Waterslide funding vote again on the Fort Smith Board agenda

There will be yet another vote on whether to move forward with an almost 2-year process to approve funding to install new Parrot Island Waterpark waterslides. While the funding is small compared to more pressing Fort Smith issues, it has become a divisive rallying point for some city residents.

Two contracts to install five waterslides at the waterpark are on Tuesday’s (March 17) regular meeting agenda of the Fort Smith Board of Directors.

According to a city memo from Acting City Administrator Jeff Dingman, city staff recommends SSI Inc. of Fort Smith be awarded a $1.751 million contract for the construction of the five slides, and Little Rock-based Clarity Pools be awarded a $664,200 contract for water pumps and piping portion of the slide project.

“The city has appropriated a total of $2,689,238 for this construction/aquatics equipment portion of the waterslide project,” Dingman noted in the memo. “These two bids represent a total combined cost of $2,416,110. The remaining $273,128 will be used for third-party inspections as well as other site improvements such as fencing, flat concrete, landscaping, lighting, etc. that are not essential components of the slides themselves. When we are firm with the dollars needed to complete the three major slide installation contracts, we will seek to use those remaining funds on those final items.”

Tuesday’s planned vote follows a botched attempt to use Royal Ridge Construction to install the waterslides. In a deal partially arranged by City Director Lee Kemp, Royal Ridge was given a contract without going through a competitive bidding process. That deal was retracted when Fort Smith attorney Joey McCutchen filed a lawsuit challenging a legality of awarding Royal Ridge a contract without a bidding process.

The water park opened in 2015 at Ben Geren Regional Park, which is owned by Sebastian County. Its initial construction cost was shared jointly by the county and the city. Grand Prairie, Texas-based American Resort Management (ARM) has managed the park since its opening.

The Fort Smith board initially voted to spend $2.1 million on the slides and installation, with Sebastian County expected to also spend $2.1 million. The Sebastian County Quorum Court voted against buying the slides. The Fort Smith board voted in September 2024 to pick up the other $2.1 million and continue with the purchase and installation of the slides.

It was learned in October 2025 that the cost to install the five slides would push beyond the $4.2 million approved for the project.

In a related matter, the board’s agenda also includes a question about waterpark management. The city and Sebastian County officials recently reviewed proposals for waterpark management for the 2026 season. Dingman has said he and Sebastian County Judge Steve Hotz signed a temporary management agreement with ARM to ensure the facility would be managed through March 31.

Dingman said he and Hotz are asking their respective legislative bodies to approve resolutions to keep ARM as the park management company through the 2026 season, with new management proposals reviewed prior to the 2027 season.

The board is also set to vote on whether to spend $84,008 to restart a mosquito fogging program. The board voted in April 2025 to stop the program. If approved, the fogging would begin no later than May 1, and end no sooner than Sept. 30. The funding would come from the city’s street maintenance fund.