Will new Cal Expo water park open this summer in Sacramento? Here’s what we know

Angela Rodriguez
·1 min read
2

As the summer heat creeps into California, the much-awaited opening of the water park at Cal Expo is still nowhere in sight.

Steven Dooner, CEO of Silverwood Entertainment Holdings, LLC, and California Dreamin’, signed a long-term lease in August to take over the water park at Cal Expo at 1600 Exposition Blvd., formerly known as Raging Waters.

Raging Waters, which ceased operations in 2022, had been a part of Cal Expo since 2007. It offered guests a wide range of water attractions, including a lazy river and water slides.

The new and improved water park, renamed Calibunga, will not reopen this year, according to the Sacramento Business Journal.

The Sacramento Bee reached out to Cal Expo and Silverwood Entertainment Holdings for comment but had not received a response as of Friday afternoon.

Here’s what we know so far:

Park-goers float down the “Lazy River” at Raging Waters water park on Wednesday, July 28, 2015, in Sacramento, Calif.
Park-goers float down the “Lazy River” at Raging Waters water park on Wednesday, July 28, 2015, in Sacramento, Calif.

When will Sacramento water park reopen at Cal Expo?

California Dreamin’ plans to begin demolition on parts of Calibunga in June. It’s awaiting approval for demolition plans from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Due to current conditions of the facility, formerly known as Raging Waters, Dooner told the Sacramento Business Journal that “the best course of action is to create an entirely new park.”

A woman heads to the wave pool at Raging Waters.
A woman heads to the wave pool at Raging Waters.

Which attractions will Calibunga keep?

The lazy river and speed slides in the northwest corner of the water park will remain in place, according to the Sacramento Business Journal.

“The rest will be replaced, including the wave pool,” Dooner said.

Silverwood also looks to make improvements “that would turn the facility into a year-round destination,” Dooner previously told The Sacramento Bee.

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