Infantry museum, softball complex pitch for state cash to attract visitors

Two of Columbus’ major tourist draws are asking for some state money that they say would give even more people a better city experience.

The National Infantry Museum is looking to do several upgrades.

At the top of the list is re-doing the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall, a three-quarter-scale replica of the wall at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. that was built as a traveling exhibit. It’s found a permanent home in Columbus, but the acrylic-faced movable version is liable to fade in the sun.

“We’d like to make that a permanent fixture with Georgia granite,” said retired Brig. Gen. Peter Jones, president and CEO of the National Infantry Museum Foundation, which owns and operates the museum.

“You have more than 1,100 Georgians whose names are on that wall,” Jones said, presenting the museum’s case to Columbus-Muscogee’s state lawmakers at the state Capitol on Wednesday.

The museum is also looking to renovate its galleries, fix parking lot potholes, add good Wi-Fi internet access to the stadium and add a revenue-generating military parachuting simulator, among other things. Altogether, their request is about $2.4 million.

The museum attracts about 260,000 visitors per year, said Jones; and it’s about to hit its 10th birthday.

The Columbus Sports Council is asking for a bit more — $2.6 million toward renovations at the South Commons Softball Complex, one of the venues it promotes to out-of-town visitors who are looking for places to hold sporting events.

The complex is set to host the USA Softball International Cup from July 1-7 this year, an event that will be televised on ESPN. Some renovations are already underway.

Columbus has pledged $3 million toward renovations, and the Sports Council has raised a little more than a million dollars privately, said Merri Sherman, executive director of the Council, also speaking at the Capitol.

The Sports Council is looking for about $5.6 million total dollars for minimum renovations for the Cup, but more cash could cover more works or more fields.

“We have a short time frame to get some things done at the complex and to keep Columbus on the map for softball tournaments and events,” Sherman said.

South Commons brings about $4 million a year to the city from hosting events, Sherman said.

But South Commons isn’t the only place where time is short. The state Legislature will finish its annual session April 2, making it a bit late to lobby for new budget projects.

None of the legislators spoke up with any criticisms of the projects, but several noted the lateness of the legislative hour.

State Rep. Calvin Smyre, D-Columbus, said the lawmakers would engage with Gov. Brian Kemp on both items, and report back to the mayor’s office and to Columbus City Council.

The entire state budget will be about $27.5 billion for the year that begins in July.