Mayor BabyChok knows he can't come to Historic Kenny's House (Jackson: appointed, 2015)

[viverlibre]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

Can you clarify what the bolded phrase means in actual practice? What was done to "welcome" people into birmingham?

When you talk to people about birmingham, you get similar rhetoric to Jackson - the city is unsafe, the schools suck, you must live in Hoover.

Don't come to the Jackson board and blow smoke that everyone loves birmingham.

A couple of years ago I was listening to a radio program concerning a sporting even that Birmingham was hosting (I don't remember what), but the host was interviewing a Birmingham leader and he stated they wanted people from the suburbs to come into Birmingham and spend their money.

I doubt there is any type of migration of the middle class to live in Birmingham and Birmingham is likely on the same crime level (maybe worse?) as Jackson. The difference, leaders in Birmingham realize people in the suburbs have entertainment dollars to spend and are encouraging that money to be spent in the city.

I'm not singing Birmingham's praises, only stating that 20 years ago they were in worse shape than us, but now are in better shape. What did they do? I don't know, but I suspect encouraging suburbanites to spend disposable income in the city likely played a role in it.

When I first stated going to Birmingham, the area around the BJCC was a dump, now it an entertainment center that rakes in money for the city. What does Jackson do? Build a $65 mil Convention Center with no hotels and no adjacent entertainment or restaurants.

[viverlibre]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

1. I agree with development on the Pearl, but a casino won't do crap. Not like Natchez and Vicksburg are great places to visit thanks to their casinos.
Instead there needs to be full scale development along the river, similar to San Antonio.
2. Moving the zoo is fine, but it won't spur any development like you seem to think. Zoe and those museums are for children. Tired parents bring them in, buy a couple of hot dogs, and go home.
Agreed that the Smith Apples land is wasted as is.
3. Farish street never reached 75% complete! Maybe 20%...
Organic development would likely happen around Hal and Mals area, not farish street. If the city made things happen.

Not a casino like the ones in Vicksburg or Natchez, a casino like the Beau in Biloxi or Harrahs in NOLA, it would kill it in Jackson. Build a huge sportsbook in it, tons of people people drive from the Jackson area to wager on sports in Philadelphia and Vicksburg (I am one of those). Maybe it can be the base of other development along the river. The facade of the Farish Street (between the Federal Building and MC) is at least 75 complete, obviously not much has been done to the interior of the buildings. Up into the late 90s we were having festivals downtown, Jubilee Jam and the Red Beans and Rice Festival drew huge crowds. One year (95 or 96?) there was even an outdoor ice skating rink at the corner of Lamar and Capitol. We may not be able to go back to those days, but I believe the right leadership can at least start to turn the ship in certain parts of the city.

The area around Hal and Mals would make a great entertainment district.

[Mississippi Alabama Line]

Originally Posted by viverlibre

The area around Hal and Mals would make a great entertainment district.

This is really the only feasible option, at this point in time.

I think the toothpaste is out of the tube as far as casinos, they are where they are. I don't know why they never located one in Jackson, but I just can't see it happening now.

I think the era of the festivals is dead, outside the St. Paddy's Day Parade.

Conventions maybe have a glimmer of hope downtown, but I think most of those will take place at the new place in Flowood.

[viverlibre]

Originally Posted by Mississippi Alabama Line

This is really the only feasible option, at this point in time.

I think the toothpaste is out of the tube as far as casinos, they are where they are. I don't know why they never located one in Jackson, but I just can't see it happening now.

I think the era of the festivals is dead, outside the St. Paddy's Day Parade.

Conventions maybe have a glimmer of hope downtown, but I think most of those will take place at the new place in Flowood.

Originally casinos had to be on navigable waters or Indian Reservations. There is currently a bill before the senate, S.B. 2395, which would amend state statute to “authorize (gaming) aboard cruise vessels on the Pearl River within a city with a population of 150,000 or more.”

I'm not a fan of "river boat" casinos, but higher class casinos, like the Beau and Harrahs, were packed before the plandemic, and bring in higher rollers from out of town.

[Mississippi Alabama Line]

Originally Posted by viverlibre

Originally casinos had to be on navigable waters or Indian Reservations. There is currently a bill before the senate, S.B. 2395, which would amend state statute to “authorize (gaming) aboard cruise vessels on the Pearl River within a city with a population of 150,000 or more.”

I'm not a fan of "river boat" casinos, but higher class casinos, like the Beau and Harrahs, were packed before the plandemic, and bring in higher rollers from out of town.

I mean it could work I guess, the Coast kind of has a natural draw to it to go along with the casinos, with the water and good food. While Vicksburg and Natchez have an element of tourism, I see those casinos like I see Philadelphia, basically just a place to go do something for folks from surrounding communities. I guess it's not the worst thing for Jacktown, but I bet it will pull business away from the others.

[JacksonPanther]

Originally Posted by Mississippi Alabama Line

Conventions maybe have a glimmer of hope downtown, but I think most of those will take place at the new place in Flowood.

Meh. There's a significant difference in size (50,000 sq ft in flowood versus 350,000 in Jackson). In theory they shouldn't be in competition for the same events. Jackson not having an attached hotel is just a ridiculous planning failure.

[Mississippi Alabama Line]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

Meh. There's a significant difference in size (50,000 sq ft in flowood versus 350,000 in Jackson). In theory they shouldn't be in competition for the same events. Jackson not having an attached hotel is just a ridiculous planning failure.

Isn't the Westin literally right across the street? I mean I know it's not ideal but still shouldn't be a hindrance, I've seen that set up before.

Edit: Nevermind, it's a block away.

Either way the big stuff will go to the new trade mart. Whatever the JCC is doing ain't working. I mean most Jackson conferences went to the Hilton out on County Line.

[JacksonPanther]

Originally Posted by Mississippi Alabama Line

Isn't the Westin literally right across the street? I mean I know it's not ideal but still shouldn't be a hindrance, I've seen that set up before.

Edit: Nevermind, it's a block away.

Either way the big stuff will go to the new trade mart. Whatever the JCC is doing ain't working. I mean most Jackson conferences went to the Hilton out on County Line.

Due to the way the Westin entrance is on the far side away from the JCC, it's really a 3 block walk. If you know, you can save a block by cutting through the Arts Center garden.

The flowood conference center is mainly gonna take business from the Hilton, not the JCC.

I wouldn't think any kind of corporate, business convention is gonna want to go to the trade mart. That kind of convention will continue skipping mississippi altogether, and going to NOLA.

[GrandviewGloria]

Originally Posted by Seadory

So I'm not the only one who who thought the "Stokes Blasts "Lying Lumumba" press conference brilliant! All of it. The truck, the lady fiddling with the trash bag, THE UPS TRUCK and Mr Stokes leaving the conference while he looked for something to sit on. Then there is the train whistle.

This has Bravo TV written all over it. Andy Cohen would love this. I'm not making that up.

I want a STOKES cap too.

Jackson Jambalaya, in recent days, has given us a clearer-than-usual example of what Councilman Stokes meant, when he coined the moniker, "Lyin' Lumumba".

It seems that Jackson's Mayor told a tale of woe, to the New York Times, based upon a big falsehood - one which Kingfish easily exposed as being demonstrably untrue.

Jackson Jambalaya: Lumumba Lies to New York Times
followed by:
Jackson Jambalaya: Health Department Pays Jackson Over $360,000 for Water
followed by:
Jackson Jambalaya: Governor to Mayor & New York Times: State Pays for Its Water

[viverlibre]

Originally Posted by GrandviewGloria

Jackson Jambalaya, in recent days, has given us a clearer-than-usual example of what Councilman Stokes meant, when he coined the moniker, "Lyin' Lumumba".

It seems that Jackson's Mayor told a tale of woe, to the New York Times, based upon a big falsehood - one which Kingfish easily exposed as being demonstrably untrue.

Jackson Jambalaya: Lumumba Lies to New York Times
followed by:
Jackson Jambalaya: Health Department Pays Jackson Over $360,000 for Water
followed by:
Jackson Jambalaya: Governor to Mayor & New York Times: State Pays for Its Water

Has the quality of our elected leaders, of all parties and persuasions, ever been this low?

I don't believe the mayor didn't know the state paid a water bill, he's been at this for awhile and hopefully has been doing deep dives into Jackson's water and sewer situation, that should be one of top his top priorities. Has promoting one's ideology overtaken the need to ensure basic municipal services are delivered?

Look no further than our highest office. We go from an ego-manic celebrity who would rather be (what he thinks is) right than win to a man who I'm not sure even knows he is POTUS and can't even conduct a press conference.