Beach Waterpark set to reopen with $5M in renovations, new jobs

MASON, Ohio - Almost a year after the Beach Waterpark in Mason closed its doors , good news is coming for the almost 8,800 frustrated season pass holders who weren't able to use them when the park closed without notice.

The Beach Waterpark is set to reopen May 18, 2013, under new ownership and they'll be honoring all season passes that weren't able to get use because of the park's closure on March 9, 2012. The park is now under the management of Adventure Holdings, LLC . The Jacksonville, Fla.-based company owns and operates 18 family entertainment centers across the country including ones in Florida, North Carolina, New York and Texas.

Before the 2012 season began, the water park sold approximately 8,800 passes for the 2012 season. The park offered deals instead of a refund to its season pass holders who paid by debit card or check. Only pass holders who paid by credit card could dispute the fees.

With the 2013 season, ticket holders are finally able to cash in on their purchases after a long and frustrating process since March 2012.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine sued the park’s owners and operators in May for failure to deliver — a violation of Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act. DeWine said the park took money from thousands of customers who purchased season passes before park representatives announced its closing.

The Beach tried to make good with their season pass holders, teaming up with eight Cincinnati-area attractions to offer $200 worth of goodies . Season passes to The Beach Waterpark most recently retailed for $89.99.

The Beach offered all of its season pass holders:

• One free day at Kings Island and its water park.
• A discounted Kings Island Gold Pass.
• Two free Coney Island/Sunlite Pool tickets (in addition to Kings Island.)
• Discounts to the Cincinnati Zoo, Morgan's Canoeing, and Ozone Zipline adventures.
• A one-week YMCA pass.

After the announcement, hundreds of consumers filed complaints with the Ohio Attorney General's Office saying they wanted refunds — not the discounts and deals offered through the company. According to the Attorney General's lawsuit, the offers were not adequate substitutions, because they were not similar goods or services and they were not of equal or greater value to what the consumers ordered. Substitute offers must be acceptable to consumers, Dewine said.

Not only are the season pass holders able to use their old passes, but they will also come in to a park with new additions and renovation. The park is adding new attractions and will be spending more than $5 million on renovations for the new season. The improvements include new rides and renovations to the kids area, activity area and the wave pool, said General Manager Ralph Vilardo, Jr.

"We're keeping the foot print the same but we've changed the depth of it and added all the new latest and greatest technology to give it a much more exciting and consistent wave that is air driven," Vilardo said of the new wave pool.

Along with the new renovations, The Beach Waterpark is looking for 400 seasonal workers. They plan to hold their first job fair on March 9. To apply for a job, go to http://www.thebeachwaterpark.com/job-application.aspx .

The Beach Waterpark was open for more than 27 years before representatives announced its closing. Park representatives said the closure came because of the challenging economic climate and changing patron entertainment habits. The water park, which sits on 35 acres in Mason, operated at a loss during the past several years, according to officials.

9 On Your Side Reporter, Mario Ramirez contributed to this report, you can reach him at Mario.Ramirez@wcpo.com .