Safari Joe’s closes, making way for Paradise Beach Waterpark

TULSA, Okla. — Safari Joe’s has sat at the corner of E. 21st Street and S. Yale since 2015. However, the park came under new management in Dec. 2022.

What was once Safari Joe’s H20 will now be Paradise Beach Waterpark, which is locally owned and operated.

FOX23 spoke to the new staff, who says that the plan is to create a family-friendly waterpark for the community and they plan to hire 125 employees this summer.

According to Aaron Suntken, Director of Park Operations, the park is currently undergoing renovations. There are plans to update some of the slides and the equipment, and replace pools and the amenities that have seen some wear and tear over the years. The goal is to revamp the entire park.

“That’s our intention. To make it more of a resort-style park, to make sure that kids and their parents can enjoy the park equally and have a great experience here. It’s going to be more like an oasis,” said Sunkten. “We’re making changes to the slides. They’re going to get resurfaced. They’re going to be brighter. They’re going to be faster. They’re going to be sleeker.”

There are even going to be palm trees on-site.

The enormous project won’t be accomplished this season or even by next season. Sukten says it will be a work in progress.

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“The owner is committed to making this the nicest park in the area,” said Sunkten. “We’re going to be a destination for sure. It’s going to be a destination inside Oklahoma to out of staters. You’ll just have to come out and see.”

All of the passes that were previously purchased for 2023 for Safari Joe’s are going to be honored and valid.

Paradise Beach Waterpark will be posting updates on its Facebook page, including an official open date for the next season.

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