Work on Phase II of the Sumrall Sports Complex off Mississippi 42 is progressing at a steady rate, with officials and residents looking forward to soon completing work that will entail eight new tennis courts and other amenities.
Currently, workers are putting the finishing touches on a new facility at the site which will offer locker rooms, concession stands, public restrooms, viewing areas and storage. The project also will include an additional soccer field, along with more parking at the complex.
“The athletic complex is coming along real well,” Mayor Joel Lofton said. “The roof (of the facility) is on, and the plumbers and electricians are working inside now.
“So even though we’ve got a rainy week coming, I don’t think it’s going to hurt us.”
In addition, concrete has been poured for the courts, and fencing, lighting and shad structures have been installed. Next steps include final surfacing and lining, along with sidewalks and landscaping.
Officials expect HVAC and lighting for the facility to be completed in the next few weeks.
“Right now, inside, we just have stud walls, and we’re still running wiring and plumbing,” Lofton said. “Soon, we expect there to be walls taking shape, and it’s going to be a good-looking place.”
Lofton said he hopes to have the project completed by sometime this summer, if possible.
“We’re hopeful that it will – that would be ahead of contract if they’re able to get us in it by summer time,” he said. “We’ve been trying to kind of nail down a date, but we don’t have it yet – maybe in a couple of weeks, we can really get down close to a better time frame.
“But I’m very optimistic with the way it looks, that early summer would be possible. I think the contract actually goes a little further than that, but we’ve been very fortunate to have good weather. I think once the last of the concrete is poured, things will really start coming together, and after that’s done we should be able to see the time frame for finishing up.”
Members of the Sumrall Board of Aldermen awarded the bid for Phase II of the Sumrall Sports Complex improvements plan and voted to approve the $2.5 million project to MitchCo Construction of Hattiesburg.
Plans for Phase II began in 2021 for the site, which had seen extensive work over the previous months. As part of that, town officials received $600,000 from the Mississippi House of Representatives, which was secured with the help of District 101 Representative Kent McCarty and District 41 Senator Joey Fillingane.
Previously, Fillingane helped secure funding for work at the sports complex under two initiatives: $500,000 through the BP Settlement Bill and $2 million from Senate Bill 3065.
“I think this will be something that no one has had in our part of the county, ever,” Lofton said. “We look for it to service not only tennis, but the facility will service community soccer and high school soccer as well, with restrooms, locker rooms, concessions areas.
“It’s going to be a far-reaching impact, we believe, and it’s going to open up opportunities for more youth sports and activities, and community enjoyment. Folks will be able to come out and have a place that they’ve never had before. They won’t have to travel to Tatum Park or farther to have safe and sufficient areas to take the court.”
