Staff Reports
The story practically writes itself: Epic Waters, the city-owned water park in Grand Prairie funded by local sales tax dollars, briefly advertised a “Muslims only” Eid event and then quietly backtracked after a public outcry. The action raises obvious questions: can a taxpayer-funded public facility host a religiously exclusive event? And who decided that a public water park should pick winners and losers on the basis of faith?
Taxpayer-funded space, private rules?
Epic Waters is paid for by Grand Prairie residents. That means the pool, the slides, the lifeguards and the electricity are bought with public money. So when the park’s flyer said “Muslims only” it felt wrong to a lot of people. The organizers later softened the language, saying the gathering is a modest-dress Eid celebration open to those who follow certain dress and behavior rules. But changing a flyer after you get caught doesn’t erase the original choice to exclude.
Legal and fairness questions
Look, I’m not trying to be the judge and jury here. But public facilities can’t pick and choose who uses them based on religion without running into big legal trouble. That’s why people started calling for action from the Department of Justice and even jokingly paged Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon. The event was sponsored by a private group, yet it takes place in a public building funded by sales tax. That mix of public funding and private faith-based rules is where the trouble starts.
Modesty rules don’t make it private
The flyer reportedly asked attendees to follow modest swimwear guidelines and “lower the gaze.” Those are fine for a private mosque event or a members-only pool. They are not fine as the policy for a public, taxpayer-funded park without a clear, neutral policy that applies to everyone. If a city wants to rent its facility to a faith group, do it on equal terms — no religious exclusion, and no secretive edits after the heat is on.
What should happen next?
City leaders need to explain themselves. Grand Prairie officials should clarify whether Epic Waters is available equally to all residents and what rules apply when a religious group rents space. The DOJ or a state attorney general could review whether the booking broke public-accommodation laws. Meanwhile, taxpayers deserve a straight answer — not a PR rewrite. If public spaces begin picking winners based on religion, the next scandal won’t be a flyer; it will be a pattern.
