CULLMAN, Ala. — WildWater Cullman officially opened its new Paradise Lazy River Tuesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking the largest single expansion in the park’s history. The 1,000-foot lazy river — among the longest in the Southeast — adds 400,000 gallons of water, 17,725 square feet of attraction space and room for 1,000 additional guests to the park.
The expansion doubles much of the park’s guest comfort footprint, adding more than 400 new lounge chairs, 30 new tables, 15 new cabanas and 15 new giant umbrellas, along with 300 new inner tubes and twice the deck space, connected by new walkways throughout the park. The Paradise Lazy River can accommodate 600 guests in the water and 400 on the surrounding deck at once. The project also introduces The Sandbar, a new bar and grill located along the river, and new restroom facilities.
WildWater is a landmark feature of Cullman’s OmniSports District, a 155-acre hub of parks and recreation facilities in the heart of Cullman that also includes the Cullman Wellness and Aquatic Center, The OmniPlex, Heritage Park, Field of Miracles and the Active Adult Center. The district drew more than 1.2 million visitors over the past year, generating significant traffic for local businesses throughout Cullman.
“This expansion is about more than a new attraction — it’s an investment in what makes Cullman a destination,” said Cullman Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism Executive Director Nathan Anderson. “The OmniSports District exists to give our residents and visitors world-class recreation close to home, and the Paradise Lazy River raises that bar. With more than 1.2 million visitors coming through this district each year, projects like this one continue to strengthen our local economy and our quality of life.”
“Cullman continues to invest in projects that bring real value to our families and our economy, and the Paradise Lazy River is a perfect example,” said Mayor Woody Jacobs. “I want to thank the City of Cullman Street Department and Water/Sewer Department for their hard work and dedication in bringing this project to completion. Their efforts behind the scenes made today’s celebration possible, and Cullman is fortunate to have city employees who take this kind of pride in their work.”
“It was exciting to participate in the ribbon cutting for the Paradise Lazy River at WildWater this morning. The Lazy River area looks incredible, and I know it’s already been a great addition to the park. To me, WildWater is a great example of a project that serves two purposes. First, it’s a major tourism draw for our community — I believe around 80% of the visitors each day are from outside of Cullman. That’s great, because they come to our community and spend time and money, which benefits Cullman with increased sales for local restaurants and retailers, increased tax revenues and increased job opportunities,” said David Moss, Cullman City Council president pro-tem and chairperson of the Council’s Tourism Committee.
“Second, Cullman has an incredible facility that our citizens can enjoy, one much greater than what would exist without that tourism draw,” he continued. “It’s an incredible value for our young families in Cullman. My daughters and grandchildren have season passes and have gone there every week this summer. They love it, and I know there are a lot of other young families enjoying it as well.”
“Our guests have watched this expansion take shape all season, and today they finally get to experience it,” said Michael Schwitek, WildWater general manager. “The Paradise Lazy River gives families and groups a whole new way to relax and spend the day with us, with more seating, more shade and more space than ever before. Between the new cabanas, umbrellas and The Sandbar, we built this expansion around what our guests have told us they want most — room to unwind.”
The Paradise Lazy River is open now during regular park hours. After Aug. 5, WildWater Cullman shifts to a weekends-only schedule through the end of the season on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7. For hours, tickets and park information, visit www.wildwatercullman.com.
The park is located at 1707 Main Ave. SW.
