Jackson Jambalaya

My mom went to the convention center yesterday to pick up her racing packet for the MS Blues Marathon. Security escorted her to and from her vehicle. The crime is at an all-time low, but at least they recognize it!

The perception of crime is at an all time low, but, a Security escort to your car is needed?
That says all you need to know about the lies about downtown crime rates.
Lies, damn lies and statistics, right?

Why wasn't the Westin built across the street from the convention/telecom/boondoggle center?

What can you say? Nostradamus would have had a tough time trying to give an accurate prospectus of Jackson, Mississippi in the not so distant past.
Obviously there was a lot of wishful thinking, but it was not unreasonable thinking. The city has problems, really big problems. But it does have a convention center, which it didn't have, and if it can solve some of the crap it won't have the expense of building one. Now let's bitch and moan anyway.

4:01
Wishful thinking with other people's money, and yes it was unreasonable thinking. It's ALWAYS easier to do wishful things when it's not your money.
The opponents to the money pit could see that it was doomed to be a money pit, but they were ridiculed as short-sighted and just kind of stupid.
The developers made off like bandits and left the rest of us holding the bag. Apparently the "damn prophet" wasn't as much of a prophet as he thought, but his developer friends did okay.

Need to post the writings/comments of those who warned against this boondoggle.

2:58 - 'crime is at an all time low' WHERE? Can I buy some pot from you?

If you can’t drive down the roads to get there what use is it? Medgar Evers, Northside are damn near impassible.....

It's only the perception of negative cash flow.

@5:54

I think you missed the sarcasm in 2:58's comments.

Capitol City Sharecroppers—sounds like a great name for a minor league hockey team. Jackson should look into that...

We just put rocks in the holes and an orange barrel on the top like a cherry and consider it a fix. Now that’s acceptable downtown also.

@6:46 who is driving down Northside or Medgar Evers to get to the convention center? That doesn't make any sense.

I don't believe governments need to be building convention centers nor do I think they should be building trade marts, but we are about to get another trade mart also.

That said, I have a good experience picking up my blues packet yesterday and the place is still very nice. Just bigger and more expensive that anything in Mississippi would ever need.

5:15 AM, true, nor should the government be building football and baseball stadiums for professional teams. But, wink, wink, nudge, nudge, the respective mayor and pals usually get free "sky boxes" with all of the perks, which are generous to the extreme.

K>F>, would is be possible for you to obtain and public the P & L reports for the convention center for the last three years of operation? I am looking for details like utilities, salaries, event income etc.

It has not worked as planned.

Can we try to make it work better?

Or do y’all just like saying screw Jackson?

The votes are in....Screw Jackson.

Reminds me of the brief time Jackson had an ice hockey team and we were going to build an ice hockey arena. Seems the team went bye bye before we could even vote on the arena.

A domed football stadium would fix this problem.

"Reminds me of the brief time Jackson had an ice hockey team and we were going to build an ice hockey arena. Seems the team went bye bye before we could even vote on the arena. "

Uh, maybe you have a short memory, but once the mover and shaker went to jail the money dried up right quick.

I did get a few pucks from the arena when they threw the hockey stuff out.

Baseball stadium w guaranteed attendance and community outreach.... convention center with no economic value outside of being a venue for private events.... city leaders lack vision and let a good opportunity pass them right on by.