New sports venue to make waves in east Austin

As reported earlier this week, Austin’s newest sports venue will indeed be an inland surf park. The 160-acre NLand Surf Park will be located near the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and have the distinction of being the first inland surf park in North America. It is set to open in 2016. A press release about the park emphasized its eco-friendly nature. “We designed the park to tread lightly on the land and all its resources, especially water,” said NLand Surf Park Founder and CEO Doug Coors. “Even in the most challenging drought conditions, we will be capable of operating the lagoon with only rainwater. We partnered with Wavegarden, the Spanish engineering firm that invented the wave technology, because they figured out how to create incredible waves that are super energy efficient.” The press release also featured a statement from Travis County Commissioner Margaret Gómez, who touted the tax revenue and job opportunities the park will bring to Del Valle. The park, once open, will feature 300 “distinct waves” each hour, will have a surf school and will be the size of nine football fields.