Sebastian County Quorum Court again rejects funds for Waterpark expansion

The Sebastian County Quorum Court in a special meeting Thursday (July 25) once again voted against funding its part of a slide expansion at Parrot Island Waterpark. The connected slide complex includes two tube slides, two mat racers and one body slide.

Before a motion was put on the floor to give $2.1 million to a five-slide expansion to the waterpark, Fort Smith City Director Kevin Settle suggested the justices of the peace consider having the city pay for the entire cost of the slides and then pay they city back their $2.1 million share over the course of four years. Settle told the quorum court he had not mentioned the idea to any other board members or City Administrator Carl Geffken, and it would, of course, have to be approved by the Fort Smith Board of Directors.

“If money is truly the issue, ask the board of directors to pay it all, and you pay it back over four years,” Settle said. “Give Sebastian County something special for single-parent mothers, single-parent dads, parents and kids.”

Settle has been a proponent of the expansion saying the new slides would mean Parrot Island would have the tallest slide in Arkansas, the most slides in Arkansas and the largest waterpark in the state. The park is located in Ben Geren Regional Park, a county-owned park, and is a joint project of the county and city.

While the quorum court approved making the amendment to the appropriation ordinance that would fund the slides, it immediately defeated the motion by a vote of seven to six.

The Fort Smith Board on July 9 approved spending $2.1 million for its part of the park expansion with the hope Sebastian County would approve doing the same. The Sebastian County Quorum Court voted against the expenditure at its regular board meeting July 16, but a majority of the justices of the peace agreed to a special meeting Thursday to explore the funding again.

Deputy City Administrator Jeff Dingman said prior to the July 9 vote by the Fort Smith Board that the county would have to approve their 50% share of the funding, and that if they did not, the project would not go forward.

The slides, destined for a Florida park, are available at an “aggressive discount,” according to the city. Rick Coleman, CEO and founder of American Resort Management (ARM), during a recent meeting with city and county officials mentioned the availability of five slides that were manufactured for a water park in Florida.

Geffken said Thursday he would let the city directors know about the county’s vote and see if there are any other ways to get the slides.

“There are always options. They may have (a tiny) probability, but there are options,” Geffken said.

Opened in 2015, Parrot Island Waterpark features the area’s only two-lane FlowRider and wave pool. It also has four twisting and turning water slides, a relaxing lazy river, activity pool and themed children’s aquatic play area, the park’s website states.