Is the proposed sports complex getting closer to reality?

It appears so with Monday’s action by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to seek proposals from developers, hopefully with experience in designing, building and managing a sports complex similar to the facility the city wants built.

The way the board is moving forward with the project makes sense, considering the importance of the project and the tight economic times. The city’s plans involves the selected contractor leasing the Fisher Ferry property from the city, then leasing it back to the city to recover its construction costs. The lease payments will be made using revenue from the special 2 percent sales tax on hotel room rentals and food and beverage sales.

Allowing the city to lease the completed complex lets it build a reservoir of funds before it must make the first payment.

Under the provisions of the request for proposals, companies will be required to provide their own financing for the project, plan and design the project, build it and manage and market the sports complex and its other attractions. Each company will be assigned points based on the ability to meet the RFP requirements, and the proposals will be reviewed by a committee appointed by Mayor George Flaggs Jr. in July to oversee the design of the complex and hiring a contractor to build it.

“This RFP contemplates that the city would choose the highest scoring bidder under the RFP and then enter into a lease that would allow the developer to perform all the chosen services the city would have it perform,” said Tray Hairston with the Jackson law firm Butler Snow, which prepared the RFP for the city.

The city is looking at the facility being ready for activity in spring 2019 with all synthetic turf, multiuse fields that will allow the sports complex to be versatile enough to handle, soccer, baseball or softball tournaments.

“This is one of the game changers for this city; getting the sports complex,” Flaggs said.

We have in the past supported the concept of a sports complex for Vicksburg, and we hope the completed facility becomes the game changer the mayor expects.

Our hope is the special committee and the board use caution and due diligence to ensure the best company is selected for the job.