City, County Work on Soccerplex Solutions

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) — Columbus and Lowndes County are addressing complaints about parking problems and a shortage of restrooms at the new downtown soccer complex in Columbus.

Officials hope to buy property for additional parking at the congested northern end of the complex and extend a road to improve traffic flow and add exit alternatives. More parking also will be created near the northwest corner of the complex.

Recreation officials also still are negotiating with the Boy Scouts and First Baptist Church about using its facility on the southern end of the 70-acre complex for concessions and restrooms. If that doesn’t work, a concession stand will be built by next summer.

The $5 million park opened in September and is the first phase of what the city and county plan for the complex. Some of the original parking and concessions area were cut out to keep the first phase within the $5 million initially allocated for the project.