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FARMINGTON — For those who love Lagoon, the opening of its newest ride, Primordial, was the most anticipated event of the year. However, that opening, advertised for 2023, still hasn't happened.
"There was a lot of runaround and no clarity in when they would be opening," said Jackie Gomez, a longtime Lagoon season pass holder.
She said she's asked Lagoon multiple times for an opening date.
"It's just really ambiguous answers," she told the KSL Investigative team.
Gomez said when Lagoon raised admission prices this year, she didn't intend to renew her season passports. She was enticed to do so with the promise of a new ride.
"They had heavily advertised Primordial as being this new, up-and-coming attraction," Gomez said. "We had seen it getting built in, like, 2020, through the pandemic, and then we were told it was going to be released and opened, and we were excited. That led to our decision to renew."
Lagoon's 2023 season is winding down. No longer open most weekdays, the park has nine weekends left before closing for the year. Gomez worried she and her kids wouldn't get a chance to ride the new coaster.
"This season, we went a couple of times, and each time it was like, nope, it's not open," Gomez said. "I really just kind of felt taken advantage of, and I could see from others it's a shared kind of annoyance."
Where is Primordial?
Anyone who has come to Lagoon, lives nearby, or drives past on the freeway has watched its construction for years.
We reached out to Lagoon to find out when customers can expect the ride to open.
Lagoon's spokesman Adam Leishman declined an interview on camera but, by phone, told us, "Its opening is imminent."
Leishman explained building Primordial has been seven years in the making. It's not a prefabricated roller coaster, but a one-of-a-kind, interactive ride built custom for Lagoon.
He said the pandemic and supply shortages post-pandemic brought challenges, but opening day is "very, very close."
Employees are currently riding Primordial as part of final tests, something KSL Investigators observed. Even Leishman said he'd ridden it as part of testing.
When can everyone ride? Leishman wouldn't disclose a date.
He said season pass holders like Gomez can expect the announcement, along with surprise perks, in their email boxes soon.
Lagoon plans to assuage hourslong lines for Primordial by opening an online reservation system. That site will launch once the opening date for Primordial has been announced.
Gomez said it was too late for her family. Their Lagoon season is over between school, youth sports, and other weekend commitments.
"Had they said, we're going to open late September or October, I would have waited to do my passports next year," she said.
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