Arrest warrant issued for owner of Fort Rapids Waterpark

After failing to appear in court, an arrest warrant has been issued for the owner of Fort Rapids Waterpark.

Owner Jeff Kern failed to appear at a Franklin County Environmental Court hearing last week, and City Attorney Zach Klein issued an arrest for the embattled property owner shortly after.

His bail is set at $2.5 million.

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Kern has been lawsuits from the city for failing to keep the former waterpark up to code. In 2022, he was fined $1,000 per day until the park was brought up to compliance. This June, a judge ordered him to pay nearly $200,000 after he was held in contempt of court. His daily fines were also doubled to $2,000.

“Letting this property fall into disrepair and walking away from the responsibility to fix this mess is not an option,” Klein said. “We’re committed to the future of this site, and we will continue to use every available tool to hold these owners accountable, bring the property up to code, and reignite this site’s economic potential.”

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