"Alabama's premier outdoor destination," the Montgomery Whitewater Park, continues to spark discord among city leaders over its feasibility and economic impact on the area, despite years of promises of an economic boom.
The park first opened its doors on July 8, 2023, following years of negotiations and a combination of funding from a bond, funded by the county's 2% rental tax, as well as money from the state, county, city and the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.
The project's funding did not come without headaches, as the cost continued to rise throughout the building process, necessitating repeated petitions for additional financing.
Montgomery County Commissioner Doug Singleton, one of the park's biggest champions, along with Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed and City Council President C.C. Calhoun, blamed the price increase on heightened construction costs, general inflation and labor shortages brought about during the COVID-19 pandemic. Singleton told WSFA, "We had the worst possible timing. I wish we'd had known we would have delayed or done something different."
Despite the financial woes, which included a now-settled lawsuit from a minority subcontractor over alleged racism, the park's advocates plowed forward, having secured funds from various sources. The final price tag came out to be roughly $90 million, after the initial price tag of $35 million.
Singleton repeatedly boasted of the 120-acre park as a benefit to the city, county and state, citing economic impact, education opportunities and much more.
The funding remains a source of contention to this day. Recently, a minor dust-up arose between the city council and the county commission. Singleton has accused the city of not equally bearing the park's financial burden. Meanwhile, city councilmembers have balked at the requested funding without a perceived end in sight.
The park's financial boon to the area is purely theoretical, based on speculation that the park's presence will bring future development to the observably dilapidated section of Maxwell Boulevard, which, aside from the park itself and accompanying traffic-related construction, consists of multiple deteriorating, shoddy structures with affixed "for sale" signs. The lone exception is a tarnished pawn shop offering title loans, firearms and cash advances.
Additionally, the Montgomery County Community Cooperative District (MCCCD) owns a chapel house on Maxwell Boulevard that is equally shoddy and deteriorating, which stands directly in front of the park itself.
The park has not turned a profit in the nearly two years since it opened. The 2024 projected loss statement provided to 1819 News at the end of last year showed the park operating roughly $2.7 million in the red.
Singleton chalked up the negative revenue to the company's relative infancy.
The park is managed by the MCCCD, which is considered a "Capital Improvement Cooperative District" and is therefore exempt from all state, county and municipal taxes.
Instead of a sales tax, the park charges a 10% "resort fee," a portion of which, according to the park's recently hired executive director Jason Wilson, goes back to the MCCCD for expansion.
Wilson has been with the park for two months, coming from a six-year stint with the Montgomery Biscuits.
1819 News visited the park on the afternoon of Friday, June 20 — the first day of summer. The attendance was significantly lacking, considering the day, time of year, and season, with hardly two dozen patrons observed.
According to Wilson, plans are in place to add additional attractions and retailers to the park, which he believes will attract buyers to the adjacent street's unsightly structures. The MCCCD is already pursuing grants for further expansion.
"The project's still in its infancy," Wilson told 1819 News. "July will be two years since they opened their doors. So, they didn't have everything to start with. They didn't have the ropes course or ziplining. That got introduced last year. So, we only got about half the property developed right now. The other 60 acres will be developed."
He continued, "It's still growing. We're up 50% (in attendance) over last year. And it takes time to build up that client base and everything. There's opportunities for lots of families and groups, so we're targeting that base."
While the MCCCD does not own the adjacent buildings, Wilson is confident that the park's continued expansion will bring businesses to remake the unsightly buildings.
"Across the street will be developed too," Wilson said. Just like when we opened up the Biscuits downtown, there was nothing down there. Downtown was a ghost town. So it took five years to basically get the Renaissance open, get the Alleyway done, and open up the Riverfront. So, 'If you build it, they will come,' and it will be like that on the West side. So, we will be the anchor that keeps Maxwell (Air Force Base) there, and also develop Maxwell Boulevard."
"Right now, they're selling that land across the street, and people will buy it once they actually see some of those other pieces just fall in place. We're working on getting a hotel announced in the near future."
He continued, "It just takes people seeing the vision."
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