The Lincoln Civic Center has completed an arena expansion that connects two of the center’s main structures.

Civic Center General Manager Quinn Jordan said no tax dollars were used in the expansion that connected the two buildings, the arena and stall barns, with covered walkways.

Jordan said the Civic Center matched a grant from Pearl River Basin Development District for $50,000.

“We did that with a grant and funds we had,” Jordan said. “The other $50,000 to match those funds was generated from the Spring Fest and Fair, festivals, expo as well as RV park and multipurpose banquet hall rentals.”

Lincoln Civic Center Commission Board Chairman William Kimble took an opportunity recently to tell the Lincoln County Board of Supervisors, which appoints the LCC Commission Board, about the project and thank them for the support.

“On behalf of the commission I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you five guys [for] the support you give us and encouragement for what we’re doing out there,” Kimble said during a recent supervisors meeting that included the opening of bids for phase one of the future baseball complex.

He said the expansion looks good and is cohesive with the existing design. He and Jordan informed the board that the Mississippi Spring Fest and Fair netted about $24,000 after expenses. Jordan said that money is what is put aside to match grants. The commission is already actively seeking grants for next year’s projects.

“The biggest thing on our plate right now is being more energy efficient in our multi-purpose building and our arena,” Jordan said. “And we’re in the process of working with Entergy and Ryan [Holmes of Dungan Engineering] and them about some lumen tests, as well as going LED in some areas.”

Jordan said over the next several years, the LCC will actively pursue additional grants to reduce its energy footprint in all buildings, but especially in the multipurpose hall and arena stall barns which are currently the least energy-efficient areas.

“We’ve received $7,500 from Entergy Mississippi, as well as rebates from Entergy in the amount of little over $1,000 to go towards new LED lighting for the multipurpose banquet hall,” Jordan said. “And any money that we would need to match a grant or synergize that grant would come from [the funds we’ve raised].”

Kimble and Jordan were present at the bid opening for the first phase of the new baseball complex and expressed excitement for the project. The Board of Supervisors has said the board for the baseball complex is to be appointed by the Civic Center Commission Board and the supervisors.

“I look forward to this baseball complex, and getting started on it now,” Kimble said. “I think the finished product is something that, not only the five of you, but every citizen in Lincoln County will be proud of.”