A $50 million, government-backed whitewater park and outdoor fun center is about to start construction on the outskirts of downtown Montgomery, and it’s a project that local officials are betting will redefine the area as a young professional and family destination.
The man-made course will wind through restaurants, shops, hotel, beer garden and a concert venue.
The main attraction is a 25-acre central park that will feature rafting and kayaking along a man-made whitewater course that twists through restaurants, shops, a beer garden, an outdoor concert venue and a hotel and conference center. But the wider, 120-acre site will feature a climbing tower, zip lines, mountain biking, rope courses and more.
The Montgomery Zoo draws about 200,000 visitors a year. The whitewater park's backers estimate total annual attendance at almost 300,000, and its projected impact skyrockets if it approaches that level of activity.
The park is modeled after the Charlotte National Whitewater Center.
Construction is expected to start this fall, with a targeted opening of spring 2022.
Local and national swift-water rescue first responders will be able to train at the venue. Also, Maxwell AFB will be able to use it for group training.