Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi
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General manager Mike Oswald said the park was forecast to attract 700,000 visitors in 2013 and is expected “to be profitable very soon after opening - within year one”.

Oswald also revealed developer Aldar is planning two more phases to the park as part of its investment, without providing further details.

“In ten to 15 years we will cover the entire AED900m ($245m) investment as well as two planned expansions. We are planning expansion one in 2016 and other will come a few years after that,” he confirmed.

Source:
http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-20484-abu-dhabis-245m-yas-waterworld-plots-expansion/#.UPxLRye0-7w

Park is open now, 4 days early!

Grand Opening was today. Opening to the public from January 24 onwards. Pictures from the official FB Page, http://www.facebook.com/yaswaterworld:

Cost was $245 million, not $165 million:

Meeting the Atkins associate and one of the principal architects behind Yas Waterworld, the Dh900 million (US$245m) waterpark set to open in Abu Dhabi next week, one can't help wondering, first, how Mr Johnson ended up in the position of having to tell a bizarre tale to a group of journalists, and second, whether it has sent him, ever so slightly, away with the fairies.

Read more:
http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/industry-insights/property/yas-waterworld-abu-dhabi-story-goes-with-the-flow

When Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi was first conceived, the developers were directed to build “the best waterpark in the world”, a tall order given that there are close to 2,000 waterparks around the world (over 1,000 in North America alone), said a statement from Aldar.

Source:
http://www.tradearabia.com/news/TTN_229105.html

Up to 12,000 people are expected to take advantage of the three-day weekend next week by making a splash at the opening of the capital's latest major attraction.

The eagerly anticipated Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi will throw its doors open to the public on January 24 - the Prophet Mohammed's birthday.
Today, its general manager, Mike Oswald, said he expects 12,000 visitors to flood through the gates of the Yas Island park next Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

"I'm very confident that we will have those numbers," he told The National. "With the excitement that's generated in the market; I think people are waiting, so they will come," he said, adding that around 700,000 visitors are expected in the park's first year.

Source and more:
http://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/family/thousands-to-splash-at-yas-waterworld-abu-dhabis-opening-weekend

Slide testers on location:

Foggy morning, beautiful sight!

Is that Mike Oswald on the right at the end of the video?