Montgomery Whitewater expected to transform nearby neighborhoods

Montgomery Whitewater is expected to transform neighborhoods surrounding the sprawling recreational park, but the ripple effect is likely to be felt throughout the city.

And the region as a whole.

The park will hold its grand opening July 7-9.

Officials are estimating a $36 million annual impact, mostly in tourism-related dollars.

That means good things for businesses, small and large. The park covers 120 acres in west Montgomery near Maxwell Air Force Base and has commanded a $90 million investment. The park itself will create about 120 jobs. Two engineered water channels provide rafting and kayaking opportunities.

The park will be an international draw, said Mike Grella, CEO of Grella Partnership Strategies. Grella works in economic development, and in 2012 Amazon named him to build and lead its global economic development team. He predicts “hundreds of thousands of people” who have never been to Montgomery before will make the trip to the city for the whitewater experience.

Though visitors must pay to use the whitewater courses, the park will be open to the public for free admission. There will be plenty of to do off the water, with a restaurant, a gear and gift shop, a planned beer garden and a promised hotel. Future plans include biking and hiking trials and zip-lines on property along the Alabama River.

“The area can expect an influx of new and expanded hospitality and service-oriented businesses to meet the needs of park guests and employees,” Grella said. “This includes gas stations, campgrounds and trailer parks, hotels, restaurants, bars, retail stores for outdoor sports and recreation equipment, other local tourist attractions, and more.

“Gig economy jobs like Airbnb, Uber/Lyft drivers, Door Dash & GrubHub food delivery services will also flourish with the launch of Whitewater, providing supplemental income to many residents.”

The park will likely bring in different types of businesses than the usual restaurants and bars, he said.

“Because Montgomery Whitewater is going to attract not just a national but an international audience…. over time you’ll see a diverse array of restaurants, bars and service establishments that appeal to and meet the needs of a global consumer base,” Grella said. “A range of affordable to upscale options will result, and you’ll likely see niche opportunities for local businesses and entrepreneurs to create unique retail experiences that meet the needs of specific customer sets such as families, outdoor enthusiasts, professional paddlers, etc.

He described this scenario: "You may see a health-conscious juice bar pop up next to a bike repair shop across the street from a small fresh foods/organic market or craft brewery with axe throwing and bocce ball.”

That’s just what Christian Noel is expecting — and banking on. He’s the senior director of corporate development for Premier Tech, an international company working in automation and packaging.

In early June they opened a $33 million hub and headquarters complex in Montgomery.

Company officials say the 167,000-foot building will allow Premier Tech to transfer more production to Alabama's capital city. “We have a world-class manufacturing environment," site director Jeffrey Kotila said in an earlier interview.

The company specializes in designing and building packaging to help manufacturing plants with production and capacity. The new facility has added 55 jobs and has promised 78 more, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said.

Noel, who is based in Canada, visited the Whitewater site while it was under construction several times during the recruitment process. The park was key in the decision to expand operations in Montgomery, he said.

“The business community there is dynamic and strong, but Whitewater offers something different that no one else has,” he said. “It allows us to recruit new members to our team. When you can offer a sports flagship like whitewater, it is attractive for people who do not want to go fishing or play golf, but still want to have outdoors activities.

“It allows us to attract different types of people to be new members of our team. It provides activities for our people from other states and other areas. So we can attract more diverse people to our team. And it benefits other types of companies as well, to bring in dynamic people to their team. Having Whitewater in Montgomery is good for retention of team members and recruiting new team members.”

Some local businesses are already making changes in anticipation of the park opening.

Goat Haus Biergarten, on Clay Street, offers spectacular views of downtown Montgomery and is about a mile-and-a-half from Whitewater. The business offers pub fare, craft beer and meeting rooms.

Coming soon is a two-bedroom, two-bath rental space on the upper floor, said Treay Perazzo, general manager. Work is still going on in the space, but it should be complete shortly after the park opens. Goat Haus is also changing its menu from the more traditional German fare to a more American cuisine, like chicken wings.

“We want to be open to everyone to offer a safe space for everyone,” Perazzo said. “The park is going to be a huge boost to businesses, not only around the park but also downtown.

And the region, said State Sen. Kirk Hatcher, D-Montgomery.

“Montgomery Whitewater is so much more than just 'a slip and slide,' like some have described it,” he said. “It is a major economic development project that will benefit not only Montgomery, Autauga and Elmore counties, but it will be a boost for the region and the entire state as a whole.”

That positive impact is needed in the area around the park itself, neighborhoods that have seen blight for years. The main drag going to the park, Maxwell Boulevard, passes blocks of closed shopping centers and boarded up homes and businesses.

“This project is part of a larger vision and effort that will not only improve the cosmetic appearance of the Maxwell Boulevard corridor and beyond throughout Montgomery but create hundreds of direct and indirect jobs,” Grella said. He said new jobs and capital investments in the area will increase property values, and that schools and public services will benefit from the sales and occupancy taxes generated by visitors.

“The aesthetic of the corridor and surrounding area will be enhanced, which, again, creates this virtuous cycle of property values going up, increasing revenue, creating more jobs, creating more opportunity, leading to greater, more resilient and inclusive prosperity for Montgomery residents.”

Overall, the real estate market in Montgomery is strong.

A simple Zillow search shows that local real estate values around Whitewater and Maxwell have already begun to increase.

One single bedroom home in the area that had a tax assessed value of just over $137,000 in 2014 sold for $1,600,000 in 2022. Another single bedroom home nearby had a tax assessed value of $1,540 in 2018 sold for $18,000 in 2020.

A four-bedroom home on Clay Street was last listed at $95,000 in 2020 and now has an Zillow-estimated value of $160,000.

Reporters Alex Gladden and Hadley Hitson contributed to this report. Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney at mroney@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Montgomery Whitewater expected to transform nearby neighborhoods