186 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 10 here from all over the southeast.” There’s also the Wild Animal Safari in Pine Mountain, a 500-acre park with over 500 animals and 70 different species; and for residents and tourists alike, the Sweetland Amphitheatre is a 2,500-seat outdoor venue for performances and community events that opened in 2016 in the heart of historic downtown LaGrange. “It was the old city pool and it was transitioned into a fabulous outdoor event facility,” Mosley notes. “This year, we’re hosting about 12 concerts there as part of our concert series.” Another outdoor event facility slated to open this coming December in Troup County is the Oakfuskee Conservation Center, with 25,000 square feet of event and classroom space on the banks of West Point Lake. “The lower portion of the building will be utilized for outdoor education,” says Mosley. “We have a group called the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper; they educate our students about the importance of the lake and the Chattahoochee River Basin to our economy and health. The upper story will be a large event facility for weddings and other events. It sits on this beautiful vista with a 280-degree view of the lake so it’s a great facility. We’re already just about booked up for 2024.” Finally, Mosley sees Troup County as a player in the growing field of sports tourism. “We probably have about 40 weekends a year where we’re bringing in events – baseball, softball, soccer, football, cheerleading tournaments,” he reports. “We’re currently in the process of expanding a large soccer stadium in the southern part
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