Jackson Jambalaya

Great idea. I mean, the Farish Street revitalization was such a booming success...

Dis gon be good.

I'm not much of a Jackson basher, and I would like to see this actually work out, but is there a single bar in that entire tract they are trying to establish as an entertainment center? It would make much more sense to do something around Hal and Mals, where they also have Martins, One Block East, Jaco's Tacos, the South, and some new bar across from the South. That area is also much more accessible from the interstate, as well as from Belhaven and Fondren. By contrast, this area is convenient if, and only if, you live in the Standard life or King Ed. Downtown Jackson does not have a great bar scene, but there is already some stuff there to support. This proposal does nothing to help 119 and nothing to help George St. I just can't see this idea really making a positive difference.

so KF what is the real story? Do they get to collect more tax revenue from businesses in this area? Do they qualify for more tax dollar support from state or feds? They see more money coming from somewhere - where is it?

The real question is: How much of that property is owned by Socrates Garrett, or any other "campaign contributor" of the Mayor? Follow the money.

We have an entertainment district, it is called the city council. It is very entertaining.

Why don't they finish (or start) the first one, anyone who invests in this is a moron.

We won't know til somebody accesses the current Mayor's bank account two years after he leaves office.

This is good - preparation for rezoning and / or required resort status in order to recruit the type of businesses that would be in an entertainment district. Many businesses require this sort of action to comply with hours of operation, hours of alcohol service and % of alcohol sales.

I would much rather the city fix problems such as infrastructure. Example the water service. I moved out of Jackson because my water bill was more than all my other utilities combined. If the water was potable, it would a little better; however, I don't advise anyone in Jackson to run the sink while holding a match.

How many blues clubs are they planning to open there? I'm still waiting for the seventeen that will be opening on Farish Street.

Isn't Dan Aykroyd a Hinds County sheriff's deputy? Maybe we can get him to put a House of Blues there. We'll hit him up with that "help a brotha out" attitude that the city used on BB King.

What happened to the large developm mt that was planned for the East side of State Strret. It was supposed to be rather large

This measure doesn't cost anything other than the time it takes the city to approve the ordinance. It looks like the purpose is to allow extended hours for serving alcohol. There is a club in that area. That particular club doesn't exactly look like the Ritz hotel bar, but I can't say I've heard anything bad about it either. It's gone by several names through the years. The ordinance is probably targeted towards that club.

Northside Sun has been excoriating Mayor Phony Yarber about the massive reporting gaps in his campaign finance reports.

Just like the rejiggering of Capitol Street.
Screw over the existing businesses chasing pipe dreams.

The City has insulted the residents by saying they were dirt poor, in need of all kinds of freebies and assistamce. Guess Jackson residents must all be employed, making enough to support their families without needing ANY assistance what-so-ever, to be able to keep these bars, etc. up and running. There will never be enough tourist business to support this district. Those who visit from surrounding counties and don't "blend in" will just be threatened and glared at, causing them to leave. Imagine what it will be like when everybody has had their chill time and a few drinks in them. Welcome to da future hood.

Y'all just don't get out much.

There are some successful venues.

One of those venues features an internationally recognized star.

Building on that isn't a bad idea.

And, then there's the " can't never did do nothing" thing.

Oh, good. It's been a while since we had a good old-fashioned doomed-to-fail boondoggle. Hopefully the artist's concept sketches for this one will be super unrealistic.

Oh, and can we call this one SoDoJax?

6:18 That's SoDamnStupid. Was only mildly funny the first couple of times. You can't be happy except in the face of someone else' failure. Jackson is trying. You'd be saying the same crap if they didn't. This is a good move in preparation. No harm done.

SoDoJax . . . that's funny.

A good move? Hosing Hal & Mal's? No, this is a stupid move.

Yes, that was stupid. If I'm reading this right, the area pretty much wraps the convention center except the east side where Thalia Mara and Museum of Art are located. This includes the 8 acres of vacant land along Roach street to the West owned by KCS railroad and a bunch of dilapidated buildings and parking lots to the North. On the South side is more vacant property, one small operating business,more dilapidated buildings and one smart ahead of the game guy who already built an entertainment venue called "South Street Live" which has some huge acts coming in November.
There is nothing wrong with this move which will help support the convention center and the four star Westin Hotel currently under construction. Never understood why the city didn't acquire this land before the convention center was built though.

As long as the renderings show the pearl river and any drainage ditches with blue water, I'm all in! I20/55...crossroads of da blues!

Saw the plans for The Villas at SoDoJax the other day. Vewy nice.

CLARION LEDGER - Tear down that iron fence!

Farish Street must be un-winding so what is the plan for the place now?

Time for new benches and brick sidewalks! I applaud Jackson for finally doing something to revitalize downtown, because we all know that new sidewalks + brick paved roads + entertainment district = jobs and party time! This is the formula that was used for the Farish Street Entertainment District, so why change what has proven to work?

What Jackson should be doing is enticing businesses to relocate downtown. Reach out to law firms, engineering firms, financial advisors and other professional groups. Once people start working downtown, there will be reason to open the things that entice people to stay downtown after work, like the oh-so-coveted blues clubs we keep hearing about.

The first block of Jackson's Farish Street Entertainment District will be ready for new occupants by September of this year, Brad "Kamikaze" Franklin announced Tuesday. Franklin, a local musician and investor in Farish Street, also heads the public-relations department of Watkins Development, LLC.

"We're not big on rolling out press conferences, because the people in this neighborhood have heard bogus press announcements before on what's about to happen on Farish Street, and they're kind of numb to it," Franklin said. "We want to prove what we're doing through our actions, and right now our actions are proving that we've started construction, and we plan to be done with the first block between Amite Street and Griffith Street by September of this year."

JFP
- Jan 28, 2010

Wonder what happened to the MetoCenter idea? Probably none of the Jackson Mafia owned any of the property so thee was nothing in it for them. Would be interesting to see the tax roll on the prescrobed property in the proposed "entertainment district"!!

Someone needs to tell the crackerjack legal team at the City of Jackson that the "Mississippi State Tax Commission" has been the "Mississippi Department of Revenue" for several years now.

I've been hearing for years that Mr. Franklin is a "local musician". Since he clings to that childish nickname like it's an essential piece of his identity, he must be this close to getting that big break which will have him rappin' with tha big boyz.

Can someone tell me where I can hear his music? C'mon, point me to where I can groove on Kamikaze's rhymes! Is there an online place to hear him bust a few verses in between writing opinion pieces and investing in local real estate? Is he rappin' on Farish Street in one of those clubs that does a rollicking business on the weekends?

Yo, yo, yo, yo, fresh, werd.

Why don't you learn to fix a f¥(!ing street first?????????

FOIA request of all city communications with any outside parties regarding the resort designation will expose who is carrying water for whom.