Sparta has officially purchased the former Christpoint Church property on the downtown square and plans to turn it into a new conference center.
Sparta Mayor Jerry Lowery said the facility could host community events and support economic development. Lowery said the city has now completed negotiations and finalized the purchase of the building, which he says is largely ready for use.
“We just purchased this building,” Lowery said. “There was a church, Christpoint Church, on the square that was moving to another facility, and it’s right beside Oldham’s Theater. So we talked and negotiated with them, and we bought the building.”
Lowery said the church is expected to vacate the property by June 1, after which the city will begin final preparations to open the facility to the public.
“It’s almost we could do some cosmetic work outside, but we could literally go in today and have a conference in there if we needed it,” Lowery said.
Sparta Aldermen previously discussed the potential purchase during a special-called meeting, where Mayor Jerry Lowery outlined how the property could be repurposed as a conference and event space adjacent to the city’s amphitheater and Oldham Theater.
City officials plan to refer to the space as the Sparta Conference Center, though Lowery said the final name has not yet been determined. He said the facility is intended to reduce the need for local organizations and businesses to hold events in other cities.
“We’ll be able to maybe keep some events local, that we get leakage to other cities,” Lowery said. “And we can maybe entertain some businesses and some industry and things like that, to hold their conferences and training sessions here in Sparta.”
Lowery said the conference center will support a wide range of uses, including concerts, school plays, meetings, and conferences, and will provide a climate-controlled indoor venue with a stage and sound system.
“It’s open to band concerts, plays, school functions, meetings, conference rooms,” Lowery said. “I don’t even know all the possibilities that it can be yet.”
In the coming weeks, Lowery said he plans to hold a work session with the Sparta Board of Aldermen to discuss rental fees, usage policies, and long-term planning for the facility.
Lowery also said the city is working with the historic district to determine what exterior changes can be made so the building fits the character of downtown Sparta.