Jackson makes big splash, brokers major park deal

Already gearing up for the long-anticipated opening of the city's first civic center on Dec. 1, the City of Jackson made another major announcement last week regarding its parks system.

The city announced a new agreement that brought five parties together to put facilities in the public's hands.

The city and school district signed a contract with members of the Clark family, who operate an excavating company and are involved in real estate and development, to buy 24 acres near the new Jackson Civic Center, with four going to the school district around Herzog Stadium.

It's a somewhat complicated arrangement, and there's a complicated back story.

The upshot is that this deal seems to be a good one, for all parties, including the residents of Jackson who will be able to enjoy more parkland, and high school athletes, who will now have a great baseball facility to call their own.

The Southeast Missouri Medical Center Inc. group made yet another generous donation, and provided money for the ball field itself from the Jackson Area Baseball Association and has agreed to donate the stadium to the school district, with an agreement that the district will put up lights, build concession stands and restrooms and add parking. The field itself is a beautiful baseball facility. But a series of setbacks and funding challenges put the project at a standstill for the past few years. The lights, restrooms and concessions are badly needed to complete the project.

When all is said and done, the property along Highway 61 will become a major asset to the city, clearly one of the biggest upgrades in the city parks system in decades.

The fate of Herzog Stadium -- funded in part by a large donation from the former Hall of Fame manager Whitey Herzog -- has been in limbo for quite some time. That there is an agreement in place for the project to move forward, and that Jackson will now have an opportunity to develop more parkland, with a new civic center being the centerpiece is exciting news. It will be known as the Clark Sports and Recreation Complex.

It was made possible by private generosity, public commitment and the willingness to come together and put together a deal that made sense for everyone.

We can't wait to see what will become of the new park.