Particle.news
Download on the App Store
8 ARTICLES
·
2h ago

Grand Prairie Cancels Eid Waterpark Event After Abbott Threatens to Pull $530,000

State officials said a 'Muslim only' flyer violated civil-rights rules, threatening roughly $530,000 in grants.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott fired off a blistering letter threatening to yank state funding if a city doesn't shut down a "discriminatory" "Muslim-only" bash hosted by an Islamic group at a taxpayer-funded water park.
Image
Image

Overview

  • City officials said the June 1 Eid celebration at the city-owned Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark will not proceed.
  • The governor’s Public Safety Office warned Grand Prairie it could lose about $530,000 in public‑safety grants and set a May 11 deadline to confirm the event would not be allowed on city property.
  • Organizers had already revised flyers to replace 'Muslim only' with 'modest dress only' and 'all are welcome,' saying the goal was a family‑friendly environment with halal food and a prayer space.
  • Epic Waters is owned by Grand Prairie and available for private rentals, but the state argued that a publicly advertised religious restriction on city property would be unconstitutional and likened it to a 'Whites only' posting.
  • Abbott cited a new state law, HB 4211, and the move fits a broader pattern of using grant conditions to pressure cities, which could discourage faith‑centered private rentals at public venues.