Fort Smith Board to Vote on $200,000 for Water Slides
The city board meets next Tuesday on added funding for Parrot Island Water Park slides, as a management company is also considered.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Theme Parks
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The Fort Smith Board of Directors will vote next Tuesday, November 17, 2026, on an additional $200,000 to finish five water slides at Parrot Island Water Park. The city and Sebastian County each own half of the park, and the $4.2 million project funding has already been approved and allocated.
Why it matters
The added funds are requested to complete the slides ahead of the 2027 season, and the vote also comes as the city and county consider hiring a Florida-based management company. Board member George Catsavis opposes adding money to the project, while Fort Smith Communications Director Josh Buchfink says the project has been costly and taken a long time.
The proposed $200,000 would bring total investment to more than $4.2 million, with the city and Sebastian County each owning half of the park. Whether the board approves the added funds and the management company remains undecided ahead of the vote.
The players
Fort Smith Board of Directors
The Fort Smith city governing board that sets municipal spending and will vote on the additional slide funding for the jointly owned water park.
Parrot Island Water Park
A water park in the River Valley region jointly owned by the City of Fort Smith and Sebastian County, which draws visitors from the area and beyond.
George Catsavis
A Fort Smith board member who opposes adding more money to the water park slide project.
Josh Buchfink
The Fort Smith Communications Director who says the water park project has been costly and has taken a long time.
The details
The city is funding the slide expansion, which would finish five water slides before the 2027 season. Under the proposed management arrangement, the two governments would split a $5,000 monthly fee, and the company would receive a share of profits from food and beverage sales and qualifying advertising.
Timeline
Next Tuesday, November 17, 2026: Fort Smith Board of Directors meets to vote on slide funding and the management company.
2027 season: Target opening for the expanded water park slides.
Season Trajectory
The proposed $200,000 extends the $4.2 million already allocated to the Parrot Island Water Park project, which the city and county have pursued for some time. The added funding is tied to finishing five slides before the 2027 season, a timeline that depends on the board's vote next Tuesday.
Visitors to Parrot Island Water Park may see the five water slides completed for the 2027 season if the board approves the added funding. The proposed $5,000 monthly management fee would be split between the city and county, so the outcome of the vote will shape how the park is run.
The takeaway
Residents and visitors should watch next Tuesday's board vote, since it will determine whether the water slides are finished for 2027 and whether a management company takes over operations. Public meeting outcomes will show how the city and county weigh the added cost against the project's delays.
What happens next
The Fort Smith Board of Directors will vote next Tuesday, November 17, 2026, on the additional $200,000 for the water slides and on the proposed management company.
Further reading
For more on the region's attractions, see Theme Parks coverage for Fort Smith.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KHBS.
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