NEW BRAUNFELS – Many in New Braunfels said they are following the serious legal issues confronting Schlitterbahn because it is where the small family business got its start in 1966, becoming one of America’s most-visited waterparks.
“It personifies the theme we have in New Braunfels about welcoming not only our visitors but also ensuring that our citizens have a safe and fun family experience,” said Barron Casteel, the mayor of New Braunfels.
Casteel said he doesn’t think the city’s thriving tourist industry will be hurt by the criminal indictments handed down in Kansas after an 8-year-old boy was killed in 2016 on what was billed as “the world’s tallest water slide” at its waterpark in Kansas City.
The mayor said the original park in New Braunfels draws thousands of locals and visitors from across the state and beyond.
“It’s obviously a tragedy what happened in Kansas, but I know as a parent where I’ll be spending my time,” Casteel said.
The feeling was echoed by Cathy Petrie who said the situation is “very sad for all involved.”
“I hope they solve it all with the best results because we’ve gone there for 30 years and we’ve had nothing but fun at the one here in town,” Petrie said.
Cheryl Johnson, who would take her children to Schlitterbahn, said, “I rode the rides. Lost my glasses but I rode the rides!”
Both said they have no plans to stay away because safety isn’t an issue at the park in New Braunfels.
“I’ll be back,” Petrie said.
The mayor said, “New Braunfels has always had a history of water attraction up and down the Comal River, a great deal of that is Schlitterbahn.”