Raging Waters San Jose announced Wednesday that it's closing for the season and will not be reopening in 2024.
The water park posted on Facebook that they are thankful for the community and its team members for "helping us bring Northern California’s Largest Water Park to life for nearly four decades."
Many were surprised and shocked by the announcement, including even the park's employees.
"I didn't really find out through any official channel other than social media," said Ronit Prasad, an employee of the park. He's one of dozens of employees at the park who said they were blindsided and went into work Wednesday looking for answers.
"It feels a little sad for the community, if anything," said Prasad. "I grew up right across the street. It's a lot of jobs for the lot of the teenagers around here. Just nice summer time money and a lot of memories."
The owner of Raging Waters told NBC Bay Area the closure was a "business decision." It comes a year after the company also shut down Racing Waters in Sacramento.
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San Jose City Leaders said they saw this move coming due to declining attendance and only a year left on the park's lease, but they didn't foresee the announcement coming so soon.
"I think this is an opportunity for us, as a city, to explore an amenity for the residents of our city that can provide entertainment, a place for community-gathering, and a place for our youth, especially in our area, to have jobs," said San Jose city councilmember Domingo Candelas.
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San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said the city has already heard from potential investors exploring recreating uses for the area that might draw even greater interest.
Read Raging Waters' full statement bellow:
Raging Waters San Jose is closed for the season and will not be reopening in 2024. We are thankful for the San Jose community and for our outstanding Team Members for helping us bring Northern California’s Largest Water Park to life for nearly four decades. Thank you for all the wonderful memories, San Jose!
