Construction On Northport Water Park Expected To Begin This Fall

NORTHPORT, AL — The City of Northport on Tuesday revealed a first look at plans for a proposed aquatic center on McFarland Boulevard.

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As Patch previously reported in October 2022, the City of Northport officially closed a deal to purchase a large parcel of land along the U.S. Highway 82 corridor in the vacant tract adjacent to Big Lots, Tractor Supply Co. and Zaxby's that will now be the intended site for the proposed, large-scale aquatic facility.

The different amenities for the proposed 11-acre park include numerous waterslides, a spray park, a splash pad, a wave pool and a lazy river. The water park would also feature cabanas, a concession area and room for food trucks, among other offerings.

"We have been working hard to capture the concept that takes your wish-list of items for a Water Park and incorporates them into a layout and rendering drawing for you to have an idea of what is coming soon," City Council President Jeff Hogg said Tuesday in a Facebook post. "This is all still very preliminary and configurations could change, but we always want to be very transparent with what we have been working on with our staff and our consultants. I think those that have a vision and not stuck in the past will enjoy the progress of this project."

Hogg told Patch the estimated cost of the park is approximately $18 million, with the city aiming to pay for construction through a bond issuance and then paying the bond note with revenue generated from the city's 1-cent sales tax — dubbed Northport First Funds.

"According to slide manufacture cost, it could be open as early as May 2024," Hogg said. "But if it’s significant savings to wait, the latest would be spring 2025 to open. However construction will begin in fall 2023."

For the frontage of the property along McFarland Boulevard, Patch previously reported the city plans to address blight in the area by selling out parcels to both Buffalo Wild Wings and Starbucks for consideration. The city bought the parcel on McFarland Boulevard with revenue generated from the city's 1-cent sales tax.

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