West Memphis is finally putting shovels in the ground on its long-planned indoor West Memphis Aquatic and Recreation Center, with a groundbreaking set for Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at 3 p.m. at Tilden Rodgers Park. The new complex is slated to bring an indoor pool, sports courts, a walking track, and community rooms, all aimed at expanding year-round recreation for children and seniors. City officials are framing the project as the next big step in Mayor Marco McClendon’s ongoing push to upgrade parks and recreation across town.
What the City Announced
In a Facebook post by the City of West Memphis, residents were invited to “Join the City of West Memphis and Project Luong Architecture and Development for the official groundbreaking.” The announcement lays out a full slate of planned amenities, including a state-of-the-art indoor aquatic center for swim lessons, training, and family time, an indoor walking track, and courts for basketball, volleyball, and pickleball.
The plans also call for fitness and workout rooms and community, party, and meeting spaces, setting the center up as a go-to spot for everything from birthday parties to after-school programs and senior activities.
Site and Background
The new facility is slated for Tilden Rodgers Park, the sprawling sports complex at 825 N. Airport Road, according to the city’s parks pages. The park already features ballfields, tennis courts, a fishing lake, and a one-mile walking track, and city leaders say the indoor center will plug directly into those existing amenities to create a more complete recreation hub.
Why It Matters
The project follows on the heels of an $11 million renovation that reopened Tilden Rodgers Park earlier this year with upgraded fields and courts that city leaders said would benefit local children, Action News 5 reported. The indoor aquatic and recreation center is being pitched as the piece that makes the park a year-round destination, with space for swim lessons, youth sports, fitness programs, and senior health classes, even when the weather is not cooperating.
Who Is Behind the Project
The city’s announcement names Project Luong Architecture and Development as a partner on the center, a detail that lines up with recent development filings and industry chatter about a broader Epic West Memphis vision that could include an indoor waterpark and related attractions. An OpenAire LinkedIn update notes that the City approved a letter of intent with Project Luong Development, and a public RFQ listing shows West Memphis is soliciting design-build teams for a new aquatics center, a sign that procurement work is already underway behind the scenes.
Groundbreaking Details and Next Steps
The Facebook invitation asks residents to “Join the City of West Memphis and Project Luong Architecture and Development for the official groundbreaking” at Tilden Rodgers Park on March 18. City officials did not include a construction timetable or a budget figure in the post, and the procurement and RFQ activity suggest the city is still moving through design and bid phases before major construction ramps up.
Residents are encouraged to keep an eye on the city’s social media channels and the Parks & Recreation calendar for more updates and event details. The parks department maintains an events calendar and contact information on the city website for anyone with questions about programs, facility rentals, or how this new indoor center will connect with the rest of Tilden Rodgers Park.
