Meridian city officials pledge $1M to children's museum

MERIDIAN, Miss. (AP) - The city of Meridian will give $1 million to a second location of the Mississippi Children’s Museum.

The City Council agreed Tuesday to donate the money over five years. New council members elected later this summer must reaffirm the deal.

Kimberly Denison, who leads a committee raising money for the museum, tells the Meridian Star (https://bit.ly/2oSCU1V) that the museum is targeted to open in 2020.

With the city’s pledge, donors have promised $6 million of the projected $12 million cost. That includes $3 million from the Phil Hardin Foundation.

A 20,000 square-foot building is planned, with organizers hoping to build in Bonita Lakes Park. The city and Lauderdale County school board have approved preliminary plans to let the museum use land there.

The museum is based in Jackson.

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Information from: The Meridian Star, https://www.meridianstar.com