McComb officials are expecting more people to use the Martin Luther King Center after the recent construction of a new gym at the facility. They discussed Tuesday purchasing property to build a parking lot to accommodate bigger crowds.
“They are purchasing property for a parking lot. It’s adjacent to the ballpark, right across the street from the ballpark,” said Mayor Quordinish Lockley. “It faces MLK Drive and Quitman. It’s across the street from the center, across the street from the baseball field.”
Recreation Director Joyce Smith said, after talking with Tom Ellis of Tom Ellis Dozer Services, the cost to redevelop the property into a parking lot could be in the $50,000 to $60,000 range.
“The reason I would like to move on this is I would like to hope, with the addition of the ballfield and the gym, I would like to at least try to host two events there at one time,” she said. “I’ve been in the MLK center and the parking lot is full. The front is full and we have to park on the side of the ballfield. That does not leave anywhere else for parking if I have two events.”
Selectman Eddie Thompson suggested building the parking lot on property behind the ballfield at the Martin Luther King Center.
“I believe the property we’re looking at purchasing would be a shorter timeline to get it done than behind the ballfield,” he said.
City Administrator David Myers said the area Thompson suggested could be used for a park or walking trail.
“It could be utilized for something else at some point,” Myers said.
Selectman Tommy McKenzie raised questions about plans for the new gym itself.
“What is your budget to run MLK gym next year?” said McKenzie to Smith. “How much money do you have to run that gym?”
Smith said she has an additional $70,000 in the budget to run the gym, but all funds for the recreation department are put together.
“It’s not separated out. I just put everything in for the gym and for everything — for the Alpha Center and everything,” she said.
Lockley said special revenue and motel tax funds can be used to help the gym operate.
“I guess my question is, to make this gym and this ballfield successful, right, we need a master plan,” McKenzie said. “We want to know a budget of how you’re going to run and who’s going to staff and who’s going to have these plans.”
McKenzie said he hopes a new parking lot is needed for the facility.
“I haven’t heard a plan and how we’re going to do all this to make it successful, like the mayor said in the paper,” he said. “And I want to see it successful, but we can’t do it without a plan and a staff.”
McKenzie said he hopes the gym is successful enough to make all the “naysayers” go away.
Smith said she will have an employee open house at the gym Jan. 14, 2023 and leagues and tournaments for basketball, volleyball and badminton.
“Whatever it takes for it to be successful, that’s my plan,” she said. “It’s not just going to sit there and not generate funds.”
Smith said she would have her plan in writing for McKenzie.
Myers asked Smith to provide a copy of the plan to the entire board.
