Indoor Scuba Waterpark

[ScubaWithTurk]

On paper this a wonderful idea. The startup cost would astronomical. Then you have the constant upkeep with the marine life.

I do not know if you would ever see a proper ROI unless you got creative with the marketing and were able to rent the pool system out for other things such as PSD training, Underwater CSI training, etc.

 

[lowwall]

Laser tag?

 

[Diver4242]

They have that, it's called Living Seas in Orlando/Disney Similar concept though, and a pretty cool dive. I've been trying to talk Stu at Dutch Springs into doing this. But of course, the ROI isn't there, and the amount of capital (as others have said) to do something like this is off the charts.

 

[Paradocs1111]

Thanks Everyone, now I just need to win the Lottery.

 

[flymolo]

I'd go. When do you break ground?

 

[flyboy08]

I'd totally dive in a place like that.
It would be my option when conditions suck and it's not possible to dive in the Ocean...
Also a good way to practice skills, new underwater toys etc.

There are some places like that, like this one in Italy (deepest pool in the world) Hotel Terme Millepini - Wikipedia

Ditto...do it!

 

[Saboteur]

Does anyone think that a indoor water park designed by scuba divers for scuba diving, lessons, birthday parties, year round, night diving, salt water ,aquatic life and tropical fish, caves, tunnels, 40-50 foot depth, multiple linked pools, sand, gravel bottom, metal detecting games, photography, attractions, rentals, scuba shop, cafe....would you dive here? Inland diving is so seasonal, visibility is poor or variable, aquatic life in fresh water is interesting, but tropical aquarium grade sea life would be amazing. Let me know thoughts, pros, cons.

Awesome idea....if Nemo 33 and the Y40 pool can succeed I would suspect a similar venue in the USA would.

 

[broncobowsher]

Will never work as a stand alone attraction. But as a side attraction it might work. Economics say it won't ever break even. Best to find something already existing and adapt it. There was a shop that bought an old building in the Midwest that had huge tanks used for testing sonar buoys. Something like that as a starting point.

 

[dogbone]

What about something like Bonne Terre Mine

It's in essence I giant pool, constant temp year round...

 

[Carlos Danger]

I think a lot of people would enjoy having access to such a facility, myself included. That said, I'm not sure how often I would go there after the initial novelty wore off; especially if it were cost prohibitive. I can't image that the upfront investment and ongoing overhead would ever be offset in a way that would make a large operation profitable or even sustainable in the longer term, unless maybe if it were part of some much larger enterprise.

Obviously this is not quite the same thing, but in the interim the experience might provide you some real-world insights regarding scale and high-level requirements for that type of endeavor (fish not included):

Dive with Gentle Giants Encounter & Experience | Georgia Aquarium

Rebreather Dive Program | Georgia Aquarium