Wave pool newest addition to Sandy Beach Water Park in Macon

Waves will be a lot closer than Georgia’s coast this summer.

Come Saturday, those in the midstate can find waves at the Sandy Beach Water Park in Macon, which is opening its second season with a new 100,000-gallon wave pool.

A buzzer will signal the swelling waters to rise and fall, sending one of three types of machine-generated waves across the massive pool.

“The wave pool adds another dimension to this in a big way,” said park builder Jeff Franklin, president of Spirit of America Theme Park and Development LLC. The wave pool has “a long, graded (floor) so, it’s really easy for all ages to get in there.”

The wave pool is a new addition to the park, which already includes two 27-foot water slides, a 25-meter swimming pool and a “lazy river,” which is 3 feet deep and 600-feet long with a current that allows people to float along it.

Last year’s Independence Day grand opening marked the start of a short season that lasted only a month and a half because of construction delays, Franklin said. An estimated 15,000 patrons visited the park during regular business hours and private events in 2015.

“We’re looking for 70,000 (patrons) this year,” Franklin said. The park will be open Saturday and Sunday this weekend but will close again for private events until Memorial Day weekend, when it opens in full force for the summer, Franklin said.

Among this year’s other new offerings are a colorful splash pad for children as well as six pavilions for shade and concessions.

“We’re more attuned to the needs of birthday parties and reunions,” Franklin said, adding that a lack of shade was a chief complaint last year.

Coolers and outside food other than birthday cake are prohibited now that the water park has its own concessions stand. Pizza, chicken fingers, hot dogs, pretzels, ice cream and more will be among the choices on the menu, Franklin said.

Wendell Smith oversees the water park, which currently employs about 50 people. Smith said he expects the water park will grow with its clientele base.

“We’re going to continue to add as things move along,” Smith said.

Franklin said he expects low prices and a longer season will encourage more people to use the water park this year.

“We’ve kept our prices pretty reasonable for this much entertainment,” Franklin said. “It’s a lot of bang for your buck, so I’m hoping people will come out and try us out.”

The water park is at 6890 Moseley Dixon Road in Macon.

This story was originally published May 17, 2016 at 7:11 PM with the headline "Wave pool newest addition to Sandy Beach Water Park in Macon."