The LeFleur’s Bluff Complex, the shared campus between the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks’ (MDWFP) Museum of Natural Science (MMNS) and the Mississippi Children’s Museum (MCM), recently unveiled the master plan for a top-tier recreation and entertainment facility for the Jackson area.
The $13 million project includes a new and unique golf experience, Otter Creek Golf Park, along with several outdoor amenities for children and adults.
The complex will include: Spotter’s Adventure Trail (MCM and MMNS museum connector trail); The Den (outdoor pavilion); walking and biking trails; enhanced parking; updated entrance and amenities; extension of Museum Trail to Lakeland; pedestrian bridge over Lakeland connecting four LeFleur Museum District museums ($1 million federal funding); pickleball courts, dDisc golf, botanical gardens, fitness park and 3D archery.
Otter Creek Golf Park will include:
10-hole golf course that is designed for beginners, youth, families, and golfers of all skill sets and abilities; state-of-the-art driving range; 18-hole putting course and separate putting green; new clubhouse; and lighting for nighttime play.
The children’s museum and the natural science museum are collaborating on this project to bring together the four museums in the LeFleur Museum District, as well as preserve urban green space, and provide an enriching experience for children, families, and adults of all ages. In addition to the entertainment experience Otter Creek will provide, it will also serve as an educational venue for MCM’s after school students to continue their weekly programs with First Tee of Central Mississippi.
First Tee of Central Mississippi was established by Life Enhancement & Achievement Program (LEAP, Inc.) to teach youth to play golf along with life lessons and leadership skills.
“The master plan of the LeFleur’s Bluff Complex is based on a passionate vision to preserve urban green space, promote youth golf and provide outdoor recreational amenities for families, as well as enhance the LeFleur Museum District experience as a whole,” said Susan Garrard, MCM president.
The first phase of the project opened a new state-of-the-art playground in December 2021, The LeFleur’s Bluff Playground, which has welcomed more than 60,000 guests since opening.
Construction has begun on the second phase of the project, which will include an adventure trail connecting both museums and an outdoor pavilion.
“This visionary plan will create one of the best urban parks in the country, which will bring together four award-winning museums and countless outdoor amenities and experiences for locals and tourist, alike.”
Otter Creek Golf Park will feature design influence from Robert Trent Jones II, world-renowned golf architect, and Nathan Crace, Mississippi based golf architect. The course will 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 will be accessible for nighttime play.
"I’m thrilled for many reasons to be part of the team creating Otter Creek Golf Park," said Jones, chairman and Master Architect, Robert Trent Jones II Golf Course Architects. "Not only will it be the centerpiece of a master plan that preserves urban green space in Mississippi’s biggest city, but it also creates an opportunity for a permanent home for the First Tee of Central Mississippi, introducing golf to a new generation. The country—and the world—needs more projects like this."
"To have the opportunity to help create a permanent home for First Tee and support all of the work they and the Children's Museum continue to do for the children of the Jackson Metro area is a blessing," Crace said.
The state has allocated $13.2 million to fund the project. The federal government has given $1 million for the concept and design of a pedestrian bridge over Lakeland Drive, which will connect all four LMD museums. The Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation is the signature sponsor of the LeFleur’s Bluff Playground, Outdoor Pavilion and Museum Trail.
“The pandemic really emphasized how much people value the outdoors and Mississippi has so much to offer. As a result of this planned expansion, LeFleur's Bluff promises to be one of our state's premier outdoor spaces, with attractions for children and adults. This is the kind of project, which is critical to retaining working professionals and families, bringing in tourists, and attracting new citizens to the Capital City and the metro area,” Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann said last week during the project announcement.
