County Commission Approves $1 Million to Support Montgomery Whitewater
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WAKA) — Two years after Montgomery Whitewater opened, the Montgomery County Commission has voted to continue funding the 120-acre urban outdoor adventure park.
On Tuesday, commissioners approved $1 million to help cover operating expenses and existing bills for Montgomery Whitewater, which features man-made rapids and other outdoor attractions.
“We understand that it’s going to take a ramp up,” Commission Chairman Doug Singleton said. “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.”
Singleton said Whitewater’s revenue has grown more than 50% over last year. He added that the past three weekends have brought record attendance.
“We’re filling that gap, but we still got a gap,” Singleton said. “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.”
Singleton said the facility has made Montgomery more attractive to companies the city hopes to recruit, strengthened ties with Maxwell Air Force Base and improved the quality of life in the capital city.
“So it’s probably not ever going to be something that you would do for profit,” Singleton said. “Montgomery Zoo, it’s not for profit. Shakespeare Festival, Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts — a lot of Dixie Youth baseball and softball teams out there play at parks that are not making money.”
District 4 Commissioner Isaiah Sankey said he supports the project but raised concerns about its long-term cost.
“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. “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.”
The Montgomery City Council voted in June to contribute $500,000 to Montgomery Whitewater for the next three years.
Only about half of the Whitewater property has been developed. New attractions have been added, including a ropes course and zip line, and there are plans to build a hotel on the site in the future. The facility also recently named a new executive director.
