Following the county’s sale of land around Whippet Stadium and the Attala County Coliseum to the Kosciusko School District for the construction of soccer practice fields and other sports-related facilities, the annual Central Mississippi Fair, held in early fall, needs a new location.
The Attala County Board of Supervisors Monday authorized County Engineer Christian Gardner to conduct a feasibility study on what it would take to make land off Highway 19 West, owned by the City of Kosciusko, usable for the fair.
The 224-acre parcel is intended as an industrial park, with about 168 acres of the land buildable, according to Mayor Jimmy Cockroft. The mayor said that although Supervisor Chairman Bobby Lindsay approached him about the potential use of the land, city officials haven’t even discussed the idea at this time.
“I told Mr. Lindsay that the city would be willing to sit down and talk about it,” said Cockroft, “but my board hasn’t agreed to it.”
The site has water and sewer service but would need installation of water and sewer taps and restroom facilities in addition to the run of electrical service to the site in order to make it suitable.
Even if the city approves and the cost of extending services is acceptable to the county, there are other challenges. Without a building on the property, the community exhibits traditionally included in the fair would need to be housed elsewhere, splitting the event across at least two locations.
The Highway 19 site’s location off the beaten path is also a concern for Pati Edwards of the Kosciusko-Attala Partnership, who organizes the annual event.
“Exhibits might need to be at different location and I’m very concerned about putting the fair on 19 because if people see the fair, they come to the fair,” said Edwards, and if it is on Highway 19, “We would really have to get the word out.”
