Water Cube set to reopen soon with a big splash

 (China Daily) 2010-07-19

Water Cube set to reopen soon with a big splash

A worker toils near the Water Cube on Sunday. [Wang Jing / China Daily]

The Water Cube will reopen to the public at the end of this month after reconstruction and Asia's biggest indoor water park will open inside on Aug 8.

Beijing State-owned Assets Management Co Ltd, business owner of the Water Cube, said the reconstruction cost 200 million yuan in total and enlarged the Water Cube's open area from 50 percent to 78 percent.

The reconstructed Water Cube will include four main sections, including a warm-up pool, a major swimming pool, an Olympic demonstration area and the indoor water park.

The Water Cube will continue to host national and international sports events and large-scale performances at the major swimming pool, which is surrounded by 6,000 fixed seats.

The new water park is 12,000 square meters and includes some equipment and facilities that have never been used elsewhere in Asia, or in a few cases, the world.

In the 30-meter high park hall, there are 11 entertaining spots such as Deep Sea Windstorm, Crazy Tsunami, Seafloor Shuttle, Dream Drift and 11 slides, the tallest of which is 23-meters high.

According to Water Cube staff, the water park will be open from 10 am to 10 pm, 365 days a year and will likely get 3,000 to 5,000 guests per day, and 1,500,000 guests a year.

Starting Aug 8 tickets to the Water Park will cost 200 yuan for adults and 160 yuan for children 1.2 meters to 1.39 meters tall. The park will be free for children shorter than 1.2 meters.

Groups of more than 10 will be eligible for discounts, a ticket to just see the inside of the Water Cube (but not use the facilities) will be 30 yuan and a ticket to go swimming (but not use the water park) will be 50 yuan for two hours.

Metro