The completion of the nearly $23 million Cornerstone Park off Highway 25 in south Starkville was the largest and most expensive investment in the city’s history, Mayor Lynn Spruill said Oct. 13 during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the long-awaited baseball/softball complex.
It’s also the largest piece of what could be nearly $40 million in total improvements at city parks over the next five years.
So, what’s the overall plan? What work has already been done or is underway? How will the city pay for all this?
Funding for parks
The city funds parks through a 1% tourism sales tax, as well as from a portion of another 2% tourism sales tax, which are collected from sales at restaurants and hotels. Those funding sources generate roughly $2.5 million for parks and recreation each year.
To build Cornerstone, the city borrowed $24 million in bonds in 2020, which will be repaid at a clip of $1.5 million per year through 2040.
The city has used the little more than $1 million left from the Cornerstone bonds and the remaining $1 million it receives annually through the tourism taxes for improvements at other parks – chiefly the Sportsplex, J.L. King and beginning construction of a new community center at Needmore.
But for the overall parks vision to truly take shape, Spruill said she will ask aldermen to consider borrowing another $11 million to $13 million in the first quarter of next year. Those bonds would be repaid through the tourism tax, essentially committing all that revenue to long-term debt. They would not require a tax increase, Spruill said.
What’s been done
Besides Cornerstone, the city has spent about $2.4 million at the Sportsplex for additional paved parking and new turf “flat field” equipped for football and soccer.
Construction began this summer on the $2.3 million Needmore Community Center. Plans are for that work to be complete in fall 2024.
Lights have been relocated from McKee Park and installed at the football field at J.L. King. The city repaired the leaking pool at Moncrief Park and repaired the pool house that had been damaged by a vehicle. Playground equipment at Josey Park has also been upgraded.
While work has not begun, the city has already committed $144,000 to converting the outdoor tennis courts at McKee Park to pickleball courts.
What happens next?
An estimated $7.1 million could be spent at McKee Park, which Spruill said would be the top priority, along with J.L. King, for the new bond money, if approved.
Plans include removing all but one baseball field currently there, and the remaining field “toward the back” would be open for general public use. A splash pad, second playground, dog park and walking track would be added.
At J.L. King, plans are to expand the existing splash pad, build a new bathroom and add seating and shade structures throughout the park. A new pavilion and plaza – which is being supported with $250,000 from the state – will grace the park’s entrance.
Next, Spruill said, will be work on the second phase of Needmore improvements, adding a parking lot, greenspace, a new pavilion and a mural paying homage to the neighborhood’s history.
Work at McKee, J.L. King and Needmore should be finished within two years or so, Spruill said.
Patriots Park will likely get a new bathroom, landscaping and handicapped-accessible parking. Moncrief Park work is still in the “planning stages,” but Spruill said she would love to see a skatepark built there.
Additional work at the Sportsplex is at the bottom of the list, and its scope will depend on what bond money remains after work at other parks is done.
Ideally, Spruill wants to add basketball courts, either indoor or covered, that could handle hosting tournaments.
While originally the city planned to remove the baseball/softball fields at the Sportsplex, as Cornerstone will host both recreational leagues and tournaments, the plan now is to leave those in place for public use and adult rec leagues.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 28 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 28 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
Join the Discussion