He built Rigby's Entertainment Complex on Highway 96 in Warner Robins and opened it last May.
Now, Steve Rigby is $300,000 into the process of building a water park. He says he started planning eight months ago, as soon as Rigby's opened.
Rigby said, "If you want to do something in this area, you have to drive two hours to have some fun. This is going to be a one-stop-shop."
He intends to open the 25-acre park in Warner Robins during the summer of 2016. It will sit on land he already owns, adjacent to Rigby's Entertainment Complex.
A road stretching from Highway 96 to Cohen Walker Drive is currently under construction, and will provide better access to the property. Rigby says the infrastructure to support the park, such as water and sewer lines, are already in place.
He says the closest water park is 126 miles away. Based on feasibility studies, he believes he can draw crowds from throughout Central Georgia and from cars traveling along I-75.
Explaining why he would build the park in Warner Robins, he said, "Lot of people, good income, surrounding communities will come and support it, as well. It's up to a two hour drive that will come and support this project."
Rigby said he is on the third draft of plans. He put them together based on ideas he got from touring water parks around the country.
The plans currently include a junior Olympic size pool, eleven water slides, a lazy river, toddler play area and space for 3,500 people.
Rigby's plans for the area don't end there. After the water park opens, Rigby plans to build two hotels, a softball complex with six fields, and a 3,000 seat ampitheater.
The City of Warner Robins has long talked about building a sports complex to attract softball tournaments. Rigby says his plans would take the place of that, and be built without taxpayer funding.
Rigby says since he is still in the planning phase of the water park, he has not submitted the plans to the city for permits yet. He says the zoning is already in place.
