GULFPORT - A $32 million multi-attraction theme park
proposed at Interstate 10 and U.S. 49 could get the go-ahead from
financial backers within the next 90 days, the park's developer says.
Troy Otnott, a partner in Kern/Otnott Development of New Orleans, said
a letter of agreement was signed Friday for a 45-acre site in Gulfport. He
said the project, dubbed Olympus Park, will have a combination 15-acre
sports park, a 15-acre water park and 15 acres of public parking that will
accommodate 1,800 vehicles.
Harrison County Development Commission spokeswoman Brynn Williams
Joachim said the theme park could trigger development of other, more
elaborate tourism-related projects along the Interstate 10 corridor. "This
is a well-thought out proposal and has significant potential to succeed in
this market," she said. "This is a major step in our efforts to diversify
our tourism industry."
The water park will have water slide complexes, a large wave pool,
activity pools, restaurants and a health spa. The sports park will feature
the country's largest rock climbing structure and an in-line skate park.
The park also will have an ancient games area that guests can use to
compete in games of the original Olympiad, Otnott said. Namco North
America, the world's largest arcade operator and manufacturer, will
provide several million dollars of high-tech video games for group events,
he said.
The developers plan to have the theme park up and running May 1, 2001.
Otnott said developers selected a site on the northwest side of U.S. 49
and Interstate 10 because it is one of the heaviest-trafficked
intersections in the state. He said construction of Crossroads Mall, on
the other side of U.S. 49, also figured prominently in their decision.
Kern/Otnott Development has formed Olympus Park Partners Mississippi
LLC, a working partnership with NBGS Inc., owners of the country's fourth
largest water park in New Braunfels, Texas, and Rehage Entertainment, a
New York-based sports management group, to own and operate the theme park.
Otnott confirmed the partners have approached a Coast bank to secure
project financing, but he declined to identify the bank.
Although city officials haven't signed formal agreements with Olympus
Park Partners, Steve Dickerson, business development coordinator for the
city of Gulfport, said the city has followed the project's development for
about 15 months.
"This is the kind of project we want to see because the theme park is
much more than just a standard water park," Dickerson said. "It's a nice
addition to the community's entertainment mix."
