STONE COUNTY, Miss. (WLOX) - Flint Creek is undergoing changes under new leadership. Many of the projects that have been in the works over the last year are seeing the light of day as the park enters its busiest time of year.
“We came in, and did a lot of cleaning,” Flint Creek Director Michael Clark told WLOX News. He took the job more than a year ago, and he is now proudly touting all the improvements and additions his team has worked on.
“At the water park, we put carpet on the padding to keep people from burning their feet, we got all three pumps running so there is plenty of water supply, and added a splash pad for the kids,” Clark said.
Beyond the water park, Flint Creek has created an 18-hole disc golf course that is already seeing a return on investment.
“Within the last month or so, we have had probably 300 people come just to play disc golf,” Clark added. “Some tournaments draw up to 500 people.”
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Flint Creek is not a state park and is funded only partially by the state. Instead, the park relies on revenue generated from renting its 26 cabins, dozens of campsites and more than 150 RV spaces.
Many of the cabins have undergone remodeling over the last two years, with much of that work done by Stone County inmates.
“We get inmate workers that come out every day,” Clark explained. “We pay the county for them to come out, which gives the inmates a chance to get out of the jail and be productive. There is a lot of skill and knowledge locked up behind bars. They come out and they help every day. They work hard. And without them, we would be in a bind.”
Cleaning the living spaces around the park has been a top priority for Clark, who says the mission is paramount to keep drawing customers to Flint Creek.
“I look at it from the point of view -- would I want to camp here? When I go into some place, I say -- would you want to camp there if it were your family? I try to make it clean, safe, and you want to come back.”
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