Surfers could one day have access to an endless supply of big waves, each a perfect swell, thanks to a new surfing oasis built not far from the everyday I-95 gridlock in South Florida.
In an oh-so-Florida approach, two new proposals have surfaced to open a “surf park” destination in Boca Raton — just east of Interstate 95 and north of Yamato Road. Spectators could marvel at skilled surfers taming larger waves, or cheer on beginners conquering gentler waves.
Two ideas for a Boca surf park were among the many recreational proposals recently considered for North Park, formerly known as Boca Raton’s Ocean Breeze golf course at Boca Teeca. If a plan were to proceed, the wave park would be among the first such attractions opening in Florida, since other venues similarly have been pitched in other parts of the state.
Here’s what’s known about the surf park proposals being considered for Boca Raton.
Renderings illustrate the Wave House surf park proposed for the western side of North Park in Boca Raton. (Greater Boca Raton Beach and Parks District)
Boca Surf Park
The surf park proposal that garnered the most favor already has a webpage dedicated to its project.
Boca Surf Park Park co-founder and manager, Cheyne Cottrell, addressed the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Parks District — which is developing North Park — at a public meeting Tuesday. The district opened up the more than 100 acres of the park’s western side to proposals from private developers for all kinds of facilities.
Cottrell said there is a great need for a surf park given the state’s dense population of surfers. He currently is the co-owner of Island Water Sports in Deerfield Beach, a long-standing surf shop in South Florida.
“We have over 250,000 surfers in the state while having the least consistent surf in the country by far. We have a hunger that no other place has for good waves,” Cottrell said at the meeting. “The problem is, we only have 40 days of good waves in Boca and surfing is hard, it’s unpredictable, low quality, windy, tidal and just very low-quality waves in general.”
According to the project proposal, the surf park could include a programmable wave system fitting up to 80 surfers per hour, a coaching hub, food and drink offerings, wellness areas, volleyball courts and an “adventure zone.”
The Boca Surf Park team envisions this project as a regional hot spot. In a letter to the beach and park district, Boca Surf Park wrote: “This Surf Park will deliver significant community, economic and recreational value and strengthen Boca Raton’s position as a destination venue.”
“Boca Surf Park, LLC, was founded by individuals with deep roots in the city of Boca Raton,” the team wrote in its proposal.
Cottrell “grew up here. His family has played a central role in the local surf and skate community for over 40 years. … This park is the next chapter in that legacy. It reflects a lifetime of commitment to the city, shaped by people who live here and understand its values.”
A map illustrates a proposed surf park by Boca Surf Park, LLC for the western side of North Park. (Greater Boca Raton Beach and Parks District)
Wave House
In the past 20 years, Wave House has operated various surfing venues across the world, including in San Diego, California, as well as in Santiago, Chile, and Mallorca, Spain. The company “represents the pinnacle of surf lifestyle entertainment” by combining “waves, sport, music, food, drink, entertainment and retail,” according to the company’s proposal.
Ranney Lochtefeld, the Wave House vice president of operations, told district commissioners during Tuesday’s meeting that their team has experience developing these types of facilities and “pioneering in the space of surf parks.”
Wave House is pitching a “multi-phase recreational facility designed to become the premier surfing and aquatic destination in South Florida.” The completed park could include surf pools with human-made, customizable waves every 10 seconds, an aquatic center, shops, dining options and a lazy river.
To further bolster the project, Wave House also has four-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer Lenny Krayzelburg on its team. Krayzelburg founded a learn-to-swim institution called SwimRight Academy in 2005, which would be part of Wave House’s proposed aquatic center.
“The facility we envision for Boca Raton pairs Olympic-class Surf Loch technology capable of 8-foot barrels for professionals and gentle rollers for beginners with a welcoming, park-like setting that complements adjacent mountain-bike trails, gardens and racquet sports,” Wave House CEO Thomas Lochtefeld and Wave House President Joseph Cerrone wrote in a letter to the beach and park district.
“Wave House’s global venues collectively attracted 2.8 million guests, recorded a 94% satisfaction rate and generated more than $175 million in on-site spending,” the team members wrote in the letter. “These performance metrics we will replicate and surpass in Boca Raton. … We will deliver a low-carbon, water efficient surf park that aligns with the district’s sustainability goals and extends the region’s tourism season.”
A ranking process
Plans to develop the eastern portion of North Park already are underway, which includes an indoor pickleball facility along with a possible field house and a new city skatepark.
Beyond the two surf park proposals, the beach and park district also received proposals for multiple golf courses, an indoor sports and entertainment facility, a Palm Beach County Boys & Girls Club facility and a YMCA.
During a public meeting Monday, the beach and park district commissioners were presented with five of the proposals. The remaining proposals — including the surf park — were presented during a meeting Tuesday evening.
After the presentations were over, the beach and park district commissioners ranked them, with Boca Surf Park earning the most points. The indoor sports facility and one of the golf proposals came in second and third place. The district commissioners did not reveal points earned for any proposal that fell below the top three places.
The commissioners also decided they wanted to work on creating an agreement with the Boys & Girls Club to have a site built at the park.
More approvals and discussions about feasibility still have to occur before any construction can take place, but enthusiasm for the surf park was evident.
“We’re trying to get a community sense of what does the community really want,” Commissioner Craig Ehrnst told the South Florida Sun Sentinel before Monday’s meeting. “This is not firm and final, we don’t know what we don’t know. … We have had this land for a long time, and there is no urgency to give it up.”