Memorial gardens, arboretum test-marketed by university

The university is test marketing a proposal to establish the Mississippi State University Memorial Gardens and Arboretum as a final resting place for alumni and friends. The test-marketing phase will continue until mid-October, when a decision is due on whether to proceed.

The proposed site overlooks the main campus from the north and is across U.S. Highway 82 from what will become the main university entrance. It will be landscaped with trees, flowers, and shrubs, including native plants. The site is surrounded on three sides by the Plant Science Research Center of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and by the Mississippi Research and Technology Park.

The arboretum will provide teaching and research opportunities for students and faculty outside the classroom and may eventually expand to encompass other parts of the campus.

The number of space reservations during the evaluation period will help determine the future of the project, said Dr. Billy Ward, vice president for institutional advancement.

Sales during the test-marketing period are contingent on a decision to proceed with the project.

Introductory prices have been established for standard burial sites, and pricing for special opportunities such as memorials, family gardens, and other features will be developed later. A major portion of the cost will be tax deductible.

The introductory price of an individual site is $3,000, payable over five years, with $2,500 of that amount to be tax deductible. Additional sites are $2,000 and $1,500 is deductible.

For more information or to reserve a site, contact Charles Weatherly at 325-3410.