Schlitterbahn Waterpark Kansas City | Kansas City KS

Schlitterbahn Waterpark Kansas City once stood as one of the largest and most ambitious water parks in the American Midwest. Located just west of downtown Kansas City, Kansas, near the Kansas Speedway and the Village West entertainment district, it opened in the summer of 2009 as part of a grand plan to turn the area into a multi-attraction leisure destination. The park’s name, “Schlitterbahn,” meaning “slippery road” in German, came from its Texas-based parent company, which was famous for pioneering family-friendly waterparks with river transport systems and innovative ride designs.

Opening and Development

When Schlitterbahn Kansas City opened its gates, it immediately drew attention for its scale and creativity. The site covered roughly 370 acres and was envisioned as the centerpiece of a “Vacation Village” resort that would eventually include hotels, retail areas, and year-round attractions. Early visitors entered a tropical-themed landscape filled with winding waterways, sandy lounging areas, and colorful slides that merged seamlessly into a massive interconnected river system.

Unlike most waterparks where guests had to walk from one ride to another, Schlitterbahn introduced a signature “Transportainment” system - an innovative design that allowed guests to float from attraction to attraction using interconnected lazy rivers and conveyor belts. The concept gave the park a sense of continuity and exploration, where visitors could spend an entire afternoon drifting through wave channels, water coasters, and play zones without leaving the water.

Attractions and Highlights

The park featured an impressive mix of high-speed thrills and family-oriented rides. Some of its most memorable attractions included:

Torrent River, a tidal wave river that sent strong surges through winding channels, creating the illusion of ocean surf in the heart of Kansas.

Storm Blaster, an uphill water coaster that propelled riders upward using water jets before plunging them through dark tunnels.

Boogie Bahn Surf Ride, where guests could bodyboard on simulated waves.

King Kaw Rapids River, a long, adventurous float route with water jets and hidden waterfalls.

Kinderhaven and Henry’s Hideout, vibrant play areas designed specifically for children, filled with mini-slides, fountains, and shaded rest zones.

The park also offered cabanas, sandy beaches, and picnic lawns, giving it a family-friendly resort atmosphere. At its peak, Schlitterbahn Kansas City rivaled some of the top waterparks in the United States.

Verrückt – The World’s Tallest Water Slide

In 2014, Schlitterbahn Kansas City made international headlines with the debut of Verrückt, a towering 168-foot water slide that was promoted as the tallest in the world. The slide’s name, meaning “crazy” in German, reflected its daring nature. Riders boarded rafts and were secured by safety straps before plunging down a steep drop roughly equivalent to a 17-story building, then climbing back up another hill via a water-propelled ramp.

The attraction was designed to be a record-breaking centerpiece for the park, combining engineering spectacle with intense thrill. Verrückt quickly became the park’s most famous - and later, most tragic - symbol.

The 2016 Tragedy and Its Consequences

In August 2016, the park suffered a devastating accident when a 10-year-old boy lost his life on Verrückt due to a mechanical and design failure. The incident sent shockwaves through the amusement industry and led to immediate investigations into the slide’s safety standards, design process, and testing protocols. Verrückt was closed permanently after the accident and later dismantled.

The tragedy marked a turning point for Schlitterbahn Kansas City. Attendance plummeted, operations were scaled back, and public confidence in the park never recovered. Several lawsuits and criminal charges followed, though many were later dropped. The park’s once-bright reputation was irreparably damaged.

Closure and Aftermath

Following declining visitor numbers and mounting operational challenges, Schlitterbahn Kansas City ceased operations after the 2018 season. By 2019, all signs pointed toward permanent closure. The company eventually sold the property as part of a broader restructuring, ending its Kansas venture after nearly a decade.

The once-lively park soon became silent - its winding rivers drained, its slides dismantled, and its tropical landscaping overgrown. For a few years, the site stood as a haunting reminder of both ambition and tragedy. Eventually, demolition began, clearing the grounds for future development.

Redevelopment and Future Plans

Today, the former Schlitterbahn site is being transformed into a new multi-use sports and entertainment complex. Developers have announced plans for youth athletic fields, a golf entertainment venue, hotels, restaurants, and retail spaces. The idea is to replace the former waterpark with a year-round destination that can serve local families and travelers visiting the Kansas Speedway and Legends Outlets nearby.

While construction and redevelopment are ongoing, the area has already started to shift its identity - from a summer-only water playground into a broader hub of leisure and sports.

Legacy

Schlitterbahn Kansas City remains a complex chapter in Kansas tourism history. It represented innovation, ambition, and the allure of bringing a tropical-style water resort to the Midwest. For many locals, memories of floating through the river system on hot summer days remain vivid. Yet its legacy is also shadowed by the dangers of unchecked engineering ambition and the tragedy that ultimately defined its story.

Though its slides and pools are gone, the park’s story continues to echo across Kansas City - as both a lesson in bold design and a reminder of the delicate balance between thrill and safety in modern entertainment.