Opening ceremonies for Columbia Sportsplex to be held March 30

COLUMBIA, Miss. (WDAM) - Baseball fans are getting ready for a big night in Columbia next week, as the city hosts an opening ceremony for the completed first phase of its new multi-million dollar Sportsplex.

That ceremony will take place on Thursday, March 30, at 6 p.m.

The public is invited.

The complex, located on R. A. Johnson Drive, features six fields and concession areas.

Work on the project began more than a year ago.

Columbia issued $6 million in bonds for the Sportsplex, which will be paid off with a 3 percent tourism tax approved by voters in 2018.

“We’re going to have what we call the first pitch and opening ceremonies,” Columbia Mayor Justin McKenzie said. “We’re not going to do the old-fashioned ribbon cutting.

“We want to invite folks to come out, we’re going to line as many of the team members that come up on the field with their team and we’re going to recognize each one of the sponsors and just kind of talk about how far we’ve come with that facility.”

On Wednesday, Gov. Tate Reeves signed a bill extending the original repeal date for the tourism tax in Columbia from July 1, 2023 to July 1, 2028.

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