BY MARY ELLEN POWELL
Contributing Writer, Delta Business Journal

  The leaders of Tunica County are taking advantage of the tax revenues brought  in by the gaming industry to do many things to benefit the county’s  residents.  One such project is the planned construction of a health and  wellness complex to adjoin the existing G.W. Henderson, Sr., Recreation  Complex located south of the Paul Battle, Jr., Arena and
Exposition Center on  U.S. Highway 61 North.
  James Dunn, president of the Tunica County Board of Supervisors, said, “For  Tunica these facilities mean a lot to the citizens and elected officials.   For so long we didn’t have the access to these types of opportunities, but  with the incoming gaming revenues, we are now trying to provide these services to the community.”
  Hunter Pegram, Projects Coordinator of Tunica County, explained that this  Tunica County Parks and Recreation facility would consist of one building  with an open design that would include approximately 28,000 square feet.   Inside the building will be a walking track, a weight training area that will  include free weights and weight machines, and a fitness
training area  equipped wiyh treadmills, stairmasters and other fitness equipment.  An aerobics room is also included as well as dressing rooms and some office  space. Additional plans for the facility may include glass-walled racquetball  courts and two outdoor tennis courts.
  The Recreation Complex already consists of a recreation center, a basketball  court that can also be used for volleyball, a computer lab, and an art lab.  Four meeting spaces are available with dividers that allow the space to  combine into one big room.  There is also a full kitchen and concession  space.  Currently, the Parks and Recreation Department is
finishing four baseball fields.
  “We’ve never had anything like this before,” Pegram says.  “In 1992, we were one of the poorest counties around, so this type of facility means a great deal to  everyone.  We can appreciate it more because we know what it’s like not to  have it.”
  “What we have in mind is to try to address our community health needs,  especially the needs of our senior citizens,” he continues.  “We want to encourage them to be  actively involved in maintaining their health,” said Dunn.  “We also want to  provide these opportunities for the young people in the community.  We want to be able to serve the public.”
  In the future, the county hopes to be able to expand the wellness center and  its services.
 “We want to provide some type of transportation system for our senior  citizens to encourage them to use the facility and enable them to travel back  and forth without any problems,” he said.
  Pegram explained, “The project will go out to bid on Friday, April 28, 2000,  and contracts will then be awarded by the Board of Supervisors.  Construction  will start as soon as possible thereafter.”
  Dunn concluded by saying, “This is another amenity that we are adding to  Tunica County to make it a good place for the residents to live and raise  their families.  We want to add to the quality of life in our county.”