Sebastian County rejects plan to help fund Parrot Island expansion; project put on hold

FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The city of Fort Smith’s plan to add five new slides to the Parrot Island Waterpark has been put on hold.

The Sebastian County Quorum Court rejected July 16 the $2.1 million the city needs from the county to build the slides.

The Fort Smith City Council approved half of the $4.2 million expense for the slides. It needed the county to contribute the other half which was shot down.

Sebastian County Judge Steve Hotz says the plan was rejected because it was “too much too quick.”

“I think that would have been the difference of it passing. I think it would have passed with more time. Certainly, if we had time to put it in a budget,” Hotz said.

Hotz says some of the concerns from the county were about additional expenses because the $4.2 million budget did not include additional parking among other things.

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