for another type of recreation, entertainment or mixed-use project.

The original lease called for annual payments of $284,841 to Gilbert over a 50-year term. With the lease now terminated, the town will need to determine whether to seek another private partner or pursue a different strategy for the land near Queen Creek and Higley roads.

Arizona’s surf market continues to grow

The Gilbert project’s failure comes as other artificial-wave developments gain traction in the region. Mesa’s 3.3-acre Revel Surf Park opened two years ago and remains Arizona’s only operating surf park. It is part of the Cannon Beach mixed-use development, which includes dining and other recreational amenities.

Other proposed projects include PHX Surf, a 40-acre surf resort reportedly under construction in Maricopa, and the planned 120-acre Hidden Hill Surf Resort near Buckeye. Industry group Surf Park Central has said the sector is increasingly combining surf attractions with hotels, retail, restaurants and housing rather than developing stand-alone parks.

Despite the Southwest’s prolonged drought, interest in desert surf facilities remains strong. For Gilbert, however, the next chapter for the former Cactus Surf Park site is still to be determined.

Sources

• Gilbert surf park belly flops as developer walks away | News, gilbertsunnews.com.