The Documents Behind the Epic Waters Eid Controversy
Public statements were plentiful. The underlying records were far less clear.
On May 3, 2026, a flyer began circulating publicly online for a “Muslim Only Event” celebrating Eid at Epic Waters. The flyer stated three times that the event was limited to Muslims, including “Muslim Only Event,” “For Muslims Only,” and “Closed to the Public — Muslims Only.” Although the flyer described the event as closed to the public, it was publicly advertised through dfwepiceid.com, and the QR code on the flyer directed users to that website to purchase tickets. Tickets were advertised at $55 without food and $65 with food. The website preserves the original event advertising and later added updates as the controversy unfolded publicly. The event was advertised for Monday, June 1, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The event materials also stated that a private prayer room upstairs would be available from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The “Muslim Only” advertising is what sparked the debate, with news outlets, online influencers and public officials commenting on the event. The city issued the following statement via social media:
“The City of Grand Prairie is aware of concerns that have been expressed about an upcoming private event at Epic Waters. The City has been in contact with the Epic Waters management team to ensure all policies and procedures have been followed. Epic Waters is owned by the City and managed by a third-party operator. Like other City-owned facilities, it is available for rental by individuals and organizations.”
Gov. Greg Abbott would issue an ultimatum to the city on May 6 to cancel the event based on the manner in which the event was advertised on the organizer’s website.
Later that same day, the city did end up cancelling the event with the following statement.
“After further review and in the best interest of the City of Grand Prairie, the June 1 EID event at Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark has been canceled. The announcement comes after growing public discussion surrounding the private event that had been scheduled at the city-owned facility.”
Public officials, community leaders, and media outlets quickly began discussing the situation. The public conversation focused on allegations of discrimination and the City’s decision to cancel the event. As I watched the discussion unfold, I found myself asking what seemed like the most basic question of all: what does the signed agreement between the rentor and the facility actually say? At the time, I did not see anyone referring to the actual reservation documents. My reaction on social media was simple: what does the agreement say about how to handle a situation like this? Rather than speculate, I decided to request the records myself.
Document Requests
I submitted a public information request to the city with the following request:
“I am requesting the rental agreement for the EID Event publicly advertised to take place on June 1, 2026 at Epic Waters, allegedly organized by Dr. Aminah Knight (Please see the exact flyer). I am also requesting a blank copy of a rental agreement for Epic Waters. 2 agreements in total.”
I received the documents below. A 2026 Group Order Form listing the date of the event as Monday June 1, 2026, with the group type listed as “social,” the organization listed as “Annual Eid Al Adha Celebration” with Dr. Aminah Knight as the contact. (Contact’s address, phone and email were redacted for the purposes of this public article). It lists 275 tickets for a price of $40 each, 20 complimentary tickets, 275 Hatal chicken meals at $15 each, and 275 complimentary $5 arcade playing cards. The total cost of the Group Order is $15,125.00, with a deposit due of $3,781.25 to be paid by May 11, 2026. The fom was signed by both Dr. Knight and Sarah Atkins as the Epic Waters account executive. Park hours were listed as 10 am - 8 pm.
No where does the form say the event was a private rental, it’s clearly labeled as a “Group Order.” This distinction is important. The Epic Waters website indicates that both group ticket pricing and private event rental are available for the park. Group ticket pricing includes “discounted ticket pricing for groups 20 or more” and “custom food packages,” while park rental includes “private park access” and a “customizable experience.”
The organizer’s flyer also indicated that the organizer had planned to purchase tickets at one price and sell it to attendees for a higher price; she was purchasing entry tickets for $40 each and selling them for $55, and purchasing entry + food tickets for $55 and selling them for $65.
Also included in the City’s response was a document titled “Terms and Conditions of Private Event Agreement” (below). However, the records provided consist only of Page 2 of a document. The page is not signed, dated, initialed, or attached to any executed agreement identifying the event to which it applies. One provision states that Epic Waters agreed not to offer alcoholic beverages during the event and that the event would be alcohol-free. However, because only a single page was provided, it is unclear whether this document was associated with the Annual Eid Al Adha Celebration, another event, or a separate agreement entirely. The document contains no event name, contract number, reference to the organizer, or other identifying information connecting it to the Group Order Form. In addition, no signed Private Event Agreement was produced with the records.
I also received a blank copy of a Group Order Rental agreement.
Because the records raised additional questions regarding how the event had been structured, I provided Epic Waters with copies of all documents received from the City and requested clarification regarding the nature of the reservation, the agreements associated with it, and the records that had been produced. My email included the following request:
”Good morning,
I am currently working on a story regarding the cancelled Annual Eid Al Adha Celebration that had been scheduled at Epic Waters.
Through a public records request, I have obtained a copy of the 2026 Group Order Form signed by both the event organizer and an Epic Waters representative (attached). Based on that document, I am seeking clarification regarding the nature of the reservation.
Was this event booked as a private rental of the facility or a group sales event that included admission tickets and cabana rentals during normal operating hours? The documents I have reviewed refer to the reservation as a Group Order Form, while public statements and media reports have frequently described it as a private event. I would appreciate any clarification you can provide regarding how Epic Waters classified this booking.
In addition, if the Group Order Form was accompanied by any additional agreements, terms and conditions, addenda, amendments, policies, or other documents that formed part of the executed agreement, I would appreciate receiving those records as well so that I can ensure my reporting accurately reflects the complete contract package.
Thank you for your time and assistance. I look forward to your response.”
I received no response.
Questions Regarding Third-Party Management of City-Owned Facilities
American Resort Management (ARM), the company responsible for operating Epic Waters on behalf of the City of Grand Prairie, did not publicly comment on the event or explain the nature of the reservation. As I reviewed the records, the lack of clarity surrounding the agreements raised a number of questions.
If the event had been booked as a group sales event, why was it publicly advertised as a “Muslim Only” event that was “closed to the public” without any apparent correction from facility management? If it had been booked as a private facility rental, why do the records include a Group Order Form rather than a signed private rental agreement? If a Private Event Agreement existed, where is the complete signed agreement and its associated terms and conditions?
These questions are particularly relevant because the reservation was managed not by the City directly, but by a third-party operator overseeing a taxpayer-owned facility.
To provide context, I obtained a rental agreement from a member of the public who had rented space at the Epic Recreation Center next door to Epic Waters, a facility managed directly by the City. The terms and conditions spanned five pages and were incorporated directly into the agreement alongside the reservation details, making it clear which terms applied and what obligations had been accepted by the renter. By comparison, the records produced regarding the Eid event did not provide the same level of clarity regarding the nature of the reservation or the agreements governing it.
This led to another public information request seeking the most recent Epic Waters Contract Compliance Audit and any receipt showing payment of the event deposit before the cancellation.
”I am requesting the most recently completed Epic Waters Contract Compliance Audit. I have attached the minutes containing most recent mention of the Audit, back in 2020 at the Finance and Government Committee Meeting. The audit was supposed to happen in 2021, but there should have been others since. I am requesting the most recently completed audit. I am requesting the receipt of payment for the Annual Eid Al Adha Celebration dated June 1. The agreement I received showed the deposit had not been paid, if there is a receipt for payment of deposit, that's what I am requesting.”
I submitted the request on May 22 and received a response on June 10, 13 business days later (the Texas Public Information Act states I should have received them in 10). I requested the most recently completed compliance audit. Instead, the City provided a memo and email chain from 2020 discussing an audit conducted several years ago.
As of the date of this article, I have been been unable to locate a more recent compliance audit on the City’s website, and none was produced in response to my request. Whether a more recent audit does not exist, was not maintained by the City, or simply was not produced remains unclear. What is clear is that my request for the most recent compliance audit did not result in the production of a recent compliance audit.
In Conclusion
What remains most surprising is that the underlying records never seem to have received the same level of scrutiny as the flyer itself.
The public was told this was a private event. The records I received describe a Group Order Form. The City produced an unsigned page from a purported Private Event Agreement, but not the agreement itself. The facility’s operator never publicly explained how the reservation had been structured, and when I asked for clarification, I received no response.
Before a city-owned facility becomes the center of a statewide controversy, one would hope the nature of the reservation, the governing agreements, and the facility’s own records would be clearly understood by everyone involved.
After reviewing the documents myself, I am not convinced they were.