The City of Vicksburg is doing its best to get a sports complex in the city. The Aquila Group pulled out of the project, now slated for a tract of land on Fisher Ferry Road, because of down economic times, but city leaders vow to press forward.

It has been almost 18 months since Aquila announced plans to take Halls Ferry Park private and transform it into a sports complex that would rival no other. It would have softball and baseball fields, walking paths, a golf course. And best of all, it would be at least started by the time the spring athletic season started in 2008.

It didn’t happen.

To explore possibilities of a partnership, the City of Vicksburg advanced a refundable $250,000 for a feasibility study. The state Department of Environmental Quality said land in Halls Ferry Park, some of which is on top of a sealed landfill, cannot be disturbed, so Halls Ferry is not feasible. The refundable $250,000 is yet-to-be-refunded, but the city thinks it might be … perhaps next month.

No matter, plans moved to an area west of Fisher Ferry — some of which is prone to flooding but still a great idea — where serious dirtwork will begin soon.

Other grand attractions have been planned for the city and some of them haven’t gotten off the ground. A strip mall behind Walgreens might one day be a jewel. A bowling alley might be coming here as well.

Then there is the sports facility. Vicksburg is lagging behind many cities in this state in the realm of recreation. Few could rival that of the small town of New Albany, tucked quietly in the northeast corner of the state, a short drive from Tupelo.

The New Albany Sportsplex is 70 acres of baseball, softball, soccer and football fields. A walking track connects the complex to a walking path on the Tallahatchie River. It’s where Vicksburg High won a baseball playoff series last season.

A Northeast Daily Journal article from 2007 reported that from March to October, more than 150,000 people, from players to coaches to families, annually attend events at the park. The head of the recreation department said every weekend in the warm months will draw 6,000 to 8,000 people. All that for a town of 8,000.

With a top-notch recreational facility, Vicksburg would attract the cash-cow that is youth tournaments.

Grand plans have been pitched for this fair city, some have come to fruition and some have disappeared.

We were all given such high hopes for the Halls Ferry facility and the city’s government may indeed come through to make this a summer athletic hot-spot.

I just don’t believe them. Not based on what has taken place so far.

Sean P. Murphy is Web editor of The Vicksburg Post. Write to him at Box 821668, Vicksburg, MS 39182, or e-mail smurphy@vicksburgpost.com..