The Mississippi legislature has appropriated money for a wide range of projects in the Golden Triangle as it wraps up the 2024 session this weekend.
Either the state budget, Senate Bill 2468, or the bond bill, House Bill 1983, will provide funds for the Terry Brown Amphitheater and the Starkville Main Street project along with 20 other projects in Lowndes, Oktibbeha and Clay counties.
Both bills passed both chambers Friday.
The Senate bill will provide $3 million for the Starkville Main Street project. It will also appropriate $1 million for work at the Terry Brown Amphitheater. That project was shut out of the appropriation in last year’s session.
The budget bill will also provide $1.3 million for software and technology upgrades in the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and $750,000 for upgrades at the Lowndes County Adult Detention Center.
Amphitheater
The $1 million appropriation moves the long-delayed Amphitheater project incrementally toward completion. Although the funding is short of the estimated $4 million needed to complete it, Mayor Keith Gaskin said he wants work on the project to resume right away.
“We’d like to get moving and use the money to show our appreciation to the legislature for sharing this money,” Gaskin said. “We’re also looking for funds at the federal level and some private investors have agreed to give us some support as well.”
City Engineer Kevin Stafford said when the project resumes, the next step is building the restrooms and concession stand.
“The $1 million will cover one, but not both,” Stafford said.
Stafford said the latest estimate for completing the amphitheater is $4 million, but there is an option to go with the original plan, which is estimated to cost $3 million.
“We built in a 30% contingency for construction costs, so I do think we could complete the original plan for $3 million,” Stafford said. “That’s the council’s decision to make, obviously.”
Gaskin said his preference is to make the amphitheater a “top-notch attraction.”
“I’ll sit down with Kevin and the council and some private investors to talk about what that means,” Gaskin said.
Work began on the Amphitheater in 2016 after the legislature appropriated $3.2 million for the project in 2015. The state pitched in another $500,000 in 2019 but hasn’t provided any funds since as the project ground to a halt.
In addition to bathrooms and concession stands, the project needs 1,700 hardback seats, turnstiles and safety features such as gating and more fencing.
MSU, MUW, MSMS
The Senate’s budget includes a combined $23.5 million for the new College of Architecture and Design building and renovations at Bost Extension Center and Dorman Hall at Mississippi State.
The House’s bond package includes $3.46 million for facilities at Mississippi University for Women.
“That’s the amount we were expecting,” MUW President Nora Miller said.
The bond package also will provide $1.5 million for Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, short of the roughly $90 million it requested for facility improvements.
Starkville Main Street
Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill said she is “delighted” with the appropriation and that the funds could put the estimated $10 million project into motion.
The city has banked $2 million in federal funds, $1 million from the Oktibbeha County Economic Development Authority, $2 million from last year’s state appropriations and $100,000 from the Starkville Main Street Association.
“With this money, it puts us at $8.1 million, if my math is right,” Spruill said. “That puts us very close, especially if the costs begin to come down. I think we might be able to complete the project without any additional funds.”
The project, which will span Main Street from City Hall to Montgomery Street, is expected to take two years to complete. It will improve the roadway, provide more sidewalk space and include beautification amenities, such as decorative paving and lighting, benches, bike racks and trees.
Other funded projects
The budget bill will also provide Columbus with $190,808 for water and sewer infrastructure, as well as $150,000 to the Caledonia Natural Gas District for vehicles and equipment.
In Oktibbeha County, $500,000 each will go to the Morgantown Road bridge restoration and the county’s 365 Project (computers/technology; and $50,000 each will go toward State Highway 15 repairs, VFW Post 5573, a sheriff’s office patrol car and Maben Post Office improvements.
In Clay County, $500,000 each will go to courthouse repairs/maintenance, county road/bridge repairs and city of West Point street improvements.
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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 40 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 40 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
