Utah firm plans to buy and revamp Splash Down Dunes

PORTER | A Utah company is poised to bring the waters of life back to the shuttered Splash Down Dunes.

The former water park, which town officials call an eyesore, was shuttered at the end of the 2009 season after the town of Porter had cited it for a number of building code violations.

The property is now under contract with Seven Peaks Water Park, of Utah, owner of two water parks and three fun centers in Utah.

Bruce Law, Seven Peaks' acting vice president of marketing, said the Porter property was attractive for many reasons and the company hopes to close on the property in coming days. The conditions of the grounds and the looming start of the summer season make it likely the park won't reopen this year, he said.

"There is interest to open this season, but it doesn't look likely," Law said. "We want to make sure everything is rock solid, and it would be a completely superhuman act to open it this season because we don't want to open it in August or late August. It's not realistic to open it this year."

Law said it will take some time to get the property up and running again.

"From what we've been able to ascertain, the materials that are there are in good shape but need sprucing up, so we will work with the materials and make them better," he said. "The grounds have been destroyed over the past three years since they were unoccupied, so we will be working hard there."

He said his company is in talks to determine what the future park will look like.

"As far as new attractions, we're sketching out the plan as we speak," Law said. "It is customary for Seven Peaks to add to the property long term."

The location's proximity to the Indiana Dunes helped inspire the decision to buy, Law said.

"The main focus of our company is providing wholesome family activity that is outdoors," he said. "It was an immediate interest here because of the outdoor opportunities. Obviously, the winters are not good, but the summers are beautiful and active. When we found the property with existing facilities, we were attracted because the property needed work, so there is good opportunity for growth."