Northport Buys Land Near Kentuck, Estimates 3 New Parks Will Cost $40 Million

The Northport City Council took several steps to advance their plans to build an adventure park, sports complex and water park, which, all told, are expected to cost about $40 million.

The council met Monday night and approved four measures related to the parks, starting with one allowing the city administrator to purchase land from the Friends of Historic Northport, Inc.

The council approved spending $240,000 to purchase 40 acres of property and also OK'd the future purchase of an additional seven acres for the greater of $42,000 or its appraised value at the time.

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The 47 total acres, located south of 5th Street between Kentuck Park and Mill Creek, will be used for the major improvements and additions planned that will turn the park into a premiere sports complex.

The resolutions passed Monday put estimated prices on the projects for the first time --  $40 million to build the three parks -- but did not commit to spending that much at this time.

Instead, the council's action says if the city chooses to apply for bonds to pay for the parks, it can use some of the money from that bond series to reimburse its General Fund for costs those three projects have necessitated in the last six months, including engineering fees and other preliminary work.

The Adventure Park will sit on a 151-acre property on Rose Boulevard in Northport and will include several amenities, including walking trail improvements, a ropes course, zip lining and other adventure attractions, pavilions and recreation improvements.

The council said it expects the adventure park will cost $2 million.

The second project, the Kentuck Sports Complex is expected to cost $20 million and includes plans for an outdoor amphitheater, tournament fields and several other amenities.

The final project, the Water Park, will cost an estimated $18 million and will sit on an 11-acre property along McFarland Boulevard in Northport. Council President Jeff Hogg says it will open next year.

For updates on all three projects as they develop, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.