HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – The Hopkinsville City Council was presented with three options to solve ongoing issues at Bluegrass Splash Family Aquatic Center. This includes closing the beloved local attraction for good or investing over $3 million to completely overhaul the plumbing.

“It’s gotten to the point now where we are just putting band aids on it,” said Hopkinsville Public Works Director Mike Perry during a special called meeting on Dec. 11. This conversation stems from multiple leaks that popped up at the end of the 2025 season coupled with two decades of issues. Regardless of a future decision, the council confirmed that Bluegrass Splash will not open in the 2026 season.

Leading up to this season, the city spent over $100,000 in repairs after local youth rallied behind the investment. Water testing on all of the pipes after the final weekend this summer revealed that three pipes were leaking underground, and one pipe is leaking above the ground. For next steps, Perry provided the council with three options to tackle the new issues along with a rough estimate of costs.

  • Option #1: For around $400,000 they will locate and repair pipes that are currently leaking, although there is uncertainty about the sustainability of surrounding pipes and the exact location of leaks.
  • Option #2: For around $4 million, the city can invest in replacing all underground pipes to mitigate ongoing problems with the glue joints and “bad workmanship.”
  • Option #3: Forgo any repairs and permanently close the water park after paying final $157,000 bond payment in February.

Timeline of issues dating back to 2008

Bluegrass Splash was constructed in 2006, opening Memorial Day weekend of 2007. The water park is home to Hurricane Alley which has two large water slides, as well as a splash zone, wading pool, and lazy river. In recent seasons, the park sees an average of 500 visitors a day during the summer.

Initially called Tie Breaker Family Aquatic Center, the construction was overseen by the Planning Commission. According to public works, issues started just a year after opening, when a leak was located where two pipes were on top of each other and rubbed a hole straight through. Wood debris and metal rebar was also located in the trench with the pipes.

“It’s like spaghetti,” said Perry, showing a photo of an area where nearly a dozen waterlines crisscrossed over each other. He credits a lot of the ongoing issues to “bad workmanship” from the contractors. Other areas had concrete poured directly on pipes which has created immense amounts of pressure, leading to cracks and leaks. He also mentioned that glue joints are failing and were installed in error, causing leaks over time.

In a report prepared for city councilmembers, public works provided a timeline of significant issues the water park has had repaired since opening

  • 2008: Plunge pool chemical return line hole.
  • 2009: Lazy river return line broke in island around river.
  • 2013: Pool liner had to be replaced because of cracking in pool plaster.
  • 2017: Leisure pool gutter line broke.
  • 2017: Strainer basket in pump housing pipe fatigue leading to replacement.
  • 2019: Plunge pool gutter line broke because pool wall poured directly on top of pipe.
  • 2021: Replaced entire line to lazy river return line because pipe broke underneath pool floor.
  • 2021: Replaced lazy river pump.
  • 2022: Replaced zero entry chemical return line underneath pool floor because of glue joints.
  • 2022: Repaired gutter trough wall because of concrete fatigue and failure.
  • 2023: Lined 20′ section of SCS Toy Structure supply pipe because of failed glue joints.
  • 2025: Lined 3 different sections of supply line to SCS Toy Structure because of failed glue joints.
  • 2025: Supply line to hose bib repaired because of failed glue joint.

Next steps, talks of litigation

“We’ve never made a profit off of this,” said Mayor Knight, adding that the park was always meant to be a quality-of-life project, not necessarily intended as a big money maker for the city. Perry confirmed that financially the park has always been in the red.

Overall, the final design of the water park is very different than initial plans, with the layout of pipes not matching available specs. Perry said that the contractors experience previous to this project was just in agriculture. In regard to possible legal action due to the ongoing issues, City Attorney Doug Willen said that back in 2009, the city already had litigation in relation to the water park with the result in the city’s favor.

“We can fix it right or not at all,” said Councilmember Chuck Crabtree during the meeting. He suggested the council takes a step back and initiate in-depth talks with the community about what they want and what they are willing to invest in Bluegrass Splash. Since the park will not be able to open this season, the council has time to explore all options.

Councilmembers voted in favor to move the discussion to a committee of the whole meeting in January. They also scheduled a future closed session meeting about potential legal action.

| STAY UPDATED ON LOCAL NEWS: Sign up for the midday Christian County Now newsletter.