It's been two years since the Wasserbahn. The abrupt closing went viral for many bad reasons due to a lack of refunds and little warning to employees. It also went viral early this year for the shocking abandoned photos.

Today we will be taking a closer look at what all happened to this once proud Iowa park.

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The Quick Closing - February 2022

As said before, many employees and many customers didn't see this closing coming. It has been reported that apparently did and even tired to warn people of the condition of the park and hotel. The first public announcement was allegedly a deleted Facebook post about the closing made in February 2022. According to KCRG, the waterpark had a recent investment as well which made the story even crazier.

The closure came despite Smock Investments and Owner Thomas Smock receiving two rounds of COVID relief money for Wasserbahn. Records show the business got $141,500 in April of 2020, and then another $198,562 in February of 2021. Still, employees claim checks were bouncing.

Many rumors and speculations took over the internet about the situation last year and many left the situation with their own ideas on what brought the place down. The biggest one for many was the idea of alleged poor management.

A Year Later - May 2023

In the Spring of 2023 some photos were released showing just how much damage a year can do to an area after it is all but abandoned.

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While some spots were still open, many were beyond saving.

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This wouldn't be the only time the park went viral, however.

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The Liminal Spaces Viral Post - December 2023

This post showed off the decay of the inside of building and also seems to mention a person or spirit in the building with them. The post was published by David Crowrad on a group called "Liminal Spaces."

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Now it's not only abandoned but a ghost is rumored to be there which does make sense seeing that there was a murder that is rumored to have occurred in the hotel. While the tragic murder is real the exact location was debated on Reddit. You can also see the full Facebook post and group by clicking here.

What do you think about the long and complicated history?

LOOK: Best amusement parks in Iowa

Stacker compiled a list of the best amusement parks in Iowa using data from Tripadvisor.

Gallery Credit: Stacker

 

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