Cowabunga Bay, a popular water park in Henderson, Nevada, has announced it will close its doors permanently after the 2027 season, concluding 12 years of operation. The decision has been met with anger and disappointment from local families who relied on the park for summer recreation.
In a Facebook post, the park stated, "After 12 unforgettable years of making summer memories together, Cowabunga Bay will not reopen for the 2027 season." Management characterized the closure as a "difficult decision" and extended thanks to patrons, staff, and partners.
Cade Vereen, the park's vice president of operations, explained that the closure is part of a move to consolidate operations at the company's sister property, Cowabunga Canyon, located in Summerlin, approximately 25 miles west of Henderson. "The decision ultimately came down to streamlining our operations," Vereen told Fox 5. "Moving the operation and focusing at the Canyon location in Summerlin really was kind of the best decision for the park."
However, this explanation has done little to appease local residents, many of whom expressed frustration and a lack of clear reasoning for the closure. "What does streamline mean?" asked Jim, a frequent visitor who brought his grandson to the park, in comments to the outlet. He suggested that if the closure were due to economic reasons or water shortages, a more detailed explanation would be warranted.
Other locals lamented the loss of a key recreational spot for children and families in an area where options are already limited. "There’s not much for kids to do in this town as it is, and to take away this … it just makes it tough for the parents to find things to do with the kids, you know?" one visitor stated.
Greco Arias, a Henderson resident, echoed these sentiments, calling the park's closure "very limiting" and a significant loss for summer activities for all ages. The sentiment was mirrored on social media, with one user commenting, "Sure, take this away from kids and families in Henderson. This was the original park. These families are not going to drive out to Summerlin. This is awful."
The 23-acre Cowabunga Bay featured more than 20 slides and pools and was recognized by USA Today as a runner-up in its 10Best ranking of outdoor water parks in 2025. The park was still promoting 2027 season passes on Facebook as recently as October 1; these passes will be honored at Cowabunga Canyon for the duration of the season. The Pyek Group, which operates Cowabunga Bay, also runs Typhoon Texas parks in Houston and Austin, and Daytona Lagoon in Florida.