TOURISM
The proposed Wavegarden artificial surfing pool in St. Lucie County is expected to be a major tourism draw for visitors of all ages.
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splash, estimated at more than $500 million
once the overall development comes
on line.
Willow Lakes will comprise a massive
residential and commercial development
along with a unique water facility that
generates its own waves for surfers far
away from the beach.
Automatic wave generation at a rate of
100 waves an hour will make for a safe and
predictable surfing experience suitable
for tourists, beginning surfers and even
national teams who need to train with
consistent waves.
It will be one of only a handful of similar
wave pools worldwide and thus is sure to
attract immense interest from tourists. Its
location just west of I-95 is a perfect location
for it to become a true destination for
the Treasure Coast.
Interestingly, Florida’s statutes regarding
water facilities have had to be completely
DEVCON DEVELOPMENT
revised for the Wavegarden project. All
land-based water activities are governed
by swimming pool regulations. The wave
pool, however, needs a steep slope to
help generate waves rather than the flat
concrete of a swimming pool. There has
been an intense legislative effort by local
elected officials to write new rules for this
new use.
“It will definitely be a visitor draw,” Bireley
said of Willow Lakes, “kind of like having
a theme park here. It will set us apart >>
AUDUBON DEVELOPMENT
The King’s Landing mixed-use development, which received preliminary approval from the Fort Pierce
City Commission in January, is expected to become an economic game-changer for the city’s downtown.
Nerissa Okiye, director of tourism and marketing
for Martin County, cited the completion of a major
expansion at the Florida Oceanographic Society
center on South Hutchinson Island.
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