Alexandria officials have proposed a $117 million indoor sports and events complex at Cameron Run Regional Park that would replace Great Waves Waterpark, the decades-old attraction's mini golf course and its batting cages. The 210,000-square-foot facility would be built for flexible court and turf sports, training programs, regional and national tournaments, and larger events, with city leaders targeting a 2029 groundbreaking.
As reported by Washington Business Journal, the plan would swap out the waterpark that has long occupied the site along Cameron Run. According to ALXnow, the proposed complex is meant to replace NOVA Parks' Great Waves Waterpark, mini golf site and batting cage facility entirely, reshaping one of the city's longtime recreational hubs.
How the Project Would Be Financed
Under the current proposal, the city would issue general obligation bonds covering $107 million of the project's cost, while the operator has committed to providing at least $10 million, per the same ALXnow report. That operator, a new multisports nonprofit called ALX Sports, must put up $4 million before any city financing is issued, the outlet reported.
The financing structure also involves a property transfer: the city would hand the Cameron Run site over to the Industrial Development Authority, which would then lease the finished complex to ALX Sports for 30 years of private operation, according to ALXnow's reporting. That timeline overlaps with NOVA Parks' existing lease for the city-owned park, which runs through December 2028 after the city extended it by a decade back in 2018.
Community Space Remains Unsettled
Exactly how much room the plan leaves for public amenities is still murky, and local outlets disagree on the details. ALXnow reported that the city could pursue 50,000 square feet of park uses — things like a tot lot, dog park, trails and an amphitheater — but only pending community input. The Zebra, however, described the proposal as already including at least 50,000 square feet of new community amenities as a built-in component, a characterization that diverges from ALXnow's account.
The projected financial upside is also described differently depending on the source. ALXnow reported that an official named Landrum said the existing waterpark generates an estimated $10.9 million in revenue over 30 years, compared with a projected $160 million for the new sports center over the same span. The Zebra, meanwhile, cited the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership estimating the complex could generate roughly $160 million in local tax revenue over 30 years, versus about $11 million from the water park in that same period — a subtly different metric than straightforward revenue.
Affordable Housing Dollars and Public Demand
The Zebra also reported that AEDP estimates approximately $20 million in projected tax revenue could become available for affordable housing over the three-decade span, tying the sports complex's financial case to one of the city's other persistent policy priorities. That framing suggests officials are positioning the project as benefiting more than just athletes and tournament organizers.
Public sentiment gathered ahead of the proposal appears to support moving away from the waterpark model. Per ALXnow, earlier outreach found that most respondents felt the site's current use didn't match their vision for its future, and instead pushed for more indoor recreation usable twelve months a year. The city's first public meeting on the proposal was scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, giving residents an early chance to weigh in before the plan advances further.
How Alexandria's Plan Compares Regionally
Alexandria isn't alone in weighing a nine-figure indoor sports venue. Prince William County leaders voted in 2023 to allocate nearly $1 million to advance a proposed indoor athletics facility projected to cost more than $100 million, according to WTOP. That facility would feature an indoor pool, a hydraulic running track and hard-surface courts, though WTOP noted the developer's $100 million estimate excludes land costs and a possible $40 million parking garage — a reminder that early price tags on these regional mega-projects often grow before shovels hit the ground.
For now, Alexandria's Cameron Run proposal remains just that: a proposal, with financing, the property-transfer structure and the 30-year operating lease all reported by local outlets rather than confirmed through a finalized city agreement. Residents hoping to see where the waterpark's slides and the mini golf course once stood will have their first real opportunity to question officials directly on Thursday night.
