April 10--Terri Underwood supports the idea of a new multi-purpose arena in Jacksonville.

She said her children, who do team penning and ranch sorting, currently compete in Henderson, but she would be pleased to watch them in Jacksonville.

"I think it'd be a great thing..." she said. "I would love to see Jacksonville have something like that."

Her wish could become a reality if city officials approve a two-phase master plan that includes a convention center, as well as a livestock expo center.

The proposed project was addressed during a Tuesday meeting, when city council members voted to receive a report from a committee designed to look into the feasibility of a convention center. Mayor Kenneth Melvin made it clear that although the council voted to receive the report, it has not made any decision on whether a convention center will be constructed.

The five-member committee was formed last year and was hand-picked by the council with each member choosing a representative.

Committee members studied the possibility of a multi-use facility that would attract tourism dollars, and committee members visited other convention centers in East Texas to see "what they had, and what we had and what we wanted to do," Jeff Austin Jr., chairman of the committee, said.

After talking with various people and getting photographs, he said committee members came back with some basic questions. Those questions included "Will this project be good for Jacksonville?" "Will the facilities be attractive, user-friendly and represent Jacksonville well?" and "Is this the time for such a project?" according to a letter from committee members.

Austin said the committee perceived that the answers to those questions were positive and decided to recommend that the city build the convention center.

He said they worked with Fitzpatrick Architects to come up with a master plan, which not only includes the convention center but also a livestock expo center.

The plan entails a civic hall, covered porch and barns, among other things.

All facilities would be located in the Nichols Green Park area.

Austin said the expo center would come sometime in the future as the project expands. As for the first phase -- the convention center -- it is proposed to have under 22,000-square-feet of heated and cooled space, along with verandas, he said, and the civic hall, as proposed, could seat between 700 and 800 people for concerts.

"This is a dream. This is a master plan. We all want it to be nice, and we want it to be competitive," he said.

Now, he said it is up to city officials to look at issues such as financing and management and promotion of the convention center. At one point, the estimated target price solely for the convention center was about $3 million, and Melvin has said hotel/motel tax would be used in funding it.

Austin said the city must also consider future use of the Norman Activity Center, where many events currently take place, and public opinion.

"This project should be a source of pride, and public input is vital," he said. "We recommend this vision for the future because the facilities will be a source of pride."

"I think this can be a very positive thing for Jacksonville. The whole city needs to want it. It needs to be talked about a little more. It needs to get more public input. But I think we've got the start of something that can be real good."

But during Tuesday's meeting, resident Debbie Kerzee questioned how the city could support a convention center when there is still more beautification work to be done in town.

Former Jacksonville Mayor Robert Haberle, who is on the project committee, said the master plan shouldn't be considered the answer to all issues such as beautification and downtown revitalization. Instead, it should be considered the "piece of a continuous puzzle (toward) growth."

He went on to say that he knows city officials will face criticism no matter what decision is made, but he also noted that residents "chose to invest in the future of the community" when they approved a Jacksonville ISD bond issue in recent years, which brought two new elementary schools, along with renovations on other campuses.

"We cannot afford to write off the future of Jacksonville," he said.

Recreation center

Council members on Tuesday also voted to rename the Jacksonville Recreation Center, which will now be called the Stacy Hunter Recreation Center. Hunter, a beloved community leader and coach, was killed last fall. Hunter's sister, Veronica Hunter, was on-hand for the agenda item, and audience members applauded after the vote.

"I can't think of anyone who deserves it more," Melvin said.

The recreation center, located in the 900 block of Peeples Street, was deeded to Lon Morris College but reverted back to the city after the school went bankrupt. It currently is being renovated.

Building Official Jody Watson has said Jacksonville is trying to open the multi-purpose center back up, which means new paint, as well as repairs to doors and windows.

City Manager Mo Raissi said last week that the facility is looking good from the outside, and inmates from the Texas Department of Corrections have helped paint.

"We're trying to get it opened up, trying to maintain it. There's lots of work to be done before we get there," he has said, adding that the city has $20,000 for the project.

Watson has said the goal is to have the facility open by the time this school year ends.

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