Feb. 24, 2020

Wild Water West is planning to add a roller coaster it says is unlike anything between Denver and Minneapolis.

The amusement and water park just west of Sioux Falls is asking Minnehaha County to allow a conditional use permit so the attraction can move forward.

Rendering of the proposed roller coaster included in the plans submitted to the county

According to information submitted to the county, the enclosed footprint of the coaster will be about 275 feet long by 125 feet wide and reach a peak height of 113 feet.

It would be south of the wave pool and northwest of the go-cart track.

“You’d have to travel to Minneapolis to the east, Denver to the west and Kansas City to the south or Canada to the north to see a roller coaster of this magnitude,” general manager Francis Phillips wrote in Wild Water West’s application to the county.

“Yes, it’s a risk, but a risk worth taking in our opinion. I can only guess what an attraction of this size in this area would do for the local economy, drawing people in from far and wide.”

The monorail design system allows for smooth operation with no extra noise in the area, he said.

“Wild Water West has slowly but steadily grown for over 30 years and been a vital force in the local economy to be sure,” Phillips said. “This proposed attraction is sure to enhance that for decades to come.”

The plan is to open the coaster yet this year, which might allow the park to expand the operating season through the end of September and beyond depending on weather, he said.

The county planning department is recommending approval of the conditional use permit needed for the coaster to move forward.