Hi, Anna,

Given that USM has now responded to your request related to the lease
agreement, I wanted to also send along the following statement that
addresses the agreement. It may be attributed to me, should you choose to
publish it and attribution is required. I will not be available tomorrow to guide
you through a tour of the facility, but I should be able to assist with ensuring
you have access to the facility. Is there a specific time you had in mind?
The statement is as follows:
The Southern Miss Athletic Foundation and the Mississippi Community
Education Center (MCEC) entered into a lease agreement in 2017 that allows
MCEC to utilize University athletics facilities, including the new Wellness
Center, through 2022. The Athletic Foundation’s role in that agreement is as
a lessor, while MCEC’s role is to develop and execute programming intended
to benefit the area’s underserved population. That agreement was
negotiated in a transparent manner, and was reviewed by University
attorneys and outside counsel, as well as approved by the state Attorney
General’s office as well as the IHL Board.
The Southern Miss Athletic Foundation used funds resulting from that
agreement to help construct the new Wellness Center, which will be used for
community classes, meetings, camps, seminars and other events, in addition
to Southern Miss volleyball matches. As part of the agreement, MCEC had
the opportunity to help guide the facility’s layout to meet its specific
programming needs. Construction of the $7 million facility--$5 million of
which resulted from the lease agreement—was also supported by individual
donors.
As it is now apparent that MCEC is unlikely to continue as an active partner
in the agreement, the Southern Miss Athletic Foundation is looking forward to
initiating conversations with the appropriate state agency and leaders about
how its athletics facilities, including the Wellness Center, can be used to the
benefit of Mississippi families and individuals in the spirit of the original
agreement.
-James P. Coll
Chief Communication Officer
Office of University Communications
The University of Southern Mississippi
118 College Dr. #5016   Hattiesburg, MS 39406
P: 601.266.5722   F: 601.266.5347
Twitter: @jimcoll   Snapchat: jimcollusm
FB: /jimcollusm   Instagram: @jimcollusm