The Waiwera Hot Pools were a Rodney institution for over 50 years. But in 2018, the park closed its doors, ostensibly for a renovation, but fell into disrepair. 

The present owners have just made preliminary decisions on a $250m masterplan that could see the pools and the slides at Waiwera return, along with a day spa, a hotel spa complex, a micro-brewery and apartments. 

The pools were purchased by Russian oligarch Mikhail Khimich in 2009. Khimich, a fast-living oil company magnate, wanted the bottled water, but was forced to take a water park he never wanted as well.

By 2018, Khimich and his business partner (and reported Las Vegas-based diamond trader) Leon Fingerhut had run Waiwera Hot Pools into the ground and vanished from the country, owing significant amounts of rent on the pools - among other debts.

New Zealand-based family-owned property company Urban Partners own the Waiwera land, but not the water park lease. Now they have the chance to take over the business and develop a plan to start the pools and slides again from scratch.

Evan Vertue, Waiwera project director for Urban Partners has said "It's a strong, high-foot traffic attraction and would get Waiwera on the map.

"We haven’t scoped up the whole investment, but we are in the $250m stage, so we are going to look for other parties to hold hands with us on this one".

And as for timing? The whole project might not be complete in the next 10 years, "but it will be well on the way. Patience can't go on forever", Vertue said.