Natchez must step up and get whatever the National Park Service needs to facilitate transfer of ownership of the Natchez Visitor Reception Center as quickly as possible.

Otherwise, the deal that literally took an act of Congress and an act of the Mississippi Legislature to put together might fall through.

Park service representatives said the longer the city takes to get NPS what it needs, the bigger the chance funding the service has in place for the facility could go to another project.

We realize the city has many issues to deal with but at this point in the project priority should be given to getting the necessary documents to the National Park Service to ensure transfer of ownership of the facility.

The National Park Service asked for more land?

OK. Draw up the maps. Get the necessary paperwork, and get it done.
Whatever the cost, it could not be more prohibitive than the $1 million in estimated repairs and maintenance needed on the aging facility, not to mention the continued maintenance and operation of the facility if the city must retain ownership.

The National Park Service is willing to take on the cost, management and upkeep of the facility relieving the city and its taxpayers of the burden, but the city must do its part to help the park service get what they need to make the transfer a reality.