The Montgomery County Commission has voted to continue its financial support of Montgomery Whitewater, approving $1 million to help cover the venue’s operating expenses and existing bills.
According to WAKA Action 8 News, commissioners discussed the progress and challenges of the 120-acre urban outdoor adventure park during their Tuesday meeting before approving the funds. Commission Chairman Doug Singleton noted the venue has seen notable improvements but is not yet self-sufficient.
“We understand that it’s going to take a ramp-up,” Singleton said during the meeting, per WAKA. “We understood that we had an agreement with the city, and they have helped us and worked with us on operating costs, and we’ve got to continue to do operating costs until the park gets self-sufficient.”
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Singleton added that revenue has grown more than 50% over the past year, with record attendance over the past three weekends. He said the funding gap is expected to shrink each year.
“Now, the gap next year is going to be less and the year after that will be less, and at some point, in the next few years, it should be where we’re close to being self-sufficient.”
District 4 Commissioner Isaiah Sankey also voiced cautious support for the project.
“I don’t think any of those venues that you mentioned that help us with our quality of life was to the tune of $100 million, so I just wanted to say that,” Sankey said, referring to other city attractions. “Certainly, I’m supporting Whitewater, but I would hope at some point that we would not continue to have to fund it at the current level that we do, because we could’ve had a whole lot of recreation for $100 million.”
Montgomery Whitewater, which opened in July 2023, is a $90 million, government-backed park built around man-made rapids and offering a range of outdoor and adventure activities. The Montgomery Advertiser reported that the park was envisioned as a long-term economic and lifestyle “anchor” for the city, aimed at boosting tourism and outdoor recreation, a sector that already contributes billions to Alabama’s economy. The original five-year agreement with the county requires that the county cover any operating shortfalls while the venue ramps up its revenue.
The park has developed only about 20% of its potential so far, with additional attractions such as ropes courses, zip lines, and the recently introduced whitewater tubing, which blends the ease of floating with the excitement of rapids, as part of its ongoing expansion. Plans for a hotel are also in the works.
Executive Director Jason Wilson previously told the Montgomery Advertiser that the park is expected to grow revenue by another 40–50% within the next two to three years, aiming for self-sufficiency by the end of the five-year agreement.
Since opening, Montgomery Whitewater has attracted more than 9,000 visitors, hosted athletic competitions, emergency training exercises, concerts, and dining events. It was named one of Time magazine’s “World’s Greatest Places of 2024.”
The Montgomery City Council also pledged earlier this year to contribute $500,000 annually to support the park over the next three years.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
