VIDALIA &045; It’s a little early for Christmas, but Concordia Parish got everything on its list.

In all, the parish and its towns and organizations received $1.565 million in funds from the state’s capital outlay bill, which passed the Legislature during the session that ended Monday.

Not only did the bill pass, but it did so with all of Concordia Parish’s requests intact &045; no small feat, with 64 parishes clamoring for a piece of the funding pie.

Funding received by Concordia Parish, Ferriday and Vidalia in House Bill 2 included:

4$845,000 for Vidalia riverfront development, including a visitor welcome center and infrastructure. That doesn’t include an additional $122,800 from the state’s general fund for the visitor center.

Now that the state has committed the funds, aldermen are set to receive bids in July or August for the next phase of the Vidalia Landing riverfront development.

That phase will include additional lighting, a park security system, sewer extensions, a sewer lift station, landscaping, signage and a portable outdoor stage.

&uot;We’re in the process of getting an architectural contract for the visitor’s center right now,&uot; said Vidalia Town Manager Kenneth Davis. Wayne Coco of Simmesport, La., will serve as architect for that project.

Once it starts, construction of that phase should take about 120 days.

Construction already in place on the bank of the Mississippi River has ranged from a riverfront and Riverview RV Park to the restaurant Lorraine’s on the Riverwalk and a Comfort Suites hotel to an amphitheater.

4$500,000 to help with downtown revitalization projects in Ferriday.

The revitalization project should include reroofing the old Pasternack Building for use as a business incubator and senior citizens center.

It should also include construction of a new fire station as well as refinishing a nearby pavilion on First Street &uot;to use as a sort of outdoor park,&uot; Alderman Billy Rucker said.

4$200,000 for the purchase of the old Arcade Theater building on Louisiana Avenue in Ferriday.

That building would then become part of the Delta Music Museum, housed in a former post office adjacent to the theater building. And the Secretary of State’s Office runs the state’s network of museums.

The extra space would be used for performance and additional exhibit space as well as a mini-recording studio for children.

4$20,000 that can be used for planning and construction of a tutorial building for the Concordia Youth and Adult Community Association.