Pipe dream of Australian wave pool utopia snuffed out by harsh new report

Blame Kelly?

It seems like only yesterday Australians were told they were about to wake up to a new utopia. Vegemite in every cupboard and a surf ranch in every back yard. Yes, the unveiling of Kelly Slater’s manmade wave miracle, there in the cow stink of Lemoore, heralded a bold new age for the nation of surf mad huis. Exciting proposals popped up directly. A rusty plunger built in Yeppoon.

And yet, nearly one decade on, only one public wave generating facility has been built down in Melbourne. The aforementioned Surf Lakes facility, in Yeppoon, still just an invite-only prototype.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, wondering why, visited with Surf Lakes founder Aaron Trevis who declared there is simply no money for the things. He was hoping to have $50 million raised by now. Alas, he has not. “I was hoping to be there already,” he sadly stated, “but that’s the challenge. At this stage it is really about the money, to be honest.”

Urbnsrf, the one operating in Melbourne, is planning another in Sydney, scheduled to open next year, and another in Perth. The Kelly Slater Surf Ranch set to be built on pristine wetlands, shuttered forever.

And that’s it, that’s all.

ABC concluded:

Not only are surf parks complicated and costly to develop, operators say they are expensive to run.

Making waves is energy intensive, and a steady stream of cashed-up surfers are required to keep the lights on and the pumps running day and night.

The emerging business model is for the pool to serve as the centrepiece of a larger, integrated development with multiple revenue streams.

But developers said institutional investors viewed surf parks as a new — and therefore risky — phenomenon and were reluctant to fund them.

The Wavegarden technology is the most efficient with annual operating expenses at, roughly $11.5 million. Cost for the surfer also economical with “12 guaranteed waves costing between $80 and $160.”

Slater’s the most expense with a private day rate of $70,000. It turns a profit but its clientele are almost exclusively Silicon Valley executives and their mates, or sponsored professionals.

The piece went on to discuss more troubles with the surf tank model but pivoted sort of anti-depressive at the end, attempting to maybe imagine a future sotted with tubs.

Where do you currently stand on the matter?

Bullish or bearish?

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justiceminister
justiceminister
2 years ago

It’s the future especially for in land locations. Billions of untapped punters to get on board or more specifically on a board. As intimated in the article other revenue streams are important for ongoing success. The whole golf resort type thing.

WSL will be utilizing the parks for on going events as in Korea the other week. No more lay days and wasted time and boat loads of cash going down like the Titanic with no product to offer

Overall its an attractive proposition to the ever frustrated WSL management with the new mantra of “non stop action” plastered on it’s billboards around the new watery stadia. Riding the wave to future success. Maybe, just maybe.

discosaurus
discosaurus
2 years ago

Quite correct, and that means that praying during contests should be forbidden, especially for Brazilians.

Josh Wilson
Josh Wilson
2 years ago

Housing is king in Australia.

If you want to raise $50mil, use the wave pool to sell apartments and townhouses. Water views without the beachfront prices!

Would be a fantastic selling point for an otherwise drab location, just needs to find that much spare land near a train line.

Pauly Matt War-Shore
Pauly Matt War-Shore
2 years ago

Weak as piss that cunt.

NEGATRON
NEGATRON
2 years ago

Moved to emailing me instead. Joys of mod-life.

Pauly Matt War-Shore
Pauly Matt War-Shore
2 years ago
Reply to  NEGATRON

Amazing.

NEGATRON
NEGATRON
2 years ago

A lot of peeps should use the block button. Permanent downvote to save the tears.

Pauly Matt War-Shore
Pauly Matt War-Shore
2 years ago

I’m done with you now. Was fun. Seeya next time!

Pauly Matt War-Shore
Pauly Matt War-Shore
2 years ago

U R so triggered now that your grammar and spelling has gone to seed. I can picture you now, all red faced and fuming, furiously mashing away at your keyboard.

NEGATRON
NEGATRON
2 years ago

You’re taking all this way to seriously, go play with your Kids or something.
As for the downvotes, knock yourself out👍🏻 https://uploads.disquscdn.c…

Pauly Matt War-Shore
Pauly Matt War-Shore
2 years ago

Giving someone shit and making memes about them because they were being an epic loser doesn’t mean that one is triggered. It usually means that one has too much time on their hands at work and are laughing at said epic loser.

NEGATRON
NEGATRON
2 years ago

He’s pretty green.

Surefire way to spot the triggered person?
Telling everyone else they’re triggered while being consumed with commenting about anything and everything.

Pauly Matt War-Shore
Pauly Matt War-Shore
2 years ago

There is so much stuff that I could with good grounds delete, but don’t. Mostly from posters I don’t like too, so just have a little relax there, fella. I’ve only moderate a tiny handful of things.

Pauly Matt War-Shore
Pauly Matt War-Shore
2 years ago

Just saying that someone is triggered, doesn’t make it so, friend. It was a pretty good trolling tactic five years ago though.

Pauly Matt War-Shore
Pauly Matt War-Shore
2 years ago

“That is so funny to me that I feel compelled to keep doing it until he bans me, at which point I start up new accounts on different phones and keep doing it over and over.”

You don’t have the energy to be angry, but you have the energy to do this? Ok mate.

Pauly Matt War-Shore
Pauly Matt War-Shore
2 years ago

I did not remember that VONR started the AI shitposting, and tbh, I get you two confused all the time, due to the nature of your posts. I didn’t see Negs’s allegedly racist comment, or probably would’ve called it out myself. I tell you what though, when it comes to lineball moderation calls, a little personality goes a long way. A self proclaimed, yet highly ineffective and thin skinned “troll”, is never gonna get much leeway

Pauly Matt War-Shore
Pauly Matt War-Shore
2 years ago

Defending him, or agreeing with him? Either way, I reckon your nearly done giving downvotes, and are almost ready for another full-blown tantrum. Let it out, child.

Pauly Matt War-Shore
Pauly Matt War-Shore
2 years ago

Best comeback is a gay joke hey? I liked it better when you were having multiple meltdowns about nothing over multiple threads.

Pauly Matt War-Shore
Pauly Matt War-Shore
2 years ago

Those posts were so shit. You should be glad that Negs has stopped you embarrassing yourself.

Erik Bogan
Erik Bogan
2 years ago

Sounds better then going to Indo where you pay the same amount, yet get to split the waves with 100 angry internationals in the water all claiming to be local after moving there during covid.

tim_nelsen
tim_nelsen
2 years ago

Dude looks like a lady?

tim_nelsen
tim_nelsen
2 years ago

yeah. i’m shakin all ova…Delirium Tremons


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