The intent of the expansion and renovation of the aquatic portion of the massive 665-acre Eugene T. Mahoney State Park was both to enhance the existing facility and re-up the recreational value. A wave pool as the main addition of the aquatic facility was chosen because there are few wave pools in Nebraska. The desired effect was to attract guests from the surrounding areas.

Renovations and expansions to existing facilities are typically complex, and this project was no exception. The new aquatic facility is comprised of new bathhouses, an admissions control area, a wave pool, interactive children's area, decking, mechanical building and a mechanical filtration system for the existing lap pool. A large drop slide was also added to the deep end of the existing pool for greater variety. The new, 13,500-square-foot wave pool consists of an attached zero-depth entry and a children's play area with an interactive play feature and dumping bucket. Thoughts and plans for the future have been incorporated in the design to phase in the inclusion of a large lazy river, a project that WTI has already sketched out in the master plan.

The facility entry and bathhouses were reoriented and carefully designed to achieve maximum efficiency, and they were custom tailored to meet the specific needs of the client. Within the design team, there was a clear effort throughout the entire project to refrain from obstructing the view of the surrounding terrain, and also to have a minimal impact on the natural environment.

One of the challenges the design team faced was the approach for the mechanical equipment and the numerous support systems. Since the view is a primary asset at the park, the team decided to construct the 6,000-square-foot mechanical building out of cast-in-place concrete, and then submersed it in the landscape below grade. This offered an opportunity to add a deck on top that doubles as a sun deck and lookout over the serene terrain.