A $50,000 donation from the city of Meridian has marked the first steps toward establishing a state Hall of Fame Museum in downtown Meridian.

Meridian businessman Tommy Dulaney made the request at Tuesday’s meeting of the Meridian City Council. Dulaney is president of the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Board.

“The (Mississippi) Legislature approved the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Center project in 2001 and designated Meridian as the location,” Dulaney said. “We’ve got to get something started on it, or we stand the chance of losing it.”

Plans call for the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Center to be built at Bonita Lakes. Estimated cost for the first phase of the project is about $50 million. The master plan includes a conference center and hall of fame, an amphitheater and a special events pavilion. Phase II of the master plan includes a performing arts center, a band shell and an artist-in-residency colony, totaling $19.4 million.

The center’s board voted several months ago to look at a downtown site for the Hall of Fame Museum. The old S.H. Kress Co. building is under consideration as a location.

“Because the MSU Riley Center is having such success, we thought it would be better to have the museum next to it,” Dulaney said. “We still want to have the amphitheater and other features out at Bonita Lakes.”

The city owns the Kress building. Dulaney said the center’s board is “in favorable discussions with the city” about the building.

The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment board had planned to fund the project with about one-third of the money coming from the state, one-third from federal sources and the other third from local and private contributions, including a possible 2 percent food and beverage tax.

This past spring the Legislature approved $4 million for the proposed Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Center, but the state money is contingent on $8 million in private funds being raised for the project.

The arts and entertainment board also asked the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors for a donation of $50,000. The supervisors are expected to vote on the request at their next meeting, Dulaney said.

The money will go toward the Hall of Fame Museum’s operating expenses and other necessities.

“The city and county have been putting money into the project, but we haven’t received any money from them in a couple of years,” he said. “The funds were getting low, and we need some money to continue with some things we’ve got to do.”



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The council voted 4-1 to reinstate a tax exemption for Christ’s Church in Action of Mt. Zion.

In January, the council voted to remove the church from tax exemption. However, after several council members visited the church, they decided to approve the tax exemption.

“Four councilmen visited the facility, and in the facility he (the Rev. Wade Demers, pastor) had a chapel,” said Council President George Thomas, Ward 1.

“And that chapel was used as a church and that’s why they thought it qualified — they didn’t like that it qualified — but they believed the law said you’re supposed to give the tax exemption if it (the building) is used for church property,” Thomas said.

Thomas said when the council denied the church tax exemption in January, city attorney Bill Hammack noted that he had visited the dwelling and there was no chapel inside.

“This chapel has evidentially been a recent addition,” Thomas said.

The board approved a Community Development Block Grant for repairs on the lower dam at Bonita Lakes.

In a report on the city’s Ninth World Changers Project in July, Virginia Williamson said 14 houses were worked on by 165 youths and leaders from eight states. The mission project is designed to provide home improvements to low- to moderate-income home owners.

“The group painted, did roofing and small repair work on the homes,” said Williamson, who is with the city’s planning department and helped coordinate the project, which is a combined effort of the city, the Lauderdale County Baptist Association and World Changers International.

Connie Royal, director of cultural affairs, also reported on the success of the Labor Day concert Rock at the Lake. Held at Bonita Lakes, the concert featured the Southern rock bands Molly Hatchett and Black Stone Cherry, and Peavey-endorsed artist Kirsten Davies.

Royal attributed the success of the concert to the combined efforts of the city, Peavey Electronics and radio stations 106.9 The Buzz and V 93, Chunky River Harley Davidson, Hoopers Stereo and Video, T & D Furniture and Appliances, Magnolia Beverage and Comcast Cable.