In the early days, artificial standing waves struggled for recognition outside of Munich, Germany, and a few niche surf communities. But today’s advanced systems closely replicate the feel of natural river waves. These next-generation wave pools now offer unique advantages that are reshaping how the waterpark industry views artificial waves.

Citywave, originally born from Germany’s river-surf scene, has expanded to 20 installations worldwide. To support growth in the U.S. and select territories, citywave® USA was formed and is now backed by legacy venue leader Aquatic Development Group (ADG). With more than 50 years of expertise in water attractions, ADG now oversees CityWave USA, providing in-house engineering, design, manufacturing, and installation.

This partnership adds a substantial amount of weight to ADG’s commercial offerings, while creating an entry point for Citywave USA into the world of aquatic attractions.

WavePoolMag spoke with Bruce Quay, Chief Operating Officer of ADG, and Andrew Limbocker of CityWave USA to learn what developers can expect as each company expands further into the surf park space.

Julan Topham is used to storms. He’s put on multimillion-dollar festivals, like Boardmasters, for several years and knows that something as wonderful and sublime as rain can make or break an event. He knows that big, expensive productions (which is what a wave pool is, really) are exposed to the whims of the climate, both literally and figuratively.

Media outlets pounced on the tumultuous changeover of ownership that closed the gates of Bristol's best-known attraction and left employees and surfers wondering what was to come next. Much of the post-mortem dialogue focused on whether the changeover was some Machiavellian financial maneuver or a simple fiduciary update. We’ve heard from both sides, and there is no middle ground. Which means neither will be happy with whichever story is told. And whichever side you land on, the one undeniable fact is that Julian and Sea Level Wave Company Limited are now the owners of The Wave Bristol surf park. But for us, the real question is, how will Julian run this large, multimillion-dollar facility? We explore this and much more in our latest episode of the WavePoolMag podcast.

Where is Surf Lakes now? According to the company, eight live-wire projects are being developed across several countries. The company relocated its financial headquarters from Australia to the USA in 2024. In 2025, it went full throttle, with an investment agreement with US Capital Global Partners and the appointment of Troy Warfield as CEO. Troy is kind of a business superman, with experience at British Airways, Avis Car Rental, Kimberly-Clark, Topgolf, and other familiar names. This business boullabaise of experience at successful, unrelated to surfing companies around the world, is a good thing as the wave pool industry finds its feet. Drawing from other business wins is what will ensure longevity and success in the space. Join us for some lessons with Troy as he steers the company into the future.