The Riviera Maya Nickelodeon Resort in Quintana Roo, México welcomed its first summer vacation guests in June 2021. The Penetron System was used throughout the seaside project to ensure durable and waterproof concrete structures - both above- and below-grade.
Located just 17 miles (27 km) south of Cancun International Airport, México’s first Nickelodeon Resort is a family beach vacation destination with a playful Nickelodeon twist. The resort’s 280 suites all offer panoramic views of the Caribbean Ocean and have direct access to the pool area. In addition, the resort has six restaurants, three bars, a spa, an oceanfront pool, and the 6-acre Aqua Nick™ water park with over 20 water slides (total length: >600 m / >2,000 feet) and 555 meters (1,830 feet) of rivers.
“Naturally, a Nickelodeon resort will play off the network’s most popular characters – and the Riviera Maya Resort does exactly that,” says Alejandro Muciño, Managing Director of Penetron México. “For example, the Pineapple Suite is inspired by SpongeBob's pineapple-shaped home under the sea; the rooftop Lair Suite is designed as an underground lair dedicated to the Ninja Turtles; and the Big Kahuna Suite is an homage to the history of Nickelodeon animation.”
A Coastal Challenge
Penetron México worked together with Benau Comercial, the Penetron distributor for the Caribbean region of México, and the general contractor to develop a complete range of waterproofing solutions, as both the below-grade and above-grade structures of the Nickelodeon complex needed protection from the coastal environment, high groundwater levels, and exposure to the tropical climate of the Yucatan Peninsula.
Local ready-mix suppliers provided PENETRON ADMIX-treated concrete for the pools (the wading pool, children’s pool, and main pool), hot tubs, the tanks of the wastewater treatment plant, and the hotel’s planter boxes. Penetron’s topical products – PENECRETE MORTAR and PENETRON – were applied to waterproof and repair the concrete roof slabs, the water slides, the pool drains of the main pool, the Lazy River and Rapid River concrete linings, the water compensation tanks, pumping tanks, machine room roof, and water park fountains.
Self-Healing Concrete
Easily mixed in during batching and unaffected by climatic conditions, PENETRON ADMIX quickly becomes an integral part of the concrete and lasts for the life of the concrete. Topically applied to concrete, PENETRON and PENECRETE MORTAR also provide the same self-healing capabilities as PENETRON ADMIX-treated concrete. Any hairline cracks that form in the concrete will permanently self-heal when exposed to water.
Alejandro Muciño adds, “Because Penetron crystalline technology becomes an integral part of the concrete matrix and provides protection against chloride ion ingress and moisture penetration, it will also significantly reduces future maintenance costs for the Nickelodeon Resort.”
Taking care of business: The Nickelodeon Resort’s wastewater treatment tanks were treated with PENETRON ADMIX to ensure the concrete tanks are impermeable to the aggressive effluent.
How to permanently waterproof a pool: The concrete in all the pools of the Nickelodeon Resort in Riviera Maya in México were treated with PENETRON ADMIX.
