When Natchez’s downtown convention center is built, it will likely be outfitted with state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment courtesy of Peavey Electronics.

Natchez Mayor Larry L. &uot;Butch&uot; Brown said this week that the Meridian-based company has agreed to supply equipment to showcase its technology.

The agreement involves a donation of equipment and possibly engineering support services, Brown said.

&uot;They have not agreed to an amount yet,&uot;&160;he said.

The project through Peavey Media Matrix Systems – the same program that furnishes A/V equipment for the U.S. Senate chambers – will give the company &uot;a place in their own region to showcase their equipment,&uot; Brown said.

Brown has also asked MCI&160;WorldCom, headed by Mississippi native Bernie Ebbers, to consult with the city on the convention center as well.

While city officials work to get the latest technology in the center, they are also working to help it fit into the downtown historic district.

The convention center’s design will have to be approved by the Natchez Preservation Commission. So far suggestions to keep it looking like the rest of downtown have included shallow retail space on the first floor and keeping the three-story exhibit space on the inside of the block.

The downtown center will take up a block of newly cleared land between Main and Franklin and Canal and Wall streets.

Demolition work is complete on that block with the exception of the old Greyhound bus station and the Switzer, Hopkins and Mange accountant firm. The Switzer building will be torn down when tax season is over this spring, and city workers will try to save the frontispiece of the bus station before tearing it down.

City Planner David Preziosi said the convention center design team hopes to come up with a design concept by the end of the month. The design team is made up of architectural firms JH&H of Jackson and Waycaster & Associates of Natchez, Mimi and Ron Miller of the Historic Natchez Foundation, Tourism Management Director Walter Tipton, Preziosi and Assistant City Planner Gretchen Kuechler.

&uot;It’s a complicated process because there are a lot of things that fit together,&uot; Preziosi said. &uot;One thing affects another affects another.&uot;

The convention center is one aspect of a three-part convention center complex which will also include a renovated city auditorium and a community center. Construction work has begun on the community center at the old Service Motor Co. building on Franklin Street. Scarbrough Construction Co. is doing the work for $474,767.