{"id":31808,"date":"2026-05-07T14:43:24","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T18:43:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/news\/?p=31808"},"modified":"2026-05-07T14:43:24","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T18:43:24","slug":"taxpayer-funded-texas-waterpark-criticized-for-offering-muslims-only-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/news\/2026\/05\/taxpayer-funded-texas-waterpark-criticized-for-offering-muslims-only-event","title":{"rendered":"Taxpayer-Funded Texas Waterpark Criticized For Offering ‘Muslims Only’ Event"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Left: DFW EID | Right: Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark \/ Facebook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A taxpayer-funded Texas waterpark is receiving pushback after advertising a \u201cMuslims only\u201d event next month. Epic Waters in Grand Prairie, Texas released fliers<\/a> for an event on June 1 with the posters saying the event is for \u201cMuslims only.\u201d The posters require attendees to wear a \u201cmodest dress code.\u201d A website for the event includes a \u201cwhat to wear\u201d section, as well as links for modest swimsuits. While men and women won\u2019t be separated into different spaces during the event, event organizers \u201cask all attendees to uphold Islamic etiquette just as they do in other mixed gender spaces\u201d and to lower their gaze around members of the opposite sex. Tickets purchased for the event are $55 or $65, which includes halal-certified food.<\/p>\n

Epic Waters is an 80,000 sq. ft. indoor waterpark that cost $88 million after being built in 2017. Funds to build the park were provided by a 0.25% local sales tax to that was approved by a 2014 referendum, causing critics to accuse the event of violating the Establishment and Equal Protection Clauses. Conservative commentator Dana Loesch called out the event on social media. \u201cHow is a taxpayer-funded, city-owned entity allowed to discriminate against non-Muslims at a public water park?\u201d she wrote. \u201cThere would be literal riots if Muslims were similarly excluded and we all know that\u2019s 100% accurate.\u201d Some asked when there would be a \u201cChristians only\u201d day.<\/p>\n

The pushback caused event organizer, Aminah Knight from the East Plano Islamic Center, to change the advertising of the event \u201cto make it clearer that this is a modest dress-only event centered around celebrating Eid,\u201d she told The New York Post<\/em><\/a>. New posters for the event have removed the \u201cMuslims only\u201d verbiage, replacing it with \u201cmodest dress only\u201d and adding that \u201call are welcome\u201d to celebrate Eid. Knight defended renting out the waterpark as it is often rented out for private events but stated it was not her intention to exclude non-Muslims. \u201cThe core intention behind this event is to create a space where individuals and families who value modest dress and a modest environment can come together and feel comfortable enjoying a recreational space that often doesn\u2019t naturally accommodate those preferences,\u201d she said. \u201cWhile the event is rooted in celebrating Eid within the Muslim community, the guiding principle for attendance is the modest dress code.\u201d A spokesperson for the waterpark also clarified that the event was not being hosted by the waterpark and that \u201cthe hosting entity, not the waterpark, determines the event\u2019s programming.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A taxpayer-funded Texas waterpark is receiving pushback after advertising a \u201cMuslims only\u201d event next month. Epic Waters in Grand Prairie, Texas released fliers for an event on June 1 with the posters saying the event is for \u201cMuslims only.\u201d The posters require attendees to wear a \u201cmodest dress code.\u201d A website for the event includes…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":516,"featured_media":31811,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31808","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nTaxpayer-Funded Texas Waterpark Criticized For Offering 'Muslims Only' Event<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Texas waterpark faces backlash after \u201cMuslims only\u201d event ad sparks discrimination concerns, prompting organizers to say all are welcome.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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