Officials delay vote on proposed $20M recreation complex

VICKSBURG — A special meeting of the Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen scheduled for yesterday to discuss a proposed $20 million recreation complex was pushed back until today.

Mayor Paul Winfield told The Vicksburg Post the board will take up the matter at its regular meeting.

At issue is a proposal to ask the Mississippi Legislature for approval to increase hotel and food and beverage taxes to fund the sports park.

Winfield wants to borrow about $20 million to buy land and develop the park. He wants to increase the city’s 2 percent hotel tax by an additional 2 percent and add a 1.5 percent tax on food and beverages.

It was the third time Winfield has postponed discussion on the bill and the sports complex.

The board also has discussed the future of 200 acres the city bought for $325,000. Intended as a sports complex, the site was abandoned by the city in 2009 after $2.7 million had been spent for preliminary plans, engineering and site work.

Winfield has said the Fisher Ferry site was not suitable, saying part of the property, including the access route, is in a flood zone.

The mayor has said he wants to sell the Fisher Ferry site for residential development.