County needs to be realistic on recreation

By Democrat Editorial Board | The Natchez Democrat

Published Saturday, October 24, 2009

Adams County voters head to the polls next Tuesday to decide two very important things — to select the new county sheriff and to express their support or opposition to a proposed city-county-school district consolidated recreation plan.

Proponents of the plan tout many communities that have seen significant economic development as a result of having a state-of-the-art recreation facility.

And it’s true that many communities across the South have made significant investments in recreation and some have seen great rewards as a result of those investments.

But like most investing, to be good at it, you have to do your homework and often there’s some hard work involved, too.

Some proponents of a new recreation complex for Adams County have taken the attitude of the film “Field of Dreams.”

In the film, character Ray Kinsella hears a voice tell him, “If you build it, he will come.”

The logic follows: If you build an amazing new facility, out-of-town tournaments will come to Natchez.

But the truth is, simply having a state-of-the-art recreation complex will not magically bring tournaments and the dollars that accompany those tournament to Natchez.

Natchez should be realistic about the fact that attracting tournaments is a business.

Someone will need to be in charge of promoting and selling Natchez to potential tournaments.

Exactly who will sell it and how it can be sold can be decided upon prior to the first shovel of dirt being turned or the first dollar committed.

First, the community just needs to come out on Nov. 3 and express their opinions about whether or not they support exploring the recreation investment further.

And in one small way, the Field of Dreams references might be apt. If voters don’t come and support the idea, city, county and school board leaders likely will not build it.