A&P Commission approves $181,000 for five Big Dam Water Park events with revenue‑share terms

The Arkansas A&P Commission voted to fund five events at Big Dam Water Park, approving $181,000 in total reimbursement‑style support while extracting a revenue‑sharing commitment from the park operator.

The park representative said the management company originally proposed eight events and reduced the request to five. To align incentives, the park proposed to remit to the commission any gross revenues (tickets, food and beverage; season passes excluded) that exceed $20,000 on event days. The representative said the park would provide POS sales details and a daily sales summary to verify amounts.

Commissioners voiced several concerns: timing conflicts with downtown Juneteenth events and the regional air show, fireworks permitting and public‑safety coordination, drone‑show costs, and whether gross or net revenue should be the basis for sharing. The park said it would coordinate with downtown organizers and limit drone events to avoid overlapping the air show.

A motion to approve reimbursement funding for all five events was made and seconded; the commission voted unanimously to approve the $181,000 allocation. Commissioners asked the park to deliver sales reports within a few days after each event so the commission can track returns on its investment.