Jack Rouse Associates (JRA) have unveiled the masterplan and preliminary concept design for Crystal Lagoon Water Theme Park – part of the AED20bn (US$5.4bn, €4.8bn, £3.5bn) Sharjah Waterfront City development in the UAE.

To include a mix of 40 water and dry rides, including a rollercoaster that combines the action of a water ride with the interactive nature of a video game – a first for the Middle East – the theme park will sit on one of a series of 10 Islands interconnected by man-made canals. Attractions will also include a combination of waterslides, family rides, thrill rides, 4D dark rides, a state-of-the-art planetarium and children’s rides. Crystal Lagoon will also feature a night water show made up of a series of coloured fountains to provide relaxation to visitors after spending a day in the water/theme park hybrid.

Announced in 2012 and officially launched at Cityscape Global 2015, Sharjah Waterfront City sits on 36km (22.3 miles) of coastline with an area of 5.5sq km (2.1sq miles), offering a mixed-use development featuring residential, commercial and tourism development for the region.

“We have launched Sharjah Waterfront City keeping in line with Sharjah’s development plans to attract 10 million visitors to its emirate by 2021,” said Hayssam El Masri, president of developer Sharjah Oasis Real Estate. “These robust plans will increase demand for residential and commercial units as well as hotels, especially in prime locations that offer all modern facilities and we can proudly say Sharjah Waterfront City will be able to match the demands and provide the desired quality of living.”

Due to favourable conditions in the UAE, the attraction will operate year-round, with a ‘well known waterpark operator’ handling day-to-day operations at the park. According to a feasibility study by Colliers International, more than a million people are expected to visit the attraction on an annual basis once fully operational.