The Joliet Park District Board on Monday unanimously approved the sale of the long-closed Splash Station waterpark for $6.6 million, signaling a major change for the property that has sat unused since its 2018 closure.
Sale approved, plans still undefined
The board voted 5-0 to transfer the property to industrial developer Prologis. Park District officials released a prepared statement saying the proceeds will be used to “expand our services and create an exciting new chapter for our residents,” and that the district is “considering a number of projects, including water-related options.”
Beyond that statement, the Park District provided few details. After the public portion of the meeting, the board went into closed session on personnel and property acquisition matters, limiting opportunities for public questions about the sale. Park District Executive Director Brad Staab provided the prepared statement prior to the closed session.
“The Joliet Park District Board of Commissioners is committed to our mission of bringing recreational opportunities to our entire community,” the prepared statement said. “With this mission in mind, the board is considering a number of projects, including water-related options. The proceeds from the sale will be used to expand our services and create an exciting new chapter for our residents. We look forward to unveiling our plans in the very near future.”
Background on Splash Station and buyer
Splash Station has been closed since 2018. The Park District cited persistent operating losses and a significant revenue shortfall in 2019 as reasons for shuttering the facility. The district first put the property on the market in 2024 and said at that time it would consider using any proceeds for a new water feature, but it did not define what form that feature might take.
Prologis, the buyer named in the Tuesday vote, is a large industrial developer with warehouse holdings in the region. The Park District has not disclosed any details about Prologis’ intended use for the site.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Sale price | $6.6 million |
| Buyer | Prologis (industrial developer) |
| Board vote | 5-0 in favor |
| Property status | Closed since 2018 |
Questions remain for residents and park users
Park Board President Sue Gulas acknowledged the difficulty of the decision during the public meeting, saying she ‘‘never thought I’d say that’’ as she called for the vote. The sale resolves a long-standing financial burden tied to the site, but it also raises questions about how recreational needs will be met going forward and what the community might lose if the land is repurposed for industrial use.
District officials have said they will consider “water-related options” among proposed projects funded by the sale. Those options have not been described, and no timeline has been released for when the board will present a concrete plan to the public.
- Sale proceeds intended for expanding park services and potential water-related projects.
- Board proceeded into closed session after public meeting, limiting direct public questioning about terms and future plans.
- Developer’s plans for the Splash Station site have not been disclosed.
Residents and park users looking for specifics will have to wait for the board to unveil its plans. The sale marks a financial shift for the Park District, which has been exploring ways to stabilize operations and deliver programming without the longstanding drain of Splash Station.
As details emerge about planned projects or the buyer’s intended use of the land, the Park District will face decisions that could shape recreational access and land use in Joliet. The community’s interest in potential replacement water features and other amenities suggests public scrutiny will remain high as the district develops a spending plan for the $6.6 million.
