South Loop water park conversations continue

In March and April, the City Council and Port Authority Commission talked through updated plans for Mystery Cove Waterpark at Mall of America. The new plans include a 220,000-square-foot building with a 144,000-square-foot “pool hall” space, which is smaller than previously proposed.

There will be no direct taxpayer cost for the $373 million project. A portion of Mall of America’s property taxes will go into the water park, via tax increment financing (TIF), to make it financially viable. The plans for the water park also include discounted admission for Bloomington residents.

The City Council and Port Authority also discussed options to finance the $373 million project that would include a skyway connecting the park to Mall of America and a new parking lot. Current plans for the water park include a splash pad, wave pool, 30 rides and slides, a lazy river and a retractable roof. The smaller footprint of the building and advanced mechanical systems used for the roof are projected to reduce energy consumption compared to previous plans, according to Mall of America.

“MOA’s continued strong performance is essential to defraying the property tax that residents would otherwise need to pay, and supports the success of many other hospitality businesses in Bloomington,” Port Authority Administrator Holly Masek said.