Mattel Waterpark to Become Part of Weldon Mills Resort

(eap) As recently announced, the city of Roanoke Rapids in the US state of North Carolina is to become the location of one of the first of a total of five announced Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterparks. The indoor waterpark by toy company Mattel is to form a central attraction within the planned Weldon Mills Resort, which is being developed along the Interstate 95 corridor. The resort represents the future evolution of the Weldon Mills brand, which currently includes the Weldon Mills Theatre, the Carolina Crossroads Amphitheatre, Carolina Crossroads Motorsports and the Weldon Mills Distillery. The opening of the Weldon Mills Resort is scheduled for 2029.

Carida Capital Group, owner of the existing Weldon Mills offerings, is driving forward the expansion of the Carolina Crossroads entertainment district with the development of the resort. The project is to transform the area into a tourism-oriented destination focused on music, entertainment and leisure. Project Luong is acting as lead developer and prime architect.

© Photo: Courtesy of Carida Capital Group

 “We’re so excited to bring a Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterpark to Weldon Mills Resort. Evolving Weldon Mills alongside the power of Mattel’s iconic brands will quickly create a premier destination that supports tourism, strengthens the local economy, and delivers lasting value for Halifax County and the broader region,” explains Bruce Tyler, co-founder of Weldon Mills Distillery and partner in Carida Capital Group.

The Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterparks are conceptualized to become year-round waterpark destinations that combine water fun for the whole family with well-known Mattel brands such as “Barbie” and “Hot Wheels”. The waterparks are being developed by Mattel in collaboration with Martin Aquatic, American Resort Management and the I-dentity Group. Canadian manufacturer WhiteWater was commissioned as the supplier of the water attractions (see EAP News of 8 April 2026); also, the buildings will be equipped with the retractable roof structures which will be supplied by the specialized company OpenAire (see EAP News of 26 May 2026). ■