Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 55 - PARKS AND RECREATION (§§ 55-1-1 — 55-25-15) › Chapter 9 - COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL FACILITIES (§§ 55-9-1 — 55-9-93) › DEVELOPMENT OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES IN CERTAIN COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES (§§ 55-9-1 — 55-9-5) › Section 55-9-1 - General grant of authority; issuance of bonds generally

The board of supervisors of any county in which there are located, or in which there is a desire to locate, recreational centers, stadiums, lakes, waterfowl or game management areas or parks or any one or more of the aforesaid, or the board of supervisors of any county adjoining a county in which there are located, or in which there is a desire to locate, such recreational centers, stadiums, lakes, waterfowl or game management areas or parks or any one or more of the aforesaid, or the governing authority of any municipality having a population of thirty-five hundred (3500) or more located in any of said counties, are hereby empowered, in addition to all other powers given them by law, to (a) issue bonds for the purpose of securing money to build and equip recreational centers, stadiums, lakes, waterfowl or game management areas or parks or any one or more of the aforesaid, operating alone or as a unit, or in conjunction with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks or other agency of the State of Mississippi, and to (b) acquire by lease, purchase, eminent domain, donation, or otherwise, sites therefor. The county and the municipalities, or either of them, either with or without assistance from some agency of the State of Mississippi or the United States government, may enter jointly or separately into the construction of such recreational centers, stadiums, lakes, waterfowl or game management areas or parks, and into the acquisition of sites therefor, from the sale of bonds issued separately by the counties and the municipalities for such purposes. Such recreational centers, stadiums, lakes, waterfowl or game management areas or parks, or sites therefor, may be located on land owned by the county or counties, municipality or municipalities, or by the State of Mississippi, or on lands leased to the county or counties, municipality or municipalities, or by the State of Mississippi, or on lands leased to the county or counties or municipality or municipalities jointly, or to either of them, or may be located on lands owned by the United States Forestry Service. Any bonds issued hereunder by a county shall be subject to and compliance had with Sections
19-9-1
through
19-9-31
, Mississippi Code of 1972, and any bonds issued hereunder by a municipality shall be subject to and in compliance with Sections
21-33-301
through
21-33-329
, Mississippi Code of 1972.
Bonds issued under the provisions of this section may be full faith and credit bonds, and may be retired in whole or in part by the proceeds or a part of same earned by such recreational facilities or parks.
The governing authority of any such county or municipality without the issuance of bonds, or in addition to the issuance of bonds, may use any available surplus funds for constructing, equipping, maintaining and operating such recreational centers, stadiums, lakes, waterfowl or game management areas or parks.
Codes, 1942, § 5975; Laws, 1940, ch. 271; Laws, 1958, chs. 191, 207; Laws, 1962, ch. 208; Laws, 1964, ch. 565, § 1; Laws, 2000, ch. 516, § 121, eff. 4/30/2000.