Bradley Moves Forward on New Waterpark
- Bradley officials approved plans to move forward with a new waterpark project in the village. - The project cleared key hurdles and is approaching a groundbreaking expected later this year, the council said. - Officials say the park should boost local tourism and the economy, drawing more visitors to Kankakee County (shawlocal.com).
Bradley officials cleared another step for the village’s planned Mattel-branded indoor waterpark, keeping a summer 2026 groundbreaking on track. (shawlocal.com) At the April 13 Village Board meeting, trustees listed two waterpark measures on the agenda: a change order with OpenAire Sales and a proposal for indoor waterpark engineering and theming design layout. (bradleyil.org) Shaw Local reported the board unanimously approved adding Martin Aquatic Design and Engineering, a firm that has worked on other Mattel waterpark projects, to the Bradley development team. NBC Chicago reported in February that Martin Aquatic is designing Mattel’s new indoor waterparks. (shawlocal.com) (nbcchicago.com) The project has been moving in stages for more than a year. Bradley approved consulting work with American Resort Management in December 2024, then approved a sublease and Mattel-related agreements in late 2025 and early 2026. (bradleyil.org) (countryherald.com) Mattel said in November 2025 that it would build five “Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterparks” around its toy brands, and Bradley became one of the confirmed locations. NBC Chicago said the Illinois park would tie together brands including Hot Wheels, Barbie and Fisher-Price. (nbcchicago.com) The site is tied to Bradley’s effort to remake the Northfield Square Mall area into a year-round tourism district. OpenAire, a supplier on the project, says the planned facility is a 75,000-square-foot indoor waterpark at the mall site with a retractable roof, slide tower, lazy river and wave pool. (openaire.com) Bradley has been pitching the development as an economic engine for Kankakee County as traditional mall traffic fades. OpenAire says the village expects more than 323,000 visitors in the first year and has paired the waterpark plan with a separate youth sports complex concept. (openaire.com) Financing has also been a major part of the rollout. Bradley approved a $51 million bond issue in October 2025 for the indoor waterpark near the mall, with village officials then saying construction could begin as early as spring 2026. (countryherald.com) The next test is whether Bradley can turn board approvals into dirt work on schedule. For now, village officials say the project is still aimed at a groundbreaking later this year. (shawlocal.com)
