Nation's 1st Crystal Lagoon Opens In Wesley Chapel

WESLEY CHAPEL, FL -- The nation's first Crystal Lagoon is now open in Wesley Chapel.

Residents of the Epperson planned development community can now take a dip in the 7.5-acre man-made lake filled with purified water and surrounded by white sand beaches.

The opening of the Crystal Lagoon took place Sunday, Dec. 16 at 31885 Overpass Road.

This is the second grand opening of the much-awaited Crystal Lagoon. Lagoon developer Crystal Lagoon and Metro Development Group, developer of Epperson, initially held a grand opening on April 28 featuring an appearance by Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps. The gold medalist is a global ambassador for Crystal Lagoons, which debuted in the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Chile (see related story).

However, a snafu with the lagoon's building permits from Pasco County delayed the opening of the lagoon for seven months.

The lagoon is one of the main features of the 2,000-home Epperson development, which is also the country's first "Connected Community."

Its infrastructure is being constructed with the fastest Internet and WiFi speeds in the nation, allowing Smart Homes and Smart Businesses to be instantly connected to schools, libraries and hospitals.

Now under construction on 7,800 acres between Wesley Chapel and San Antonio on the former Epperson Ranch, the development eventually will have 37,000 homes and 12 million square feet of commercial and office development.

The Crystal Lagoon provides a scenic centerpiece for the community as well as a recreational feature for swimming, water slides, kayaking, paddle boarding and even sailing with small sailboats and an entertainment plaza with a surf shop, covered stage and swim-up bar. The crystal-clear bodies of water are unique because the water is clarified using a patented ultrasonic filtration technology.

Future Crystal Lagoons are planned in the Mirada community north of Epperson and in Southshore Bay in south Hillsborough County.

For information, click here.

Images via Metro Development Group

(For more local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)