Vidalia officials and the town’s Riverfront Committee are working with architects on plans for the Vidalia Gateway and Welcome Center.

Depending on the size of the building &045;&045; two plans are now on the table, depending on the availability of funding &045;&045; the new building could hold up to 1,200 people versus 800 to 900 people.

Glen McGlothin, who is now in charge of marketing for Vidalia, said he is already booking conferences for the center.

The facility will include a conference space to be used for a variety of activities, from wedding receptions to major conferences.

At the same time, Natchez continues to work to find way to market the convention center it opened two years ago at a cost of about $10 million (not including the cost of community center and auditorium renovations).

Could Vidalia’s conference center be competition for the Natchez Convention Center? Absolutely, depending on the markets that town chooses to go after.

And judging from officials’ comments at Wednesday’s Riverfront Committee meeting, the events they’re going after should similar to Natchez’s market.

But competition need not be a stumbling block for either Natchez or Vidalia’s centers.

Instead, we ask officials in charge of attracting conventions and other events to both towns to instead work cooperatively to bring in the size events the area can only dream about now.

Marketed in sync with one another, both facilities &045;&045; and both towns &045;&045; could benefit from an influx of tourist dollars.

That’s a boon in any year, but especially when the Miss-Lou’s economic woes still linger.