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A rendering of the new slide complex at Cedar Point's newly renamed waterpark, Cedar Point Shores, debuting in 2017.
(Cedar Point)
SANDUSKY, Ohio - Cedar Point is expanding its outdoor waterpark in 2017, and renaming it Cedar Point Shores.
Among its additions:
* Point Plummet, a six-story-tall body slide, dubbed aqua-drop, that will drop four riders at a time into a nearly vertical free fall when the floor drops from under them.
* Starboard Surge and Portside Plunge, on the same structure as Point Plummet, with two, five-story tube slides for single riders or pairs.
* And Lakeslide Landing, a family water playground, with 12 kid-sized slides that line the perimeter of a zero-depth-entry pool.
The new Cedar Point Shores, currently known as Soak City, also will feature a new entrance gate, new poolside bar, new changing and showering areas, additional shade, plus unobstructed views of Lake Erie.
Also: additional food options at the new Crystal Rock Cafe and new cabanas.
A waterpark expansion has been the subject of speculation among park fans for the past several months. On Tuesday, season passholders were emailed an invitation to an after-hours party at Soak City, scheduled for Thursday, to learn "full details on exciting new additions coming May of 2017."
Soak City debuted at Cedar Point in 1988 and has been added onto several times since. It currently takes up about 16 acres just off the beach, on the western end of the peninsula. It includes a wave pool, two lazy rivers and about a dozen water slides. It carries a separate, $36 admission charge from the main park.
Earlier this year, the park announced the closure of two rides, Skyscraper and Challenge Racing, both of which are located in Challenge Park - an area outside of the main Cedar Point amusement park, and adjacent to Soak City.
The newly rebranded waterpark will expand into the vacant Challenge Park area.
Cedar Point spokesman Tony Clark said that Challenge Park's miniature golf course would also close. The fate of RipCord, another Challenge Park attraction, will be revealed later, he said.
Still no word on what the park plans to do with Mean Streak, the massive wooden coaster that debuted in 1991. Cedar Point announced earlier this month that the ride would close in mid-September. Coaster fans, however, are hoping that the ride won't be torn down, but instead be converted into a steel-hybrid roller coaster.