Another Mystery development project in North Augusta (Grovetown, Washington: 2015, apartment)

[Airforceguy]

This development is code named "Project Locker", details will be released Thursday at an 11 AM news conference.

“Project Locker” is almost entirely a secret and a mystery with no one releasing what type of business it is. I asked City Administrator Todd Glover questions on how it will affect you and what it will do for the area, and all he said is that the project it’s expected to bring about 100 jobs and will be beneficial for the entire CSRA, not just North Augusta.

With the details I could get from him and other Aiken County officials, the project has no connection to Project Jackson, the Riverfront project that is bringing a baseball stadium among many other things to the South Carolina city. The mystery project won’t be located in the industrial area or the Riverfront. The business is not a South Carolina based company.

As for costs, the city and county have partnered together to offer the company an incentive package using tax money and fees that have been collected over the years.

Mystery development project in North Augusta

[tckr83]

Wonder if this is the water park?

[Airforceguy]

You called it Tckr83....

North Augusta officials and business leaders are proudly announcing a $25 million dollar project under the code name is a long-awaited waterpark.

News 12 talked with the team behind Scuttle's Island - a 24-attraction themed water park - before leaders officially announced it's home in North Augusta, off exit five.

The team says it is more than just your average water park; it's an economic boost expected to bring thousands to the area.

While this year's summer season is over, the creators of Scuttle's Island water park saw a need years ago.

"The overwhelming question is what do you do in the summer time? You go out of town or you go to the lake," said Andrew Thompson, partner with Scuttle's Island.

"It's not a local water park. It's not just something you'll attach to a swimming pool or overly elaborate thing you'll have in someone's backyard. It is almost 25 million dollars," he said.

"From a tourism perspective for us - it's a big deal," said North Augusta City Administrator Todd Glover.

Glover says he was immediately sold on the carefully crafted plan.

"They told us their projections on attendance and they could easily be a top 20 water park in the country," he said.

He says, the city had just the spot to put it: exit five.

"If you had a checklist for where's the best place to put a water park, I mean, where they're going meets every single item on that list," said Glover.

Creators predict the number of people attending the park will be up to 300,000 in a season. They predict around 2,800 people per day, and on holiday peak days: almost 6,500.

"We've been developing this project for two years now," said designer and engineer Alex Gryzinski with Aquakita.

He says many of the attractions have already been built. All they need to do is ship them.

Scuttle's Island representatives say the projected opening is May 2016.

Scuttle's Island Water Park coming to North Augusta in 2016

[tckr83]

This is great and location-wise a better fit on the interstate between the populations of Augusta and Columbia... sounds like Mr. Bell had his stuff together to get this up and running as soon as possible, Columbia County wet the bed on this one and will regret its building in another county. Still hard to believe it will be as impressive as theyre talking about in the article for an area the size of Augusta, but I'd love to those claims come to fruition. Should be fun for us all.

[Airforceguy]

I think this is a good location as well. This project will probably lead to more hotels being built at exit 5. SCDOT really needs to think about widening 20 from the river to 520.

[TravelingMat]

So this why all the road constructions happening behind the new Sweetwater Walmart along with the announcement of a new holiday inn next to the Sweetwater plaza and additional traffic light in the works. I've noticed just about every undeveloped parcel attached to that center has gone under contract or has been sold in the past month. Congrats to N.Augusta you have officially transformed Edgefield rd. Into Washington rd north, traffic nightmare in 3 2 1 .

[All In for Augusta]

I really do hope this blows up because they saying all season park aka theme park if this water park does well I would rather have a theme park rather than water park but both would be great

[GRU_Minion]

Originally Posted by TravelingMat

So this why all the road constructions happening behind the new Sweetwater Walmart along with the announcement of a new holiday inn next to the Sweetwater plaza and additional traffic light in the works. I've noticed just about every undeveloped parcel attached to that center has gone under contract or has been sold in the past month. Congrats to N.Augusta you have officially transformed Edgefield rd. Into Washington rd north, traffic nightmare in 3 2 1 .

The stuff behind the Walmart has to do with housing being built back there. Remember when the hotel was announced they also mentioned some duplex and apartment style housing being built in the area behind there. Scuttle's Island will be going in the field across 25 from the SRP building near exit 5. On the Trenton side of the small industrial park next to Sweetwater Square.

Here's a street view:
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.5765...7i13312!8i6656

[Dburger]

North Augusta

[AUGnative]

I am still skeptical this guy can build this entire waterpark and have it open in less than 8 months. That seems overly ambitious. However I do hope this comes to fruition.. IF not for 2016 then for the 2017 season, which seems more likely. Much better location, imo. The Lights of the South location had no direct access to I20, it would have been a nightmare for traffic. But this should be a warning to Columbia County that if they want to continue their growth they need another exit on I20 between the Grovetown and Appling exits. I'd say they could use 2 more.