(Image courtesy of San Alfonso del Mar)
Florida's neighborhoods might be dotted with backyard pools, but one company has much bigger plans for the Sunshine State.
Crystal Lagoons Corp. and the Metro Development Grouphave agreed to build megapools in four planned communities in Florida, according to the Tampa Bay Times. These self-cleaning pools will span the length of 15 football fields– acres of pools that resemble a small beach.
The pools, which will resemble the one at Chile's San Alfonso del Mar resort in the images at the top of this page, will be anywhere from five to 10 acres in size, the Tampa Bay Times also reported. That's at least the size of four football field, the report also notes.
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So why are these massive pools necessary in a state where the beach is never far away? Because residents say the beach is too far away, and too much of a hassle to make a quick trip.
Even with more than 1,000 miles of coastline, according to the state of Florida.
"I don't know where you live but where I live in Tampa, it's a 45-minute drive to the beach," said Greg Singleton, president of the Metro Development Group, in the Tampa Bay Times report. "And then, it's 'where am I going to park' and 'I've got to load up all my gear, grab the kids,' and then 'I've got to find a place on the beach.' In this case, there's crystal clear water, a beach experience in my backyard that's exclusively for my community. It's better than the beach."
The report also mentions the water is sanitized, unlike ocean water, and uses hundreds of sensors per acre to monitor the water, constantly checking to make sure it's cleaned to the preset standards.
Global Construction Review notes that a $4 billion project to build a megapoolat a luxury resort in Saudi Arabia has been signed with Crystal Lagoons. The first phase is expected to be finished in 2015.
There's no word yet on what these communities will do to keep critters out of the water, which is a big reason why so many of Florida's backyard pools are confined with screened patios.
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Guests at the Viceroy Bali in Ubud, Indonesia stay in luxury villas that feature private pools but they also gain access to the stunning valley-top infinity pool. (Viceroy Bali)