Fort Smith Board approves second payment for waterpark slides

The Fort Smith Board of Directors passed an ordinance at the regular board meeting Tuesday (Dec. 17) to pay for the second half of the cost of new slides at Parrot Island Waterpark.

The ordinance to amend the 2025 budget to appropriate $2.1 million from the general fund for the second half of the total cost of the five-slide complex passed by a vote of 4-3 with  Directors Christina Catsavis, George Catsavis and Neal Martin voting against it. Directors André Good, Lavon Morton, Jarred Rego and Kevin Settle voted for the funding.

This appropriation request was for the second half of the total cost of the purchase, shipping, design, build and installation of the five waterslides complex for Parrot Island Waterpark.

The total cost of the slide project is $4.2 million. The first half of the cost was appropriated on July 9 by the board of directors. The purchase contract for the water slides was approved by the board on Sept. 3. The connected slide complex will include two tube slides, two mat racers and one body slide.

Sebastian County and the city have had a joint venture agreement with the waterpark and have since 2015 shared the capital costs for the facility. However, the Sebastian County Quorum Court voted twice against sharing the $4.2 million cost of the new slides.

“This (slide complex) allows us to continue the growth of our city,” Settle said.

Five citizens spoke at the meeting against the appropriations with some saying the park should stand on its own and not need support from the city. Morton said the purchase was for expansion of the park, which had record attendance this past season.

“The annual revenue from the park has historically paid for all the maintenance that is incurred and had money left over,” Morton said.

Opened in 2015, Parrot Island Waterpark in the Ben Geren Regional Park 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.

The city does not yet have a timeline for the installation of the new water slides at Parrot Island, said Josh Buchfink, public relations manager for the city.

“We hope to provide an update soon,” he said.