The future of the golf course at LeFleur’s Bluff Complex remains uncertain, but plans are moving forward for a pedestrian bridge on Lakeland Drive that would connect the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame with the Mississippi Children’s Museum and Mississippi Museum of Natural Science.
The pedestrian bridge and golf course remodel were included in a $13.2 million project to revamp LeFleur’s Bluff Complex that Gov. Tate Reeves vetoed after the 2022 legislative session.
“We don’t have the complete funding package, but we have secured the initial funding for the engineering phase,” Susan Garrard, president and chief executive officer of the Mississippi Children’s Museum, said referring to a federal grant.
“We’re working with the Mississippi Department of Transportation and Neel-Schaffer on this project. The engineering part is significant and MDOT has to be involved because that (Lakeland Drive) is a federal highway.”
The engineering phase must be completed before the cost to build the pedestrian bridge, which would make the LeFleur Museum District more visible, can be determined, Garrard said.
The master plan for the LeFleur’s Bluff complex was announced April 12 in press conference led by Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann, Speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives Philip Gunn, Chairman and Master Architect Robert Trent Jones II, Principal and Golf Course Architect Nathan Crace, Mississippi Children’s Museum President Susan Garrard, and Executive Director of MDWFP Lynn Posey.
However a couple of weeks later Governor Reeves vetoed the project which was included in a state infrastructure bill.
The governor said he wanted funds for Jackson to focus on what the city really needs such as more police officers and that he didn’t believe taxpayer dollars should be spent on golf courses.
Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann anticipates the conversation about “how best to invest” in the LeFleur’s Bluff Complex will continue during the 2023 session and will support continuing to fund it.
Hosemann reiterated in an email the points he expressed during the April 12 media announcement:
“Projects like the LeFleur’s Bluff development are critical to the Capital City, the wider metropolitan area, and our state because they add to the quality of life for all of our citizens, both young and old…Parks are the lungs of the city and are critical to attracting new residents and young people.”
Sen. David Blount, who represents District 29-Hinds, said he’s supportive of anything that will help Jackson, but the top priory should be repairs to the city’s water infrastructure.
Sen. Walter Michel, who represents District 25-Hinds, Madison, doubts a new version of the multi-million-dollar plan to revamp LeFleur’s Bluff Complex will come up during the 2023 session.
“The governor is on record being against it,” he said. “I don’t know since he’s vetoed it once that he wouldn’t veto it again.”
Michel voted in favor of funding to create Otter Creek Golf Park and add more amenities for children and adults to the complex.
Otter Creek Golf Course, with design influence from Robert Trent Jones II, world-renowned golf architect, and Nathan Crace, Mississippi-based golf architect, was to feature a 10-hole, par-3, walkable course with holes ranging from 70-150 yards, a state-of-the-art driving range, 18-hole putting course, separate putting green, a new clubhouse and was to be accessible for nighttime play.
The golf course at LeFleur’s Bluff has not been open to the public since it closed in 2019 for winterizing. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks continues to mow the course and maintain the tee boxes.
The master plan for the green space at LeFleur’s Bluff Complex that connects the children’s museum and the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science dates to 2018 and was meant to be completed in phases, Garrard said.
“We’ve been working on this plan for five years,” she said. “We’re grateful to the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks and Wier Boerner Allin. Jack Allin and Jake Gartman of Wier Boerner Allin have put a lot of heart into this project. We’re grateful for their vision and for helping us vision and aspire to a great public green space for our state.”
An additional grant of about $546,000 from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation will provide for more work on the master plan and for signage, landscaping and other details to complete the areas surrounding the state-of-the art playground and the adjoining open air pavilion known as The Den, both features at LeFleur’s Bluff Complex.
“We had construction increases and this will help us complete those special touches,” Garrard said.
Spotter’s Adventure Trail, which is east of the state-of-the-art playground and connects the children’s museum with the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, opened at the end of summer. The trail features an interactive outdoor experience with Spotter the Otter and friends.
The Den, a raised deck and open-air pavilion, constructed west of the playground, include tables and seating for up to 50 students, all of which is useful for programs by both museums, field trips and family gatherings.
The playground has had more than 100,000 visitors since it opened and the children’s museum and the natural science museum have had double digit increases in visitors last summer, Garrard said.
“We do believe investing in better infrastructure will generate tourism dollars,” she said.
The master plan includes building a joint entrance to the children’s museum and natural science museum, improvements to parking and the extension of the Museum to Market Trail.
Garrard said she and other leaders continue to seek resources from private donations to grants for outdoor recreation to continue to complete the master plan.
“We’re inspired by other mid-size cities reclaiming green space and making great parks,” Garrard said. “That’s what young people, particularly those who have graduated from college, want. They value walking trails, outdoor experiences, golf, pickleball and outdoor playgrounds.”
