VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Developers say the Atlantic Surf Park is scheduled to open in Spring 2025.
Virginia Beach City Councilmembers got a long-awaited update about the Atlantic Surf Park project Tuesday night.
More than a year after a deal was made – there's still a long way to go before 19th and 20th streets are filled with a surf lagoon, amphitheater, new parking garages and retail space.
The development, backed by Grammy Award-winning artist and Virginia Beach native Pharrell Williams, is well underway with some of the pieces halfway finished.
"One of the significant things is it’s sort of been the past policy that we kind of feel like one big project at a time is about all we can handle and I think that’s right," said Councilwoman Barbara Henley. "We have all of our concentration on this project because this is going to be a gamechanger."
The surf lagoon is 46% finished, parking garages are 68% complete, the entertainment venue is 29% complete and the retail area is 20% complete.
"It’s like nothing else that’s been built in the area, so I think it’ll bring a lot of interesting events and tourism," said Hunter Skolnick, a surfer in Virginia Beach.
He said he’s looking forward to the surf lagoon opening in particular, which is projected to happen next spring.
"If you can look at the waves today, its generally not too big around this area, so when the waves are small out here, it’ll be good to surf in the pool," he said.
Visiting from Richmond, James Allmon said if he’s coming to town, he’s not likely to leave the beach to visit the 12-acre venue
"I don’t come here for that. I come here for this," he said gesturing to the beach.
Christie Benheim agrees, but said she could be convinced.
"It depends on who the artist is if I was already here," she said.
The city is contributing just over $150 million of the $350 million project, but Councilman Worth Remick said they will see a return on investment through parking garage revenue and increased property values in the area.
"We should look at this not only in a 10 year timeframe, but 20 and 30 year timeframe, but also the effect on the brand of our city, entertainment at the Oceanfront," he said.
He also said Live Nation is already starting to line up acts for the concert venue and they're planning for the first concert in the Spring.
Mayor Bobby Dyer said the grand opening can’t come soon enough.
"This is probably going to be opening pretty much at the right time when we’re gonna really need it," he said. "As a destination city for surfing, which is very much part our cultural culture and tradition here in Virginia Beach. The thing is, the important thing is sometimes in government you gotta play chess, not checkers and think ahead of time. We’re gonna be coming in to an era now where we’re gonna have to raise significant revenues to pay all the obligations."
The city will maintain ownership of the Atlantic Park entertainment venue, improved streetscape and parking garages.
"We’re in competition with other cities and this is, once again, somewhat unique in so many way," said Dyer.