Erlanger will start phase one of the highly anticipated Eons Adventure Park project after accepting a bid on Tuesday evening to begin construction.
Phase one will include improvements to the intersection at Houston Road and Sycamore Tree Lane, as well as construction of an all-access drive, 36 new parking spaces, storm sewer improvements, a sidewalk, and preparations for a dog park.
The project is anticipated to be completed by mid-November.
According to newly sworn-in City Administrator Mark Collier, Jefferson Contracting’s bid was accepted to begin work on phase one for less than the city’s budget, at $484,144.
The construction will kick off work on a massive parks project slated for Northern Kentucky. Across more than 1,000 acres in Erlanger and other cities in the region, Eons Adventure Park will feature urban woodland, 20 miles of mountain biking trails, a network of tree canopy trails and other amenities.
Erlanger broke ground on the project in October 2024 after setting aside $900,000 to finance its early phases of development, which came from the city’s property tax-funded City Parks Fund. City Council approved a measure to lower Erlanger’s property taxes for an eleventh year in a row, effective Oct. 1, in which 12% of the revenue will continue to go towards the City Parks Fund.
According to the project website, Eons Adventure Park is expected to bring more than 1,000 jobs to Erlanger and increase local spending threefold.
“Communities rally around common spaces for connection to one another and with their environment,” the website says. “Outdoor recreation has the potentially to radically attract and expand the connection of inhabitants and visitors to the Northern Kentucky region.”
The Adventure Park will network parks throughout the Northern Kentucky region and the riverfront, featuring mountain biking, hiking trails, picnic shelters, playgrounds, classrooms, art experiences and other recreational and educational opportunities.