Sunrise moves ahead on City Hall with $10 million water park

By SUSANNAH BRYAN | sbryan@sunsentinel.com | South Florida Sun Sentinel

PUBLISHED: March 29, 2017 at 1:35 p.m. | UPDATED: June 5, 2018 at 3:52 p.m.

 sprawling City Hall campus that would come with a water park, new amphitheater, multi-level parking garage — and high price tag — is moving forward.

The complex containing the new five-story Sunrise City Hall and 800-space garage will also feature an aquatic playground geared to younger children, with a 900-foot lazy river ride, a lily pad walk, splash pad, pool play area and water slides.

The water park, which would cost $400,000 to design and $10 million to build, could be scaled back “if the economy goes in the tank or we run into major obstacles,” said City Manager Richard Salamon.

The City Hall building and garage portion of it would cost an estimated $42 million and would likely break ground in fall 2018.

On Tuesday night, commissioners directed staff to negotiate a contract with Stiles Corp. to handle construction on the property on Oakland Park Boulevard.

Commissioner Mark Douglas, who won election in November, questioned the wisdom of building the water park.

“After the initial excitement, we are going to be sitting on a white elephant,” he said.

Douglas said he was concerned about losing money when Sunrise has so many other needs.

“We are borrowing this money,” he told commissioners. “We don’t have it sitting in the bank.”

His comments led to a heated discussion, with Commissioner Joey Scuotto fiercely defending the water park proposal.

“If your kid doesn’t play baseball, should we shut down [the Sunrise Athletic Complex] because it costs us money,” Scuotto said.

Commissioners have already scuttled ambitious plans for a 1,500-seat performing arts theater and nearby garage, saying the $34.5 million price tag was too high.