ROGERS — If half of the people who purchased half-price, 10-punch passes for the Rogers Aquatic Center show up today for the grand opening, some may get turned away, park officials said.
“The occupancy of the aquatic park has been established at 1,100 swimmers,” said Barney Hayes, parks director.
“That figure is a little misleading. The occupancy rate is 1,100 people actually in one of the pools, it doesn’t apply to sunbathers or parents watching their children,” Hayes added.
Hayes estimates about 1,300 people can be inside the center at one time, so long as not all of them are in the water.
Hayes and Suzy Turek, center manager, will slow or stop entry should they decide the center is overcrowded, Hayes said.
“I don’t have a formula,” Hayes said. “Based on the count coming through the gate and a watchful eye on the situation, Suzy or I will decide if and when to stop admitting people to the center. After that it will be first come, first serve. As people leave the center we will let new people in. I suspect some folks will leave before getting in, if we are overcrowded, and decide to come back another day.”
The aquatic center is scheduled to open at 11 a.m. today.
“I expect we are going to be swamped with people. We have no idea how many people will be here tomorrow,” Turek said Friday afternoon.
More than $220,000 in the half-price, 10-punch passes had been sold as of Friday afternoon, park officials said.
Half-price, 10-punch passes that normally sell for $85 for resident adults have been on sale for $42.50 since May 11. The sale ends today. After today the admission price for resident adults will be $12 per day. A child’s admission will be $8. Nonresident adults will be charged $15 and nonresident children $10. Park officials think more half-price punch passes will be sold today.
“Pass sales could top more than $250,000 by the end of the day Saturday,” Hayes said Friday. “Ticket sales have been very robust. We had no idea how many tickets we might sell when we put them on sale. Now we know: a bunch.”
Two years ago, when the old pool at Lake Atalanta was still in operation, the Parks Department took in more than $20,000 for the entire summer season, park officials said.
The aquatic center is at 1707 S. 26th St.