FORT SMITH -- Fort Smith and Sebastian County officials have voted to hire a Pennsylvania firm to operate its jointly owned aquatic center and settled on a name, Parrot Island Waterpark.
City directors and Quorum Court members voted on the aquatic-center operator and its name during respective meetings Tuesday evening. The $9.8 million facility at Ben Geren Regional Park is under construction and scheduled to open on Memorial Day weekend.
American Resort Management Inc. of Erie, Pa., will run all aspects of the aquatic center, including hiring, training and supervising of the staff; operating and maintaining the aquatic center; and generating the money to pay for the center's operations through collection of fees and sale of food and merchandise, according to the operating agreement.
The company would take 5 percent of the gross income from the center as its compensation and would be eligible for bonuses for exceeding income projections.
David Hudson, county judge of Sebastian County, said Wednesday that changes in the approach to the aquatic center from its initial concept in 2010 to the addition last year of a wave pool and outside operator have transformed the water park from a facility dependent on city and county subsidies to what officials believe will be a self-sustaining enterprise.
"I am so thankful this project has turned out in that fashion," Hudson said.
The county and city hired American Resort Management earlier this year to provide pre-opening services such as drawing up a budget, business plan, sales and marketing plans, pricing and staff training.
The company presented its budget to the city and county officials last week that was based on 120,000 visitors next season, or about 1,350 a day.
The budget estimates income of about $1.65 million against more than $1.34 million in expenses with about $174,000 being held in reserve for a net income of more than $135,000.
Visitors standing more than 4 feet tall will pay $15 admission with those under 4 feet paying $10. Children under 3 years old will get in free. The company is using height as a pricing basis because a person taller than 4 feet can use all the slides and other attractions at Parrot Island Waterpark, company senior vice president Richard Coleman told officials last week.
Visitors buying tickets online will be charged $13. Individual season passes will cost $59 and season passes for a family of four will be $199.
Consignment group rates, such as for hotels as part of tourist group packages, would be $12 per person for those over 4 feet tall and $7 for those under 4 feet.
Parrot Island Waterpark will offer several discounts to make the center more affordable for all income groups. Admission will be $5 for nonpeak days at the beginning and end of the season, and coupons for county residents could cut the admission fee by as much as 25 percent.
Discounts could be as low as $7 per person for social organizations and corporate groups, and corporate sponsorships partnering with Parrot Island Waterpark could provide free-admission events for underprivileged children and families and youth organizations such as boys and girls clubs.
The aquatic center will include a wave pool, a 500-foot-long lazy river, two 40-foot-tall slides, two 32-foot-tall slides, a 3,600-square-foot toddler pool and a 4,200-square-foot activity pool, along with a bathhouse, concession area, activity pavilion and landscaping.
NW News on 12/18/2014