NJ’s newest water park opens July 4th in Atlantic City

💦 The park's grand opening was delayed

💦 Rides were issued permits to open on the Fourth of July

💦 The park includes a dozen water slides and the largest arcade on the east coast

ATLANTIC CITY — After licensing issues delayed the opening of the new indoor Island Waterpark at the Showboat in Atlantic City, it opened during the Fourth of July holiday.

Owner Bart Blatstein announced late Friday afternoon, hours before the park was to officially open to the public, that it wouldn't open for another week.

“I want this to be perfect. It's going to last for decades, and I want everyone to be awed when they walk through the door. So when I know it's perfect to my standards we will open the doors," Blatstein said in his email.

As of Monday afternoon, the rides were not licensed by the state Department of Community Affairs. But Tuesday Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small posted the news on his Facebook page the park was open along with a video tour of the waterpark.

"I’m proud to OFFICIALLY Announce that Island Waterpark at the Showboat IS NOW OPEN," Small posted.

Lisa Ryan, spokeswoman for the DCA, said all the rides had been permitted.

"As of today, all inspections are complete and all ride attractions at Island Waterpark in Atlantic City have been issued a permit to operate and are open to the public," Ryan said in an email.

Help from Gov. Murphy

Gov. Phil Murphy also helped by allowing employees of the state's Division of Community Affairs, which issues permits for all amusement rides in New Jersey, to work on the holiday to get permits issued, Harry Hurley of sister station WPG reported.

Documentation for every ride must be submitted by the respective manufacturers for DCA engineering staff to verify, according to spokeswoman Lisa Ryan. After the design is approved the owner must submit a permit application.

When the permit is approved a DCA ride inspector inspects the ride to make sure it is safe. Once the onsite inspection is complete the ride can be opened to the public.

The new Island Waterpark includes more than a dozen water slides, a 1,000 square-foot surf simulator, an 11,000 linear-foot lazy river, the largest arcade on the East Coast and the largest Zoltar fortune teller in the world.

Ground was broken on the 103,000 square-foot year-round water park with a retractable roof in January 2022 and is part of a renovation of the Showboat casino.

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