Tuesday, December 2, 2014

New baseball stadium for Jackson?

Jackson Mayor Tony Yarber issued the following press release:


Mayor Tony T. Yarber and the City Council Approve Feasibility Study for Collegiate Baseball Stadium in Downtown Jackson

Mayor Tony T. Yarber and the Jackson City Council on Tuesday, Dec. 2, unanimously approved a feasibility study for a state-of-the-art collegiate baseball stadium in downtown Jackson.

The Mayor and Council heard from Tim Bennett, president of Overtime Sports, LLC, who explained the study is the first step in possibly locating the stadium in Jackson. The stadium would have multiple uses, including as a youth, high school and collegiate baseball facility and amphitheater.

“This is a great opportunity for the City of Jackson to support the community and generate economic development,” Yarber said.

Bennett has handled the relocation of three minor league teams nationwide, including the Tampa Bay Rays (AA), Atlanta Braves (AA) and the Milwaukee Brewers (AA).  Bennett is the only minor league baseball team owner in Mississippi. He developed Trustmark Park in Pearl and is currently developing MGM Park on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

“I have high hopes this will attract Major League Baseball’s RBI program to have a more profound impact and presence in the city of Jackson,” said Bennett, referring to the Reviving Baseball in the Inner Cities program.

The cost of the study is $25,000 each month for four months. The city has the option to suspend the payments after the first presentation.

“I feel a connection to the city of Jackson and I think it’s in my best interest to do all I can to work with the city,” said Bennett. “I’m encouraged because I’ve seen the positive social and economic impact these developments can have on cities, such as in neighboring Pearl.”

Kingfish note: It was Bennett who tried to build a new stadium and keep the braves in Jackson.  Problem was the Mayor at the time fought it and ran it off to Rankin County. 

50 comments:

Anonymous said...

Damn what great news. This guy is a winner. If anybody can make it happen, Bennett can.

Anonymous said...

Don't just blame Harvey Johnson Kingfish. There were members of the then City Council who were also antagonistic to Bennett.

Anonymous said...

What minor league team does Tim Bennett "own"? He was paid a development fee in Pearl, but he doesn't own any part of that.

Hasn't the Jackson baseball ship sailed consider what is five miles away? Doesn't make any sense to me.

Anonymous said...

He is half owner of the Biloxi/Huntsville team. The Atlanta Braves own the Pearl team, but Bennett gets paid a management fee by them as well.

Sorry you are jealous of him.

Anonymous said...

No 1:01. Ramey Ford was antagonistic, and Johnson was incredibly arrogant.

Anonymous said...

@1:05 pm -> he is an owner of the team on the coast. biloxi shuckers. keep hatin

Anonymous said...

Waste of money. Baseball ship sailed to Rankin County.

Build a soccer stadium. Sport of the future, not the past.

Anonymous said...

Ben Allen opposed Tim Bennett too.

Lance Stevens said...

Tim is a great guy and he operates on an aggressive time table. No messin' around. This could be a great thing.

Anonymous said...

MEMO TO: Tony Yarber

Our streets are SHIT and you are dumping money into studying a downtown baseball park? Enjoy the remainder of your only term in office.

Anonymous said...

Biloxi spent 36 million to build him a stadium on Private land and a parking garage and the citizens of Biloxi DO NOT own the stadium. The casino gets first rights to schedule any activity it wants ahead of the city. Tim's aggressive schedule to ensure he gets what he wants and he don't give a rats ___ about anyone else.

Anonymous said...

I remember talking to a guy at a civic meeting before Trustmark Park was built. He came here from Memphis to work for DJP (can't remember his name). I asked him why don't we build a downtown stadium like Memphis, Chattanooga and many other cities have done? He told me the impact of a downtown stadium was overrated. I found his answer shocking especially since he was involved in downtown redevelopment in Memphis where Redbird Park had a huge impact on the area around the Peabody.

Anonymous said...

1:33
You're right. Ben Allen very vocally and adamantly opposed Bennett. Of course, the guy that Ben Allen was trying to push on the city turned out to be a crook, now didn't he? Prophet, my ass.

Anonymous said...

A baseball stadium in Jackson? Really? Smith-Wills did So well that we've got to build another one?

Wonder if it'll do as much for the City / be as profitable as the Convention Center?

I want Jackson to come back as much as anyone, but it appears to me the only way to straighten this City out - at this point in time - is to build more jails.......

Flame away, but you can't deny that rampant crime (or the "perception" thereof - as some of Jackson's leaders will opine) is the SINGLE reason Jackson is where it is today.

Anonymous said...

There is a reason people do not like Tim.

Anonymous said...

The Jackson market can't/won't support 2 baseball stadiums (3 if you count Smith-Wills). Waste of time and money.

Anonymous said...

I personally dont think the Jackson metro area can support 2 stadiums. That is simple numbers. Other than special nights, the Pearl, MS park is easy to get in and out of and you can usually find free tickets from people. Our office has had 4 season tickets to give to people and I bet other than the collegiate seasons and a few thursdays, they never got used.

Personally, until the city of Jackosn gets the crime under control I dont see many venturing " down there" to go to the same thing they could go to in Pearl without the fear of coming back to busted out windows or no car at all. Also, if this guy is "invested" in the MS Braves stadium, he is taking the city for a $100k ride to tell them the same thing I just did, as it directly competes with another stadium he has intrest in.

On the crime, that is not profiling, or making stuff up. I know personlly of two people that have had vehicles broken into at areas that arent technically considered downtown, Kiefers and The Cherokee.

Anonymous said...

U have GOT to be kidding me--I was / am a supporter of da Mayor--maybe he had to "play-politics" w this proposal----here we are in the epi-center of one of the most economically depressed areas of the state and we gonna PLAY BALL----total BS!!!

Anonymous said...

Jackson needs to build a state of the art MMA octagon. Could also use it for city council meetings.

Anonymous said...

I knew there was a fire at the Ag Museum, but unaware that Smith-Wills had burned down. Otherwise why would the city want (not need) a new stadium. Let's let this Epps' mess settle before starting a new kick back scheme.

Anonymous said...

"Flame away, but you can't deny that rampant crime (or the "perception" thereof - as some of Jackson's leaders will opine) is the SINGLE reason Jackson is where it is today."

Crappy schools are right behind crime.

Dealing with local fools like the Stokes twins also drives reasonable out-of-towners away.

Anonymous said...

What Jackson needs more than anything is a monorail, or a marching band. Tune the trombones

Anonymous said...

I'd like the see money dumped into getting the streets fixed first. This past year I've spent over a $1,000 in repairs to cars from pothole damages. We're getting potholes big enough to hold The Stokes Twins and not see the top of her hat.

Anonymous said...

How many "youth, high school and collegiate baseball" teams are utilizing Smith Wills now?

Anonymous said...

Somehow Jackson State will finagle their way into this...

Anonymous said...

A $100,000.00 Feasibility Study for "another" baseball stadium in Jackson,Ms is not about baseball or a new stadium,it's about the $100k Mr. Bennett and Overtime Sports will receive.

Anonymous said...

And MBraves games are always sold out- right??? Kiss another 100k out the window on a study that will show there's no need for a baseball stadium in Jackson like the one that was built in Pearl..

Anonymous said...

'We're getting potholes big enough to hold The Stokes Twins and not see the top of her hat." December 2, 2014 at 4:08 PM

Thank you! You made my day.

Anonymous said...

How quickly is forgotten how Ben Allen pushed the City Council to spend $850,000 Jackson didn't have to install synthetic turf at Smith-Wills in a lame ass last ditch effort to head off the inevitable new ballpark in Pearl. How'd that work out? No doubt Allen's taxpayer money grubbing RINO hands are all over this waste of money effort by Yarber.

Well established in downtown said...

Although another baseball stadium is highly questionable, another matter needs to be addressed here. Crime in Jackson largely does not include the downtown area. I am so sick and f'n tired of jerk offs who don't know what the hell they're talking about when it comes to always diverting the conversation to crime every time downtown Jackson is mentioned. Do your homework before you open your pie hole for crying out loud. Yes, Jackson has it's crime. It's mostly North and West, NOT DOWNTOWN!

Anonymous said...

The metro market is fixed for baseball with the field in Pearl and Smith-Wills. There will not be another pro baseball team in this area.This is a con game.

Anonymous said...

Amazing that 30 comments are here regarding a $100K feasibility study for a downtown stadium but crickets regarding a $40mm unnecessary airport in Queen Mary's domain. Wow.

5:48...we get it. You hate Ben Allen.(1:33 and 2:13 same person)

Get over yourself.

Anonymous said...

Bingo 5:04.

Anonymous said...

Hell 6:20 - easy explanation. Everybody has realized for years that the Madison County group was in a ripoff scheme with Rudy (and sidekick Elvis) in the middle of it. And knows that the new airport has no chance of getting off the ground.

The excitement here was that for a while folks were hopeful that the new city leadership wasn't going down such stupid routes. But spending $100k on a 'study' for a new baseball field shows that those hopes were all for naught.

Along with, of course, all the bashers that want to condemn anything "jackson". That always increases the numbers

mbrookes said...

No, we don't need another baseball stadium, but what about a horse track? No near-by competition (Little Rock, Shreveport, New Orleans... not Pearl). Just think... the sport of kings right here in Jackson! I, for one, had rather bet on a horse than a machine that eats quarters.

Anonymous said...

Here we go again! Another pseudo-developer making urban development plans on someone else’s private property and tax dollars. This public, welfare developer does not have the following key elements needed to successfully implement an urban development project in Jacktown: 1) private money (lots of it!), 2) private investors, and 3) land parcels. Real Estate Development 101: Never tell property owners your redevelopment plans, especially those plans which comprise of using their private land and money, Jackass! Earlier, this fake guy stated that he wanted to build a baseball stadium in the Farish Street Historic District.

The Jackson City Council members and the mayor are so incompetent!!! To Tony Yarber, the white man knows best!

Note to the City of Jackson, out-of-state private investors and developers are taking over Fall 2016. Your pocket change is NOT required. Gentrification baby, got to love it!!!!

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to see this $100,000 feasibility study.
Is it economically feasible to do the exact same thing that someone has been doing three miles away for the last ten years, but this time at twice the cost and without a team?

Pittpanther said...

I told you guys during the election, Yarber has no vision and no plan for improvement of Jackson.

I can only assume the actual plan is to build a new stadium so that Smith Wills can be demolished, lending more credence to the underused of that parcel of land on Lakeland. So that Costco (or whoever at that time) will have an easier time convincing the state to release its hold on the property.

Anonymous said...

I can only assume the actual plan is to build a new stadium so that Smith Wills can be demolished, lending more credence to the underused of that parcel of land on Lakeland. So that Costco (or whoever at that time) will have an easier time convincing the state to release its hold on the property.

You nailed it PP. This "study" is weak ass subterfuge. All smoke, mirrors and backroom deals.

Anonymous said...

Don't normally agree with PittPanther, but, this time PP is dead on target. That was the second thing I thought when I read this article. First thing was Ben Allen has his Prophet paws all over this. And, by the way, 6:20 p.m. (Ben Allen sycophant, or perhaps the Prophet himself) I'm 2:13 and I'm neither 1:33 not 5:48. Just someone with a long memory.

Anonymous said...

The JSU dome, a new Baseball Stadium for JSU and other local people, Harbor walk in Ridgeland, two rivers project on the pearl, redevelopment of the MetroCenter Mall into a destinationan airport for Madison--what's next! What an exciting time for us to be in Jackson!

we can fly our gulfstreams into Madison, visit the new county park up that away, take in a nice youth baseball game in downtown jackson, stop off on farish for some BBQ and Blues, take the family to metrocenter for shopping and indoor mini-golf, and end the day with a stroll on the riverfront OR harborfront--you choose! just like disneyworld, except paid for with taxes and government debt money--taken by both republicans and democrats! how wonderful

Anonymous said...

Jackson is doing what they do best, "Studies" that are useless and expensive. Is everyone so blind that you can't see that this and ALL other administration's since Harvey Johnson have proven they are not capable of multi-tasking projects. Totally finish one project before starting another! Generally that's what Madison and Rankin Counties do. They are successful, clean and a pleasure to visit. Utilize Smith Wills Stadium and be proud it's available for use.

Anonymous said...

Please do elaborate 9:36! We need some real news.

Anonymous said...

I don't know whether a baseball stadium would be good for Jackson or not, but $100,000 seems a lot for a feasibility study like this unless there's something more tangible to tie to it. As a citizen, I'd like to know more about why this is important right now. If there's a need for this, let's do it. If not, let's not spend $100,000 on feasibility studies. In any case, I am a little surprised that a few months ago the city was doing their level best to get rid of baseball within city limits by destroying the fields on the Jackson stretch of Lakeland. Now, it seems, we need baseball after all.

Anonymous said...

Forget Jxn or anywhere. Even Jtown it could support such a thing today-so what?

Baseball is a dinosaur. Look at MLB ratings. Garbage. Major markets are the only areas that care to watch or attend.

The future is soccer-like it or not. The next generation is spending money on it.

Anonymous said...

Blame it all on Ben Allen. The prophet. It's all his fault.

Anonymous said...

Word on the street is that Rudy Warnock bid on the baseball feasibility study. He lost the bid because $100,000 only buys you 7 of his powerpoint slides. Dorsey promises that if elected he'll make sure people better understand the value of 7 Warnock slides.

Anonymous said...

Soccer is the sport of the future, and it always will be.

Anonymous said...

We like feasibility studies, even if they involve unrealistic projects; they help us keep hope alive!

Spend Wisely said...

When Miz Stokes is elected mayor, you guys will need that hundert-thousund for gold-leaf hat racks.



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