Las Vegas, NV, USA — Two amusement and water park industry experts have joined the Wet ‘n’ Wild Las Vegas management team.Takuya Ohki has been named general manager, and Rick Belhumeur is director of operations and maintenance. Both are highly regarded managers at Village Roadshow Theme Parks, a part of Village Roadshow Limited, internationally recognized as one of the largest and most diverse entertainment companies in the world.
Ohki was the general manager of Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii in Oahu following its 2008 acquisition by Village Roadshow Theme Parks when it was Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park. His responsibilities covered revenue generation, marketing, sales, finance, guest satisfaction, operations and maintenance, park safety and human resources, and he managed the $8 million capital transformation and rebranding of the park to its current name. In 1999, Ohki joined Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park – then a new start-up tourism venture – and worked in all facets of park operations in positions of increasing responsibility.
Ohki has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Brigham Young University-Hawaii.
Belhumeur will oversee Wet ‘n’ Wild Las Vegas’ aquatics, loss prevention, facilities and park services departments. He joined Village Roadshow Theme Park in 2009 during construction of its second U.S. water park in Phoenix and was a vital member of the park’s start-up management team, helping create and implement many of the company’s standard operating procedures and policies. Additionally Belhumeur oversaw the construction of unique products including the world’s first Constrictor water slide and the two-acre expansion of Wet ‘n’ Wild JR, the park’s children’s area.
Belhumeur’s experience includes operations and construction management positions at several Paramount Park theme parks and the Hard Rock Park in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
He has a degree in applied social science fromJ. Sergeant Reynolds Community College in Richmond, Va., and is a Jeff Ellis & Associates Lifeguard Instructor, National Aquatic Safety Company Instructor-Trainer and Certified Pool Operator.
About Wet ‘n’ WildLas Vegas
Wet ‘n’ Wild Las Vegas will be Nevada’s largest water park and home to more than 25 exhilarating slides and attractions. It is expected to open in May 2013 with attractions ranging from extreme water slides, including the first-of-its-kind in North America three-person Rattler, to family friendly interactive play areas. Valued at more than $50 million, the 41-acre park is ideally located in southwestLas Vegas near the I-215 and Sunset Road at7055 S. Fort Apache Rd.,Las Vegas, NV 89148 on a parcel of land leased from The Howard Hughes Corporation. Project investors include Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, Dr. Steven and Karen Thomas of the Thomas and Mack family of Las Vegas, Roger and Scott Bulloch of SPB Partners and Australian entertainment conglomerate Village Roadshow Limited which also will manage the park along with holding a 51 percent ownership. For more information, visit www.WetnWildLasVegas.com.
