Everywhere you go, proponents of Tuesday’s referendum on a recreation complex for Natchez and Adams county are touting the economic benefits of such a complex.

The chamber of commerce, the board of aldermen, the county supervisors, all of them are saying how much potential money a new complex could bring in the Miss-Lou thanks to hosting state and national tournaments.

Imagine all the visitors Natchez would get from hosting those tournaments, they say.

It would make a place that is already a tourist attraction for many people a tourist attraction for a whole new group of people.

All of this is true. In fact, I wrote a story for last Sunday’s edition detailing how Muscle Shoals, Ala., became a destination for many thanks to tournaments hosted at a new recreation complex.

And while that added revenue stream is a great thing for the city and county, it’s not the reason you should vote yes for recreation on Tuesday.

The real reason you should vote yes is not to give out of town children a place to play one of many tournaments they’ll compete in during the spring and summer.

It’s to give the children who live in the area a place to play all year round.

One of the misconceptions about a new recreation complex is that it’s only for baseball.

“But we have Duncan Park!” I hear some people say. “What’s wrong with that? Just fix it up a little.”

And on strictly a baseball standpoint, they have somewhat of an argument.

The Duncan Park fields are old, but they are sufficient for the local Dixie Youth league.

The complex is certainly not fit for hosting major tournaments, but for those concerned with just the league, they suffice.

However, there are many other sports that the area youth play other than baseball.

And let me fill you in on where those games take place.

The softball league plays on a softball complex behind Natchez High School.

The complex is difficult to get to and there is very little parking.

The parking there is is all grass, so if it rains, you’re parking in a field of mud.

Of course, if it rains even a little there most likely won’t even be a game because the drainage is so poor.

But at least the softball kids have an actual field to play on.

If only the kids that play soccer were that lucky.

The city’s soccer league plays on an empty lot behind Morgantown Elementary School.

There are no bathrooms, no bleachers, no scoreboards and my front yard is less bumpy than the grounds the soccer players try to compete on.

It’s disgraceful for a city-sponsored sports league to play its games on an empty lot next to the woods.

The situation for any child that wants to swim is just as dire.

The outdoor swimming pool at Duncan Park is dry. The only public swimming pool in the whole city is in the basement of the senior citizens center on Homochitto Street.

It’s hot, musty and humid down in the basement, and not exactly the environment I’d want to enjoy a nice dip in the pool in.

A proposed new complex contains baseball, softball and soccer fields as well as a swimming pool. It’s a facility that is 20 years past its time.

So what’s it going to be Natchez and Adams County? Are we going to continue to give our children third rate facilities to play their games on?

Or are we going to, as Mayor Jake Middleton said, with no pun intended of course, step up to the plate and hit a home run?

Our kids deserve more than what we are giving them. It’s past time we show them how much we really care for them.

Jeff Edwards is the sports editor for The Democrat. He can be reached at sports@natchezdemocrat.com.