Cowabunga Bay Shuts Down Permanently in Henderson After 12-Year Run

The sudden announcement—posted on the park’s official website and confirmed by local media outlets—marks the end of a prominent entertainment chapter for the city of Henderson.

Located at 900 Galleria Drive, near the intersection of Gibson Road and the Galleria at Sunset corridor, the 23-acre surf-themed attraction first welcomed guests on the Fourth of July weekend in 2014.

According to a farewell statement signed by “Your Cowabunga Family,” park management acknowledged the emotional weight of shuttering the venue after more than a decade of operations.

“Please know this decision was not made lightly,” ownership stated. “While our chapter in Henderson is coming to a close, our story in Las Vegas is far from over. Moving forward, we’re focusing our Las Vegas waterpark operations on Cowabunga Canyon in Summerlin, where we look forward to continuing to create unforgettable summer memories.”

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|          COWABUNGA BAY HENDERSON CLOSURE DOSSIER       |
+--------------------------------------------------------+
|  - Reporting Date: Wednesday / Thursday, Oct. 2026     |
|  - Primary Outlets: Las Vegas Sun, LVRJ, KSNV News 3   |
|  - Operating Entity: Cowabunga Vegas Ownership         |
|  - Venue: Cowabunga Bay Waterpark (Henderson, NV)      |
|  - Street Address: 900 Galleria Drive, Henderson 89011 |
|  - Inaugural Opening: July 2014 (12 Operational Years) |
|  - Effective Status: Permanently Closed for 2027+      |
|  - Surviving Sister Park: Cowabunga Canyon (Summerlin / |
|    7055 S. Fort Apache Road) Remaining Fully Open      |
|  - Henderson Real Estate: 23-Acre Parcel Maintained &  |
|    Secured Pending Future Land Use Evaluations         |
|  - Customer Refund Deadline: December 31, 2026         |
+--------------------------------------------------------+

Consolidation to Summerlin and Customer Resolution

The decision to close Cowabunga Bay consolidates ownership’s footprint down to a single Southern Nevada property: Cowabunga Canyon, located along South Fort Apache Road in the southwest valley near Summerlin (formerly Wet ‘n’ Wild Las Vegas before being acquired and rebranded under the shared Cowabunga banner).

For thousands of Henderson and East Valley families holding season passes, park leadership outlined clear transition and reimbursement options:

• 2027 Season Pass Rollover: All purchased 2027 season passes, along with perks such as complimentary parking and Bring-A-Friend tickets, will be automatically honored at Cowabunga Canyon without extra transfer fees.

• Refund Window: Season pass holders who do not wish to commute across the valley to Summerlin have until December 31, 2026, to submit an online refund request via the dedicated portal on cowabungavegas.com.

• Group Bookings & Cabanas: Group sales coordinators are reaching out to guests with 2027 reservations, parties, and cabana rentals to arrange full refunds or transfer bookings to the Summerlin location.

The digital infrastructure for Cowabunga Bay will be phased out as well; the standalone Henderson website will remain accessible through November 19, 2026, after which visitors will be redirected to Cowabunga Canyon’s centralized web platform.

Future of the Prime 23-Acre Galleria Drive Parcel

While mechanical operations and summer admissions have concluded, the physical property along Galleria Drive will not be abandoned.

Ownership verified that on-site security and facility maintenance teams will preserve the parcel while future commercial, residential, or mixed-use development proposals are reviewed.

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|             GALLERIA CORRIDOR LAND CONTEXT             |
+--------------------------------------------------------+
|  • Zoning Footprint: 23 prime commercial acres         |
|    bordering US-95/I-515 and the Galleria retail belt  |
|  • Attraction Assets: Signature slides like Wild Surf, |
|    Zuma ZOOMa, and Boardwalk Bay Wave Pool            |
|  • Equipment Status: Ownership has not announced if    |
|    slides will be relocated to Summerlin or auctioned  |
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With Henderson experiencing significant industrial and high-density residential expansion around Cadence and East Galleria, the departure of the water park opens a major redevelopment opportunity along one of the city’s key thoroughfares.

Source: Cowabunga Vegas Executive Statements, Las Vegas Sun Entertainment Desk, Las Vegas Review-Journal Commercial Real Estate Logs.

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