Friday, February 3, 2017

$33.5 million aquatic center proposed

The Ridgeland Tourism Commission proposed building an aquatic center that will cost $33.5 million.  The Commission released a study (posted below) that claimed Mississippi lacked adequate resources to host major swim meets and that current available facilities were old and falling apart.  The study was also supported by the Sunkist Swim Team and city of Ridgeland.

The proposed aquatic center will be 88,700 square feet and built in two phases.  The aquatic center will have a seating capacity of 2,500.  There will be a competition area, locker rooms, concession stands, therapy pools, and a warm-up pool.

The study claims that there are only four olympic-sized pools in Mississippi and three do not offer adequate seating for major swim meets.  It also claims that the only existing olympic-sized pool is 34 years old and in"disrepair" and "only has a temporary enclosure.  There are 33 swim teams in a 25-mile radius of Jackson and 123 swim teams within a 200-mile radius.

The study also touts the economic benefits of hosting swim meets:

4 swim meets per year: $1.5 million
6 swim meets per year: $2.4 million
7 swim meets per year: $3.6 million.

Of course, the projection for six and seven swim meets per year includes USA swimming events i.e. regional and national events  (umm.... how did those projections for Lowe's work out? Kior?  Harborwalk? ) and of course it states in big bold letters that  $8,037,160 is the estimated economic impact after three years.  But wait (Sorry, I am now having a  hard time writing this with a straight face), the study estimates the aquatic center will create 66 jobs and a total of 307 jobs if construction is included.  Then of course the study states that if this aquatic center is not built NOW, the construction costs will rise.  It even states that the costs in Jackson rose from $249/sq foot to $340/sq.  foot. 

Phase I will cost $24.7 million and phase II will cost nearly $9 million. The grand total estimate is....$33.5 million. 
 The report does not state how this project will be funded but the Mississippi Business Journal reported yesterday:  


The facility would rely on corporate sponsorships — including the possibility of naming rights for big participants — and fees. It also would need a bond issue from the state.

A commitment from the local government and private sector would be essential to show the Legislature, said state Rep. Cory Wilson, Republican, for District 73. “Getting private buy-in and local buy-in is the key thing,” Wilson said.

Wilson said he started talking with city officials, during the 2016 legislative session. “I’m certainly supportive of the facility they’re talking about,” he said. Wilson acknowledged there will be competition for a bond issue, given the state’s needs – roads and bridges improvements and maintenance being high on the list – and its deficit budget.

Alan Hart, director of Community Development for Ridgeland, said the city may contribute acreage valued at about $1 million for the facility

The site would be east of Interstate 55, south of the Freedom Ridge Park with its sports fields and Lake Harbour Drive extension. Rest of article.

Kingfish note:  There is probably a need for this aquatic center but taxpayers need to support it with their eyes wide open.  Take the economic projections with a grain of salt.  The study also makes no mention of what fees should be charged.  What fee will be charged to the Sunkist swim team?  Will high schools have to pay a fee to use it? Then there is the matter of using bonds to pay for this project.  The state's needs are infinite.  Should the state go on the hook for several million dollars?  If there is an actual need for this project, then tell us there is such a need.  However, just don't try to snow us with jobs and economic impact numbers that never seem to pan out in reality. 


88 comments:

Anonymous said...

"....and the only existing Olympic sized pool is 34 years old and in disrepair and only has a temporary enclosure". That'd be the Courthouse pool in Flowood owned by the University of Mississippi Medical Center. I wonder why they don't update it? It was such a terrific "gift" to UMMC.

I agree that they shouldn't B.S. us with job projections and economic impact numbers. I'd rather see it as a quality of life improvement argument. We don't charge kids to go to public parks, it's free to play tennis at Parham Bridges, we can use the Reservoir for nothing in most instances. Why shouldn't our kids be able to compete for a reasonable sum--especially if it'll bring in some out-of-town/state money.

The only downside is that they'll have to get here over pot-holed, washboard roads and dangerous bridges but hey, at least the job creators will get a big tax decrease!

Anonymous said...

Why don't they just build an amphitheatre like in Rankin.

Anonymous said...

How many 2,500 seat aquatic centers are there within say 200 miles of Jackson? How many meets including USA meets do the largest aquatic centers within 200 miles, hold each year? This has beef plant written all over it. What is the actual need?

Anonymous said...

Why can't the almost-new Tupelo Aquatic Center host these events? It hosts many others and is located conveniently near major motel/hotel and convention facilities.

Anonymous said...

RE Greensboro Center: "This year, the deficit will be about $350,000 on a $1.5 million budget, she said. That’s much better than many, which incur a $1 million to $1.5 million overrun, Braman said in an interview. Some close, she said." Miss. Biz Journal

I guess they left that out, for some reason. But it sure sounds great without that budget deficit, don't it? Especially in an election year, eh?

Anonymous said...

Many of these ideas are great. If only we had the extra money to build them. Most cities are having a hard time just supplying the necessary things. There just isn't any extra money.
Maybe if we had leaders that were a little more cautious about spending our money we would be able to build more things.

Anonymous said...

Tell the folks in Tupelo that their aquatic center hasn't delivered economic impact. You can't.

Anonymous said...

Way to think ahead Ridgelandites. Swimming sports are not likely to attract very much interest from undesirables to the south.

Anonymous said...

This has beef plant written all over it.

You obviously are without a clue.

Anonymous said...

The YMCA in Jackson by water work curve has an Olympic sized pool.

Anonymous said...

How do I preorder tickets to these swim meets, since this report leads one to believe all of these swim meets will be standing room only?

Anonymous said...

The YMCA walked away from their pool commitment at that location long ago.

Anonymous said...

go down west Jackson. Ridgeland mightily need road repair now

PittPanther said...

"Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood."

Build it.

Anonymous said...

@10:15 - Incorrect. The Fortification Street YMCA (near the water works) only has an 8-lane, 25-yard pool. And it's pretty run-down. Nowhere near Olympic-sized.

While a big new aquatic facility is a great idea, giving David Orr and Sunkist any type of control would be a huge mistake. Jackson has three very good, competitive year-round swim teams - Sunkist, Makos and PEAQ. PEAQ is the new kid on the block, and Orr wants them gone. He refuses to allow PEAQ to participate in meets against his swimmers, which means the PEAQ kids have to drive out-of-state just to qualify for state meet. It's petty and spiteful, and just ends up hurting the kids who want to swim but may not want to be part of his little empire.

Anonymous said...

With all the real needs in this city, this is just crazy.

Kingfish said...

I forgot how petty swimming politics could be.

Anonymous said...

For proof of just how outrageous this price tag is, please consider the attached article. Orr's original proposal was way less than ten million, and that was still too high.

http://www.usaswimming.org/ViewMiscArticle.aspx?TabId=1755&mid=7716&ItemId=3569

Gregg Loogainers said...

Kingfish twice mentions the existing pool (somewhere) that is in disrepair but never bothers to say where it is.

Wait for him to exclaim, "Read page three line 645 of the article's fine print between the lines on the rest of story link to the third slide!"

The Children's ROdAo moved from Jacktown to Hattiesburg four years ago for safety (undesirables) reasons. Why didn't Ridgeland build a rOdAo arena for kids?

Madison had planned fifteen years ago to have a theme park northwest of the 55 interchange, some say. We still need one.

We need a place in Ridgeland to launch large vessels so we don't have to drive to Tennessee and come down the Tenn-Tom.

The dirt work at Harbor Walk needs to be regraded already with some new shrubs put in place.

We also need more bike trails, especially for the recumbents or is it the incumbents. And a place that does Spandex alterations since D.I. and Gene are both an embarrassment in theirs.

I'd suggest we get Rudy WarKNOCK to do an engineering soil test first to be sure Ridgeland's earth can hold a big pool in the ground.

And I'd want to study the legality of requiring Costco to build this pool.

First things first, people.

Anonymous said...

The free market would have built one of these long ago if the demand was there. This is just some swim parents wanting to use my tax money for their swimming pool.

West coast hero said...

Lol! Always BIG ideas with no damn Capital/Economics! When private funding comes to these cities in Mississippi, please wake me! Socialism is great as long as you are spending someone else's money! #Welfare State

Anonymous said...

YMCA Shreveport says the closest pool, other than the one they building, is in Flowood.

Anonymous said...

Wow @10:37! Sunkist competes at out-of-state and out-of-town meets as well.
7-9 Auburn War Eagle Invitational Auburn, AL State PDF
7-9 Makos Fall Invitational Jackson, MS 10&under PDF
21-23 MSA Trick or Treat Meridian, MS ALL PDF
Nov
4-6 BSL Cranberry Classic Birmingham, AL ALL PDF
18-20 GPAC Gravy Bowl Pensacola, FL ALL PDF
Dec
7-10 Winter Junior Nationals Columbus, OH Qualifiers PDF
9-11 Sunkist Sprint To Christmas Jackson, MS ALL PDF
Jan
13-15 Gabrielle Rose Invitational Memphis, TN ALL PDF
27-29 Sunkist Winter Blast Jackson, MS ALL

Anonymous said...

Negative ass "Loogainers" at February 3, 2017, 11:31 AM:
You seem to hate everything. You're one of those that would allow no progress. Good thing you're not in charge of anything. And let's see you Spandex. Those hardworking gentlemen look incredible in theirs.

Anonymous said...

If Ridgeland and Madison don't want it, Gluckstadt will take it,...it could be the Jim Walter of Swimming Pools.

Anonymous said...

10:15, you obviously have never been to a swim meet. They ARE in most cases standing room only, with many times parents/grandparents and the teams having to set up tents outside of the venue.

This would be a wonderful addition to the metro area. If the money is available.

Anonymous said...

Great project!!!
I am amazed that so many people are getting so upset by a project still in the planning stages. It seams to me that they are doing it smart, getting feasibility study by and independent firm, talking to community leaders and corporations to see if they would even support the project. The only ones truly upset by it are the rivals that didn't think of it first.
It seams to me that the coaches for the the Sunkist, Makos and Peaq should be focused on their own teams. Start with your team, in your pool. If you want a pool then do the work.
When coach Orr took over Sunkist he had a vision, FUN & FAST, championships and a world class pool. He has built the team back to State champions, made the team the most diverse in the state, topic speaker at nations coaching conventions and has won multiple small swim team awards with USA Swimming. I for one hope he gets it.

Anonymous said...

This is a complete ripoff of the taxpayer, to benefit affluent people.

Read any academic study of the "economic impact" of such taxpayer funded subsidized and operated athletics facilities, from NFL to MLB to MiLB (our soon to be vacant M Braves will screw Pearl for good), and down to aquatics centers. They are among the most expensive, and this one is DOUBLE the new one at UC Berkeley that has produced 8 Olympic champs.

177,000 dollars per Sunkist family in Sports Welfare. Not one of these places breaks even. The Greensboro one runs 350K in the hole every year. So, 1700 a year per swim family extra that the taxpayer pays on top of initial outlay.

Read this study about Virginia Tech and the "Aquatics Center":
http://news.cals.vt.edu/fbm-update/2015/05/28/economic-impact-analysis-of-the-christiansburg-aquatic-center/

"In total, the county direct and multiplier effects of CAC purchases and lodging/dining expenses of swim meet visitors is $7.118 million, a portion of which generates local and state taxes that could be considered as partially offsetting the annual $1.131 operating deficit. However, only lodging and meals taxes can be directly estimated, totaling $162,112."


The bottom line is most run about 1,000,000 a year in the hole, and this one is DOUBLE all the rest. UCB 19 million. St Cloud 22 Million (in the cold and with much more rec room), VTech 19 million.

Total ripoff attempt. VTech is "only" 1 million in the hole annually over theirs.

Goodness, Muffy, little Fauntleroy deserves a free pool, don't you think?

Corporate and sports welfare for the rich. Sure the Sunkist Coach is for it. Why not build him a house and one for every team family?

But, but, but, free swim lessons..... Yeah, right. That "operating deficit" will be in a town going underwater over apartment lawsuits, under new policies that are also cutting revenue.

Insane.

Anonymous said...

3:28
Lay off the double servings of bitterness.

Anonymous said...

10:37 Nice try PEAQ parent, or whoever cribbed those comments from your Facebook page.
You forgot to mention that most PEAQ swimmers are former Sunkist but primarily MAKO's members, including your child. MAKOS, which has the largest axe to grind, also holds Invitational swim meets, primarily because your team was founded on the unethical poaching of swimmers, mostly from MAKOS. Don't forget to mention the fact that PEAQ got kicked out of the Madison HealthPlex pool and now have to swim outdoors. That's probably more swim gossip than the general public wants to hear but you started the conversation.
As far as the proposal for a new pool goes, Sunkist parents have spent their own money helping pay for studies and have spent hundreds of hours contacting and meeting with potential sponsors, donors and government officials. So answer me this, why do you think you're entitled to get in on the action? If you're such a "Performance Elite" team, you should have any trouble raising the money for your own pool.
I can't resist parting by saying, "you made your waterbed, now sleep in it"!

Laps It Up said...

Speaking of standing room only, who in hell attends these things other than parents and grandparents? Let them take long weekends and drive to another state where the pools are located.

Anonymous said...

@4:25 - thanks for confirming my point. Sunkist plans to try and exclude other teams from the use of this public facility. And with regard to PEAQ's pool issues, you forgot to mention that Sunkist bullied the YMCA into forcing PEAQ out of the Fortification Street Y.

Not gonna work with taxpayer dollars, pal. If Sunkist wants a private pool then Sunkist needs to pay for a private pool.

Anonymous said...

Let these little bastards swim in the reservoir....plenty big enough.

Anonymous said...

Coach has a vision! Spend my money on his hobby so he doesnt have to get a real job!

Anonymous said...

If Sunkist wants a private pool then Sunkist needs to pay for a private pool.

That's the bottom line.

Anonymous said...

As a parent who has participated on all three teams in the area, I want to say that this will be great for the swimming community but only if there is a concerted effort from all teams. If you are using public funds, the facility must be open to all. Honestly, while Orr may have done the footwork on this, his statewide reputation will be this facility's downfall. Ask any other team and they will tell you exactly who he is. This project needs the leadership and vision of the Ware brothers from MAKOS. They have a proven track record of excellence and should not have been excluded from the planning. But unfortunately, exclusion is what Mr. Orr does best.

Anonymous said...

The only swim team in the metro Jackson area who deserves a facility like this is MAKOS. Let Orr get back to the business of acting. See his IMDB link including his high-profile role of an extra doctor on the Young and Restless. But, he has always been a bit of a drama queen.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0650544/?ref_=fn_al_nm_6

Anonymous said...

I'd like to see Sunkist present any evidence, from an academic, that any of these projects breaks even, ever. In fact, they lose millions. What a con job.

Brookings Institute: "In every case, the conclusions are the same. A new sports facility has an extremely small (perhaps even negative) effect on overall economic activity and employment. No recent facility appears to have earned anything approaching a reasonable return on investment. No recent facility has been self-financing in terms of its impact on net tax revenues. Regardless of whether the unit of analysis is a local neighborhood, a city, or an entire metropolitan area, the economic benefits of sports facilities are de minimus."

Anonymous said...

Not understanding why legislative funds would ever be used for a structure like this for one team when we have roads that need paving and children that need educating? I'm also thinking Tupelo would do everything in their power to block this. Move on, people. Sunkist get to fundraising. Next!

Anonymous said...

@5:24 You don't have a point. The Tupelo Aquatic Center is home to Shockwave; the Courthouse pool is home to Makos; the Aquatic Center in Laurel is home to LSA; and your own former home was the Baptist Healthplex pool in Madison. Are all of these teams, including yours, considered exclusionary? The whole point of this proposed project is for our state capital metro area to have a state-of-the art center than can host State, Regional, and National swim meets that will be attended by many swim teams from all over the country. Not to mention, there are dozens of high schools that have swim teams and most practice at the Makos pool during the high school season. That puts an unfair burden on their facility because all of the meets in the Metro area for HS are held at their pool as well. I hardly think that these reasons are exclusionary. Why should Tupelo get the benefit of the tourism influx? Why not our capital area that is centrally located between many large metropolitan areas? As for your unfounded claims that the Sunkist Coach bullied the YMCA board into voting PEAQ out of the Fortification Y pool, were you personally at the board meeting to witness the Coach's bullying? The YMCA had their own reasons for not wanting PEAQ at that facility, and those reasons had nothing to do with the Sunkist Coach. I don't see how Sunkist could have forced you out of a facility that you never inhabited anyway. That is the whole problem here with you SMALL faction of PEAQ parents - you create these unsubstantiated stories and vicious lies and spread them all over until you actually start believing them. Plus, you also share your anger and hate with your CHILDREN. What kind of person does that? Our children should be encouraged to maintain their friendships with kids from other teams. They shouldn't be taught hate and blaim. As for your tax dollars - keep them and use them to buy a cover for your outdoor location.

Anonymous said...

JUST SAY NO. WHO WANTS LOCHTE DOWN HERE?

Anonymous said...

Can one of you swim fanatics tell me what the big deal is about switching teams? Hell, my son has switched baseball teams ten times and he still gets to play because it is about HIM not the adults. Orr sounds like a baby. Yes, let's give that sterling example of adulthood the keys and steering wheel to a $33 million endeavor. If he could get it anywhere, it would be this state. We seem to entrust the biggest fools with the biggest treasures. Stop trying to take a handout and get a job. Maybe Y&R will revive his character. He could wear a stopwatch instead of a stethoscope.

Anonymous said...

None of these groups are inclusive. If your kid can't walk up and be a part of it, your taxes should not be used to pay for it.

Anonymous said...

Nice try 4:25, PEAQ was the only one to give us a tryout when we moved to town. Mississippi is a very swim poor state and the entire Jackson area could easily support 5 or more teams if parents and certain Coaches would get over themselves. This is all political bull$$$$. All this petty, "you can't swim at our meets", only hurts the kids. If this is funded anyway by city, county or state ALL teams need to have access to rent the facility.

Anonymous said...

@8:10, bitter much? have a drink and chill out. it's kids swimming for God's sake. you may want to try yoga or kickboxing. you obviously have some misguided anger toward a kids sports team that needs to be resolved if you are spewing this venom on a Friday night over kids sports. probably should reevaluate your life choices. now I know why we played soccer. who knew there was this level of crazy in swimming? if we did swim, I think we would steer clear of you.

Anonymous said...

maybe I am missing something but if I swam I would want an outdoor pool. seems like a no-brainer. who wants to be inside all day. except when it rains. but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. isn't that what katy perry says?

Anonymous said...

There's obviously a lot of tension between PEAQ and Sunkist. Why don't those swim parents just tell the rest of us what or who the problem is. Perhaps the rest of us can decipher what the truth is and put all the petty nonsense away. It seems that the only the kids on the area teams are suffering from the adult nonsense. It's a shame that all the area swim teams can't get along enough to "Pool" their money and build a state of the art aquatic center for all to enjoy and succeed at.

Anonymous said...

Please name a single Sunkist swim meet PEAQ has been invited to? Go ahead, I'll wait. We never swam for either Makos or Sunkist and we live in Madison so tell me how PEAQ stole us from either Makos or Sunkist? We have to drive a minimum of an hour and a half if we want to attend a swim meet. That's a minimum. We aren't invited to ANY local meets. That's crap and everyone knows it.

Anonymous said...

And I here I thought people were only angry about our new president. Who knew these crazy swim parents could after one another like this geez I will just go back to watching the dems and the republican slugfest! At least they don't sling mud at the kids!

Anonymous said...

And I here I thought people were only angry about our new president. Who knew these crazy swim parents could after one another like this geez I will just go back to watching the dems and the republican slugfest! At least they don't sling mud at the kids!

Anonymous said...

There isn't a single MAKO's meet you've attended either. Must be a reason. Sounds like the founding families of PEAQ burned a lot of bridges. Why don't you ask them?

Anonymous said...

If Sunkist, Makos, PEAQ or whoever the hell all these groups are want a swimming pool, great. If Ridgeland wants to build one using their money, great. If they do, I don't give a damn how they operate it or how they choose between these competing parents / grandparents that obviously think their kid deserves a great facility and they want to be able to sit inside and watch.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed watching my kids play baseball and soccer. The soccer fields were built by a private non-profit (NEJSO), and I guess the baseball fields were public parks (lakeland, basically). But they didn't cost in the multi-millions and have a limited use.

But, if the state is thinking about putting ANY state money into this, when the don't have the money to keep up the interstates, roads and bridges, then I don't give a damn if they are Madison County Reps or not - they had better not try to push a project like this into the 'bond bill' thinking it won't be noticed.

I guess its too bad that the pedo Mayor is not still around in charge in Jackson - since he enjoyed teaching 'his boys' how to swim.

Anonymous said...

We moved to Jackson this year and were looking for a swim team. We tried all three. MAKOS and PEAQ were very nice and sold us their programs. Sunkist and Coach Orr spent 90% of our practice time trashing the other teams and their coaches. It showed me exactly what kind of person he is and what kind of program he runs. If he wants a pool, fundraise and build it. But don't ask for taxpayer money to then exclude everyone. He stated there should be ONE team in this area and it should be his. I don't think he understands children's sports at all.

Anonymous said...

Makos needs a seat at the table, too. All this back and forth between Sunkist and PEAQ is counterproductive. The Sunkistbcomments on here are not helping the cause either. You can't be nasty to everyone and then ask for $33 million. You may want to use your heads and attempt to be cooperative and nice. These comments just make me want to write my legislator. This is a hard sell anyway, but the entitled attitudes on here are not helping.

Anonymous said...

Makos needs a seat at the table, too. All this back and forth between Sunkist and PEAQ is counterproductive. The Sunkistbcomments on here are not helping the cause either. You can't be nasty to everyone and then ask for $33 million. You may want to use your heads and attempt to be cooperative and nice. These comments just make me want to write my legislator. This is a hard sell anyway, but the entitled attitudes on here are not helping.

Anonymous said...

How many people attend a swim meet?

No offense, but why should the state put any money into a complex like this when we have huge revenue shortfalls? And isn't the only collegiate swimming program in Mississippi at Delta State? If swimming were a real economic driver all of them would have a swim team.

even little Millsaps has football and basketball...

Vacation Planner said...

This is not about parents or the next olympic swimmer. It's about Gene Magee thinking Ridgeland is some sort of diamond in the rough sandwiched between South Canton and North Jackson.

He actually believes slick magazines across the nation feature Ridgeland as a bicycle rider's destination, an attraction for yacht-owners everywhere to cruise up and hear the symphony and the South's go-to venue for catfish, grits and second-floor apartments with grill prohibitions.

Meanwhile the place is a virtual dump on its way to becoming another Pearl (if you care to drive the length of Hwy 51 from Target to Barksdale Caddy).

Anonymous said...

Between Costco and this harebrained idea, maybe McGee doesn't really want to be re-elected...

Anonymous said...

Why am I reading a thread about swimming and then posting something.

Anonymous said...

So, 7:20, who did you pick?

Anonymous said...

I am a Sunkist parent whose children LOVE David Orr, and I make no apologies for that. I also have dear friends on both Sunkist and MAKOS. They are my friends and they are my children's friends and I value them. The small petty comments on here from everyone (including my team) are not okay. The majority of families and swimmers just want to be included, AND SHOULD BE. Please stop the nastiness and the division, and let's all try to work together for the good of all teams and swimmers. We need to choose kindness and respect every time. Mississippi Swimming and all of our programs would thrive. Competition is a great thing whether it is another swim team down the road or your friendly rival in the next lane. It's time to move forward. Together. I think we should would come closer to the facility of our dreams if we did.

Anonymous said...

We picked MAKOS and have been pleased. Wish everyone got along though.

Anonymous said...

Mako is good, nice coaches, good program.

Anonymous said...

Well said 8:35. I completely agree and suspect that 95% of the local swim community agrees as well.

Anonymous said...

so what does this STUDY really say?

has anyone read through it?

Vacation Planner.. said...

I've never heard of Sunkist (except in the produce section, or Mako for that matter and don't really want to know what those words mean.

Why aren't we talking about a junior archery range or a nice venue for chess tournaments?

Sorry; Didn't mean to say Target to Barksdale Caddy. Don't stop there. Go all the way on 51 up to the Madison city limit. I know all these places can't be torn down, but, on whose watch were they allowed in the city plan?

Anonymous said...

Thank you @8:35. We swim for another team and I value my friendships with MAKOS and Sunkist families. We all choose our clubs for a variety of different reasons, and sometimes it has nothing to do with coaches. These kids work too hard to have adults battling it out on pool decks and message boards. Let's all promote each other and the sport of swimming. When we all work together, we ALL succeed. It's time for these adults to put aside the pettiness and anger, and move on.

Anonymous said...

My above comment should have said I have friends on both PEAQ and MAKOS. And all three teams should work together. I am hoping our coaches will just let bygones be bygones and move on. There is a swim meet today that two of the three teams are attending. One is not allowed because of the rancor. Who suffers? The kids who are just trying to get times to make it to state meet, and many of them are new to swimming. That's a shame. We can be better.

Anonymous said...

I used to swim for a swim team in Tennessee. I was in middle school at the time. We used the local High School pool. Most High Schools had pools in Middle Tennessee.
I think the metro area needs more pools, but please try to sell that snake oil of "economic impact" to someone else. Swim meets do not happen nearly enough to justify the cost/upkeep of this thing. The swim team culture is barely visible here because there are hardly no Highschool teams because there aren't any pools at local High Schools.
This will benefit local, private swim teams and that is it. Apparently they'll be sparring over who actually has rights to it and who doesn't.

Taxpayers will be the losers in all of this.

Anonymous said...

OK where will the money come from to pay for this? My kids were in swim meets for a few years. It's not a boring as opera, but very close. When I was a kid my parents would sit on the front porch after supper and watch cars go past. THAT was more interesting than a swim meet. As someone has already said - if people would pay enough to watch swimming a private company would have already built one. Build a little dock in the middle of the Reza and let them race to shore. I would be OK with that as long as they limit spending to $10,000.

Color Me Surprised!.. said...

I'm amazed that all these 'swim parents' have come out of the proverbial woodwork.

I thought once a child was made to jump off the low-board at age three and swim to the instructor over at the side by the ladder, that was it. And then you advanced to rope swings tied to trees hanging over creeks or rice ponds or canoe trips where you turned the boat over.

I had no idea so many parents lived vicariously through their children in this arena of activity.

Anonymous said...

The swim team culture is barely visible here because there are hardly no Highschool teams because there aren't any pools at local High Schools.

That's bullshit. You know not.

Kingfish said...

You haven't experienced swim team politics. Tiger Aquatics formed and split away from the AAU Team (Y-Nauts) over at the downtown Y in Baton Rouge. Civil War was an understatement.

Anonymous said...

Ridgeland needs to bring their swim teams over to Jackson. We have pot holes large enough for them to swim in.

Anonymous said...

Can we move on to something actually important, meaningful and that might make a difference?

Anonymous said...

Name all of the public High School swim teams. I'll wait. Better yet, list all of the public High Schools in MS with a half-sized Olympic swimming pool on campus.

Hey Chump said...

Mississippi public HS swim teams

Anonymous said...

Now when they say "Major Swim Meets"

They mean on the High School level, right?

Because I know they are not expecting Olympic Trials or NCAA regionals to be hosted in Mississippi???????

Because long as that confederate emblem remains on the state flag, nothing "major" is coming here?

Anonymous said...


What does House of Reps Cory Wilson say ?
He is mentioned in the article on MS BUS journal.............
"Getting private buy in and local buy in the the key thing".
He's talking to someone .

Anyone called him?

Anonymous said...

"Way to think ahead Ridgelandites. Swimming sports are not likely to attract very much interest from undesirables to the south."
February 3, 2017 at 10:09 AM

Exactly, PRECISELY!!! Just like Cycling, Swimming attracts a CLASSY CROWD - high-IQ individualists. It's the opposite of all the "Ball Sports", which attract scum-'o-the-earth - low-IQ "joiner types". Madison is going to rue the day they decided to put in all those ball fields, which are only going to attract the very sorts we moved here to ESCAPE.

Anonymous said...

Being one of those swim parents, it is amazing to see the petty politics that goes on between the teams. Sunkist gets upset and claims Makos takes their swimmers. Makos get big and then gets upset that PEAQ starts up and claims they took their swimmers. They both rally together to keep PEAQ from swimming in any local events, yes, it got that petty. Claims of illegal recruiting of swimmer run rampit. We left Makos because if you were not one of the "selected handful" of swimmers that the Ware's dreamed worthy, your kid was stuck in a lane swimming laps without any "teaching" going on. It was like an over booked childcare, some were given attention and the others were there just to increase the revenue whether they did well or not. If only one team is represented in the decision making for this swim facility (which is sooooo overpriced for what it needs to be), the other teams will be shunned and ultimately the kids hurt. When the concerns of the coaches switches from "the good of the kids" to the deliberate intent to hurt other kids, they need to reevaluate their purpose in life!

Double Back Flip.. said...

I have two masters degrees, forty years of experience in both the public and private sector work experience, have belonged to numerous civic clubs and have volunteered on multiple community improvement activities.

Having said that, I have never in my life heard of these 'swim' groups and have never known anything about all these petty, bitching parents and grandparents who claim they show up to standing-room-only swimming pools to cheer for the little lappers.

These people are actually on this blog arguing about which swim club (is my terminology right?) is the best and which one can't get along and which one cultivates the superior back-strokers.

Does any of this crap matter to the rest of us taxpayers (95%) and why should we be the least bit interested in where your little cherubs dive or towel-off?

Anonymous said...

Double Back Flip, the rest of the taxpayers should worry about this because if it is funded with any public money then no revenue should be left on the table. Making this pool exclusive to one team only leaves lane and facility renting income unearned. So in simple terms the other "95%" would be left picking up the bill.

Anonymous said...

"Does any of this crap matter to the rest of us taxpayers (95%) and why should we be the least bit interested in where your little cherubs dive or towel-off?"
February 5, 2017 at 3:59 PM

Actually, yes, it DOES matter, because an aquatic center will be a draw for extremely DESIRABLE PEOPLE. This will exert what I'll call a 'Positive Demographic Pressure', which will help the community resist infiltration by various undesirable types.

I was not on a swim team (or any other team, for that matter). But I do lift weights at the (former) Courthouse, and so have had a chance to observe the difference between the crown associated with the pool and the swim team, and the crowd associated with the cheerleader academy at the other end of the complex.

The adults who are regular swimmers, are physicians and attorneys (not just American-born, but also some very smart docs from Argentina, Hungary, China..., and quite a few community leaders. The crowds I've seen assembled for swim meets, show up in Upper Middle Class conveyances(practical, durable, SUVs), and are so well-behaved as to be nearly invisible.

Over on the Cheerleader end, there are skuzzy pimp rides (we even hear them booming, from the far end of the building), and people zooming into the parking lot, endangering gym members. I've smelled pot smoke coming from that parking lot, and heard some seriously ghetto music coming over the wall separating the cheerleading academy from the weight room (between and after classes, I guess...). The cheerleading staff, when they venture into the gym, are surly and rude.

Essentially, the swim crowd are tomorrow's high-earning professionals, while the cheerleading crowd are suckfish parasite wannabes, hoping to MARRY high-earning professionals.

Anonymous said...

The metro area need a new indoor multipurpose facility more than a swimming pool. A place for basketball, concerts etc.

Anonymous said...

@9:44
Out of all the asinine comments I've read over the years on this site that has to top the list.
I read that after reading about the rising criminal element and the catch and release judges we have.
Your solution is that swim meets will drive out the undesirable element?
More like create a target rich environment!
Some of these people on here and you especially show that so many forget their place and that this is jackson f'n Mississippi and ranks on the lowest of the low.
Even if you live in Madison with your freshly lubed pineapple you still will only be as strong as the weakest link and that's Jackson.
But you keep tryin to pick that turd up by the clean end you cute little window licker!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the anal thinking and the mixed metaphors, 5:55! I can't decide if there was a point in there or not. But it sure did sound nasty.

Anonymous said...

An aquatic center is in fact a high revenue generating platform ideally it is built on donations and named after wealthy individuals tied to a university to continue the economical sustainability of the endeavor it does provide room for various teams to prosper, high end universities have swim teams. Respectable universities have swim teams. Now in order for something like this to work it would need private financial backing for about 5 years the teams would have to keep their petty griping aside and come together to grow their teams and prove that meets can be hosted, many high schools earn huge incomes from meets, concessions training camps and the temperature here would make it an attractive training location, the mindset is wrong by many of y'all highjacking the forum to gripe.

Swimming is a sport and an art form that teaches perseverance amidst the parental politics, 35 million even 50 is not a far fetched goal if the right people are contacted. However the sustainability plan has to be put in place to develop a relationship and a feeder program amongst the private high schools and a university that provides an endowment for athletics.

I have personally been involved I swimming my whole life and know a multitude of individuals that did not go pro and or play baseball or professional football yet bring in large salaries at good corporations in part to their work ethi established by swimming competitively. The swimming business is big and if harnessed appropriately can have a large and quite positive economic impact in the jackson metro area.

Imagine your children having access to Ivy League schools.. and becoming part of an elite sport that cannot be outsourced to third world country sport players..


If you build it they will come!

Large meets that could be hosted: sectionals, state, nationals, US open, international invites, trials.

There is a very strong case for a good facility but like everything get the politics and the petty griping out of it or it will implode.



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