The renovation and expansion of the Ft. Lauderdale Swimming Hall of Fame cleared another hurdle this week. The city of Ft. Lauderdale approved plans for a major renovation and expansion of the facility. The plans actually call for the complex to be 'rebuilt'. The new facility will have new Olympic-sized pools, cool state-of-the-art surf machines and an aquatic theater. While there are a few more approval processes for the rebuild to go through…organizers are hopeful it will sail through.

The facility will be build on the existing land that currently houses the facility and will be expanded to the beach with a bridge across Seabreeze Blvd. The new facility would have a three-story new Hall of Fame building along with a dive well that would enable the site to host theatrical aquatic shows. The plans also call for an amphitheater band shell and stage, some kind of family aquatic park and of course restaurants and shops. There is only one construction company with a bid in for the project, which has some people worried. Recreational Design & Construction is an expert in building aquatic parks and they were involved in building Disney's Typhoon Lagoon in Orlando (I LOVE that water park).

While this could be a good attraction for the Beach area…some are concerned that this project could get lost among the other new waterparks in development. One in Ft. Lauderdale (at the old baseball stadium) and one in Miami. Then again…this is Florida. I'm shocked that between Miami and Broward..there are no waterparks since the closing of the Six Flags Atlantis park years ago. As long as the parks are done well…maintained to high standards…I don't see how they could fail. Then again…South Florida is a strange area. Some concepts you think would take off…just flounder.