Ridgeland Mayor Gene McGee address a somewhat hostile crowd at Ridgeland High School tonight regarding the proposed construction of a Costco off of Highland Colony Parkway. The Mayor was subjected to boos and catcalls as he discussed the project. The big news of the evening was that developer Andrew Mattiace had applied to the Mississippi Development Authority for a sales tax rebate before the program expired on July 1, 2014.
The proposed Costco will be built on Renaissance Phase III. However, Mr. Mattiace applied to MDA for the rebate for Renaissance Phase II. He determined the project did not meet the guidelines and amended the application after the deadline to obtain the rebate. The construction will supposedly cost $89 million. The developer receives up to one third of the construction cost back from MDA.
Some other observations:
*The cafeteria at the high school was standing room only. The crowd was raucous at times as it repeatedly interrupted Mayor McGee.
*The zoning for the proposed land was changed to the more retail-friend classification of C-2 last year.
*Developer Andrew Mattiece did not appear at the meeting but will host a similar forum on August 20.
*The roundabout will not be removed nor will a traffic signal be installed at the intersection of Highland Colony Parkway and Jackson Street.
*Mayor said he did not know who the tenants would be at the proposed development.
*No TIF bonds will be used for this project.
*Neil Schaeffer Engineering is conducting traffic counts for Mattiace. The parkway is designed to handle 30,000 vehicles per day. The daily count is now 7,800 vehicles.
*A petition with nearly 11,000 signatures against Costco was presented to the Mayor.
Ridgeland Mayor Gene McGee starts talking at 2:25.
The proposed Costco will be built on Renaissance Phase III. However, Mr. Mattiace applied to MDA for the rebate for Renaissance Phase II. He determined the project did not meet the guidelines and amended the application after the deadline to obtain the rebate. The construction will supposedly cost $89 million. The developer receives up to one third of the construction cost back from MDA.
Some other observations:
*The cafeteria at the high school was standing room only. The crowd was raucous at times as it repeatedly interrupted Mayor McGee.
*The zoning for the proposed land was changed to the more retail-friend classification of C-2 last year.
*Developer Andrew Mattiece did not appear at the meeting but will host a similar forum on August 20.
*The roundabout will not be removed nor will a traffic signal be installed at the intersection of Highland Colony Parkway and Jackson Street.
*Mayor said he did not know who the tenants would be at the proposed development.
*No TIF bonds will be used for this project.
*Neil Schaeffer Engineering is conducting traffic counts for Mattiace. The parkway is designed to handle 30,000 vehicles per day. The daily count is now 7,800 vehicles.
*A petition with nearly 11,000 signatures against Costco was presented to the Mayor.
Ridgeland Mayor Gene McGee starts talking at 2:25.
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| Costco opponent Bill May addresses forum |
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| Mayor Gene McGee speaks |
76 comments:
Do Costco sell high-end bicycles?
Was Ken Heard there? He is the alderman for the area.
Andrew Mattiace is awful. If his mouth is open and words are coming out, then you know he is lying.
Looks like nobody wanted to be photographed.
Are these the same people who opposed Gene's 17 story building for the ButlerSnow law firm?
When you live near an undeveloped area that is zoned commercial, it will not always stay a wooded lot. Be careful when purchasing a home. Looks like some Ridgeland residents didn't do their homework. But I for one will enjoy shopping at Costco.
I run a vaping store in Ridgeland and competition is already tough, what with Ridgeland being the vaping capital of central Mississippi. If Costco comes in and starts selling vape juice and those battery powered salt shakers my customers love to suck on, it'll be tough to match their prices.
Think, good citizens! You have so many vaping options in your neighborhood today. Why jeopardize that by bringing in a warehouse retailer that will close up all the mom and pop vape joints? Imagine a day when you won't be able to visit Vape World or Magnolia Vapes or Vapor Scene to choose which liquid to boil. Think about a time when you drive to Planet of the Vapes or Vapor Caper or Suck On This, only to find their doors closed, probably replaced by some skeevy, fly-by-night business.
If Costco comes in selling substandard vaping materials, connoisseurs of fine vaping liquids will have to drive all the way to Byram to Squench's Tattoo and Vape Pipes to get quality paraphernalia. I dont want to have to drive into Jackson to buy my vaping supplies from those sketchy stores. Just say No to Cost Co.
Does Costco sell body armor?
Cry babies!
If tax payers are paying a 1/3 of the construction costs, shouldn't we get a monetary return on our investment?
Show me the money.
Show me how those funds end up back in my pocket with a profit margin equivalent to that made if I'd invested it on my own in the community.
If tax revenues are increased because this benefits the community, shouldn't taxes be going down? Shouldn't our politicians be able to show us the numbers?
Couldn't Mattice get enough willing investors?
It's easy to be in business when you don't have to assume risks.
And, did you know that when a shopping center is finished on the outside, the businesses have to pay to finish out their interior space and the stores then also have to pay a percentages of their sales profits to Mattice et.al? There is no competition on that percentage. If collecting rent isn't enough for the developer to pay for construction costs and profit over time, then that should raise some questions about the investment value!
Would y'all in Ridgeland rather be in Young Harvey Yarber's Jackustan?
### Metro Ad Valorem Millage Rates (2013-2014) ###
Jackson = 63.14 mils (Yarber's #GoodThingsJxn)
Jackson = 58.03 mils
Canton = 56.32 mils
Edwards = 47.0 mils
Clinton = 41.49 mils
Bolton = 36.3 mils
Byram = 34.1 mils
Flora = 33.5 mils
---> AVERAGE = 32.97 mils <---
Brandon = 29.0 mils
Madison = 28.8 mils
Terry = 27.85 mils
Pearl = 27.5 mils
Raymond = 25.62 mils
Florence = 22.9 mils
Ridgeland = 20.03 mils <-- Because of diversified tax base
Flowood = 20.0 mils
Richland = 19.0 mils
*excludes County & School District
It's easy to be in business when you don't have to assume risks.
Every Boondoggler in Downtown Jackson agrees.
Enough sour grapes out of Yarber this morning in the C-L to start a whinery.
It's already over. Costco will build there and more big boxes are coming. It's a fact, Jack. And I wonder how many of the "sour grapes" crowd at the high school are those who cheered the demise of county line road. Reap what you sow...
The new Sams just opened in Madison and it looks good! I doubt a crappy looking Costco would be built. This company has been trying to get into the area. The couldn't do it in Jackson so they looked elsewhere. Those in Ridgeland should take pride that business want to come to your city. It keeps taxes low and keeps firemen and policemen paid and on the job to protect you. Everyone of these that bitch and whine will end up shopping there when it opens. If you lived there before Butler and his buddy swindled that old lady out of the land to build HCP 20-something years ago then you have some beef. But if you moved in after HCP was built you can't bitch bc a commercial business wants to build in a commercially zoned area. I actually feel bad for Gene. He doesn't have a whole lot of control over saying what businesses a developer puts where (unless Hooters wants to move into the old Ralph and Kacoos). It is very believable that Mattice didn't tell him anything about it at all.
All of you people who complain about Mayor Mary should listen up....SHE CARES FOR THE CITIZENS OF MADISON. Gene McGee said that the COSCO is going up, period. He doesn't have to listen to the citizens of Ridgeland. McGee talks out of both sides of his mouth so whoever said not to trust Mattice when his mouth is open better listen to the Mayor of Ridgeland when he opens his mouth. He fired the last police chief because he didn't like him. There is more going on way down on 51 than most people know.
I'm so glad they're building in Ridgeland so I don't have to drive all the way up to Madison to do my big box shopping. After having brunch at Wholesale Foods, it's just a hop, skip and jump up to Ridgeland
IF you build your tax base on retail, you have to understand it is temporary. People always want the new pretty building. In 15 years or less, that whole area will be "county-line road". People will be flocking to the new big pretty retail in Gluckstadt or Clinton, or wherever. Flowood would already be in trouble if it were not for unincorporated land to the east that they can claim and continue to move to. Look at the original flowood area of 20 years ago.
So point is, buy for the housing community, not the retail community unless you want to move in 15-20 years. And I totally agree with the prior comment....if you buy near unimproved land zoned retail....be careful.
How many signatures were on that petition? 1,000+ or 10,000+? Different reports on this. Madison Journal and CL reporting closer to 1,000, which seems more in line with the population of the area.
Mayor either was willfully ignorant when the zoning was changed not to know who was pitching the area, meaning he wasn't doing his job. Or he concealed the information from the public, likely because Costco required a NDA.
It was zoned for lesser retail, not big box. The zoning was quietly changed in June to accommodate big box.
This is nothing more than democratic masturbation.
"Let's have a huge meeting and let everyone voice their concerns so they'll feel better about everything, then turn around and do exactly what we were going to do to begin with."
"Brilliant!"
5:33 You are vaporific!
Dear Hero Senator Will WRONGwitz,
You fought so hard your your campaign contributors in that one neighborhood. Where are you now? Get you stupid head out of Mental Health's a$$ and fight this. Come on Will. Do something. You're 0 for 1 now. Try to get at least 1 for 2.
I think the property should stay vacant and wooded forever. Since I have to drive by it every day, that should be the way it is.
5:33 I had to google 'Vaping'. The first time I read it I thought it was a typo. But I found it. It sounds goofy to me, but hey I think Starbucks coffee tastes awful and the prices are ridiculous. They seem to have customers somehow.
I live about 5 minutes from the Costco site but I don't think I will buy a ton of stuff there. Every year I buy more and more stuff using this computer and use brick and mortar stores less.
A note to Jackson residents coming to Costco - if you drive without seat belts or do not fully stop at stop signs you will be ticketed. If the officer smells alcohol or dope you will not have a good day.
Eric Brown - feel better about yourself now? God, you are SOOOO clever.
Ridgelanders let McGee get away with the BS building. Why would he suddenly develop a sense of ethics now? He tossed out the zoning plan in the name of a ginormous eyesore, and then his city re-elected him. No one who voted for McGee should be saying boo now ... you got exactly who you voted for.
Sorry @9:06 AM Harpy the proposed Costco site isn't in Longwitz's district. Billingsley got trounced in large part due to his unquestioning support for his tone deaf MDMH bureaucrat pals. Get over it.
Some one please tell me: what is a "harpy"?
People love to revere our founding documents like the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. Most folks have learned that our government in Washington does not abide by these documents. When the rubber hits the road, local governments have a huge impact on the everyday lives of citizens. You want to talk about consent of the governed? This video makes clear that Mayor Gene McGee and the leadership of the city do not have the consent of the governed. They are willing to override the will of the people to pad their pockets. Vote them out!
Is there a recall procedure for mayors in Mississippi?
Don't worry Costco will save Ridgeland.
Costco is to Ridgeland what WholeFoods is to Jackson. The Savior
Whole Foods isn't very good. The food on the hot buffet is tasteless. You can't rely on items being regularly stocked. Overall it's a mess and it appears that fewer people are shopping there. The food at Fresh Market is much better.
9:35 bringing up MDMH for the first time in a post about Costco telling someone to "get over it." HAHAHAHAHA. That's too much.
Butler Snow. Bruce Bartley. Costco. Mayor hasn't had a win in a long while.
Actually maybe never, other than the luck of being situated on the flight path from jackson to madison.
Why does madison embrace large retail but somehow ridgelanders all of a sudden don't? Actually I bet most do, just not the bike riders in Dinsmore.
It's funny when he's caught or confronted for being deceitful (like at the 28:40ish point in the video and several other times) he starts moving his feet almost as if he's on hot coals.
These are the same people who were fine with the Butler Snow building (it was mostly the Old Agency Village homeowners that protested the building of a tall office overlooking their neighborhood) but now have a problem with a "big box store." Do they not realize how it sounds when they say, "We're worried about crime and traffic in our roundabout and on our parkway, but we want Costco so they should build it on the other side of town." That's about as elitist as you can get. And don't get me started on one alderman who back in the Butler Snow building fight, wrote a letter to the paper saying he would be okay with a power line beside his back yard if it would help the city. Yet now he's up in arms about Costco near his home.
I find the whole episode comical on both sides. Pass the popcorn.
Goodness, if all of these snobs showed up to and supported the Ridgeland Public Schools like they showed up to this dumb meeting, their home values would sky-rocket! The number one indicator of high property values are outstanding public schools! Wish all of these people would support our schools!
**Mattiace
**Neel-Schaffer
I saw the traffic count chords strung across HCP yesterday. Didn't notice them today. A one-day traffic count doesn't seem very accurate.
Bikes do not even pay road taxes but sure use them.
Have all the meetings and sign all the petitions you want. Mattiace will win in the end, he's a developer, it's what he does and it's not his first rodeo.
It's like all of these people do not understand that all of those trees along HC parkway are actually all empty lots waiting for businesses to buy them and build on them When all is said and done, the only trees will be down near the Natchez trace. These people should not have bought or built near an undeveloped commercial parkway.
" These people should not have bought or built near an undeveloped commercial parkway."
To be fair, Dinsmor in particular dates back to well before there was a parkway.
2:48,
Ridgeland Public is already done for.
4:32,
When the first developments were built there was no parkway, much less anything zoned commercial.
"I actually feel bad for Gene. He doesn't have a whole lot of control over saying what businesses a developer puts where (unless Hooters wants to move into the old Ralph and Kacoos). "
Jeepers, Wally - then how does Queen Mary rule with an iron fist in the next town north?
To the economist posting at 3:12pm No bikes do not pay taxes. The people who ride them do however pay taxes. The city and county roads that are most frequently used by cyclists are paid for not from road taxes but primarily from income,property and sales taxes. Most cyclist own cars as well. Please keep in mind that repairs consume a very large portion of the money spent on roads and cyclist cause zero wear and tear on roads.
Regarding the implication that cyclist pay a road use tax via registration, at what age do you consider reasonable to make this requirement?
Oh my God, people!?! Did the Mayor and Developer take your first born child? Shoot your dog? Rob your mother? Because this is the kind of reaction you should be having if they did. This was an open forum for you to be able to ask questions and voice, NOT YELL, your mis-informed, hateful thoughts. Run these guys off and watch Wal Mart blow in, level trees, pour concrete and leave. Stop, listen and think.
Anonymous (why not, everyone else is)
Please build the Costco at the northwest intersection of Old Canton & Rice Road, just down from Gene & Jane McGee's home. City just paved Rice Road between Pear Orchard & Old Canton with enough asphalt to carry an M1A battle tank. Since Bailey Mattice has a history of offsetting private development risk with government welfare from TIFs & MDA taxpayer funds, surely Bailey Mattice will buy a multi-million dollar term life policy from a joint venture entity comprised of Gene McGee & other financially interested parties. Then, when Gene decides to have his son appointed mayor, his 'friends,' like Bailey Mattice, Manning McPhillips @ MDA, Alan Hart, & Paula Teirce can simply call in the favor.
This is a good example of poor public policy and non-responsive government from conflicted interests, little transparency, and no term limits. In the wake of the Rankin County corruption scandal with Epps, McCrory, Freddie Harrell & Irb Benjamin, we still don't have the right people indicted. And corruption continues, unabated, while elected prosecutors, like Jim Hood & the local prosecutors & judges take cash from the likes of 'Bailey Mattice.' At least we are competing with Rankin & Alcorn Co. corruption!
7:12 - No, Gene just conspires with private developers to underwrite realty speculation & investment risk in exchange for an unusually lucrative insurance business, and favorable business dealings with family & his 'inner circle.' In South Africa, the bribe or kickback is referred to as 'back sheesh.'
Here, it's 'discretion' in 'free market' economics to choose the lowest & 'best' bid. Capitalism with a little help from 'off the books' cash & 'in-kind' political 'donations,' or seemingly innocuous public/private contracts where the same group of influence peddlers keep buying profit margins the good 'ole fashioned way. Why won't politician prosecutors announce a criminal investigation; feign contempt for the possibility of continued graft, bribery & extortion in 'their' jurisdiction; clear all public officials & financially interested parties of any wrongdoing, then ask the big $$$ 'Bailey Mattice' types to host fundraisers for them, or their preferred & endorsed candidates for other public offices in Bridgewater, Dinsmore & Greenwood Plantation? Love it when conflicted, publicly elected politicians lie, and tell us everything is fine; no one violated the public trust; and how we should vote. Tom Hood & Jim Hood don't care about corruption or unethical development schemes. They are too busy begging for political donations in exchange for prosecutorial immunity.
Good, 'old timey,' political corruption.
Ridgeland board meets Tuesday night to raise taxes to maximum limit. Hey, our mayor's favored developers need new & more lavish homes in Cashiers.
I live in Jackson, and work in Ridgeland (when I'm not on the road)....I run away from the crowd...everybody's moving to Madison Ridgeland, I'm happy in Jackson...taxes may be high, but home prices are low...for now...until the pendulum swings back...but I won't care by then...whine all you want about 'da taxes and 'da streets....it's a short ride to downtown or the Malco Movie House...
Those of you who are postings sarcastic, jealous comments, must support government corruptions.
@9:06 Hey Bill. Wow, bitter much? Wrongwitz? Where was that during the campaign brilliant.
I don’t think Will is 1-0 yet - give it a few months . There are plenty of people besides him working to change the whole OH mess and other zoning issues.
I don’t know for sure but I bet he will probably be on this, too, even though whoever makes the decisions pulled much of Ridgeland, including parts of nearby Bridgewater out of his district. I don’t know much about politics but the NE Jxn issues, and now the Rland mess are making me much more interested so I’ve done a little research.
RIdgeland people - you don’t have a Mary there - so you better protect your interests. We seriously considered buying there but this is making us reconsider.
And for the one wanting a definition of “harpy” - some kind of cross between a Kardashian and a *itch. Loud, obnoxious, uncultured woman.
Don't you just love our honest, elected officials that are not swayed by money?
Show me as honest elected official & I will show you a hen's tooth!
Can't wait to see Gene do the frog march.
Hey Mattice! In case you did not know it, Gene McGee sells insurance! Hehehehehehe!!!!
Is Costco racist in snubbing Jackson for white suburbs?
Is WJTV suggesting Costco is racist for by passing Jackson for white suburbs?
Gene if you & your old lawyer say you can not stop a Costco from locating on the Highland Colony Parkway, ask Mayor Mary, she can advise as how to do it if you seriously want to prohibited the development.
Since Mayor Gene McGee has an insurance license, can a developer get an insurance policy & site approval at one convenient location?
Great idea 10:39! Perhaps Ridgeland should just let Mayor Mary annex it!
#RidgelandHCPKiddieCyclistsMatter
To answer the querstshun that was recently axed; I think a harpy is someone who harps on shit. If it ain't, then I don't know.
Sorry, 9:05, but 9:06 isn't me. I ran, I lost, I congratulated my opponent and I'm moving on. I believe Senator Longwitz will do everything he can to help his constituents on any and all issues. Post election sour grapes isn't my style, as you would know if you knew me or you could learn by simply asking the owner of this blog. Bill Billingsley
NO TAX INCREASES IN MADISON!! All of that development in Ridgeland and all of that retail and they still need $500,000. more. Come on to Madison and let Mayor Mary show you how to run a City!!!!
Where does someone who actually wants the Costco there sign up? I'd imagine we outnumber those opposed 4-1
Take a look at Costco's website. Every store in the chain is attractive, well landscaped and located in upscale neighborhoods. Shoot, you almost can't see them from the road.
The little group of angry people who started and kept revising and expanding the rumors, lies and predictions of doom about Costco and it's decision to choose Ridgeland for its first MS store should be ashamed. But I'm sure they aren't - d**n the facts, full speed ahead. Poor things, their Mamas didn't teach 'em right.
Mayor McGee not only managed to attract a company that every mayor in every town in the Metro wanted, he also showed amazing grace and patience with those mean-spirited folks in the HS cafeteria when they switched to boo'ing and character assassination. I'd have turned off the mic and walked away from a mob like that. (By the way, their alderman's bound to have known a lynchin' was planned - he didn't even have the courage to show up.)
Bravo Mayor, Bravo Ridgeland - landing Costco is GOOD news. You< Costco and Ridgeland deserve better treatment you got from that churlish band.
BTW - those same folks have conveniently forgotten the Dinsmore development was the real desecration of Old Agency Road. You want to talk about heavy trucks and traffic jams - I remember 'em (shoot little children couldn't ride bicycles anywhere close to all that construction back then)
(Sarcastically) Weren't things sooo much better before the Zebra Motel burned and a bunch of evil money-grubbing developers started building roads and houses on the unspoiled farms and hunting areas in that tiny little town north of Jackson.
Yeah, 6:25 your right (sarcastically), that's the exact same speil residents got from Mattiace about the Albertson's at Ridgewood and Adkins which is now Virginia college, sonic, and a speedy oil change place.. Oh, I'm sorry that was a long, long time ago and that's a Jackson problem, they couldn't support it (sarcastically). "Every store in the chain is attractive, well landscaped and located in upscale neighborhoods. Shoot, you almost can't see them from the road." Haha. Development 101 (sarcasm).
I guess since you've mastered Development 102 your "reply" makes sense - to you, anyway. You seem to hate Mattiace so much you're willing to take it out on any project his company's connected to. I feel sorry for you, friend.
I'm the one that posted the WRONGwitz comment earlier & NO I'm not Bill. But, I'm glad to see he steeped up to the plate and blogged here (unlike Longwitz who does little for his un paying constitutants). My point is this-ANY elected official who is only interested in one issue is and will be a failure. He needs to jump on this issue like he did OH. Leave OH the hell alone. The houses have been running almost a year-no one has died, no one has been raped, killed, or murdered. Move on to issues that matter. I'm tired of the same old bullshit I see on this blog. And, no, I don't work for the state dept no do I work for OH. I'm just a person who is tired of hearing all the whining crap on this blog. It's over. Enough.
Pro Costco "at this location" r only out for the money. Con Costco "at this location" r out to preserve quality of life.
More & more people are telling me that Jim Barksdale is the private money behind Mattice & Bailey at the Renaissance. Is this the same Jim Barksdale that has been trying to built up Mississippi through his generous philanthropy?
The area on & around Highland Colony Parkway is unlike any other in Mississippi. From retail to residential, it is the best of Mississippi.
Why would one desirous of building up Mississippi be desirous of destroying this area? Mr. Barksdale has an admiral legacy in progress, why would he want to tarnish this by placing a big box discount store right in the middle of this area?
Does he need the money? I thought he had plenty. Obviously he does not have as much as rumored. This will not only leave a black eye on his name, but tha Barksdale name as a whole.
It will be imparitive for Ridgeland to vote out this Mayor & BA at the earliest possible time.
The Mayor's behavior in this matter has been unconsciousable?
Little correction 9:08 "exact same speil residents got from Mattiace about the Albertson's at Ridgewood and Adkins which is now Virginia college, sonic, and a speedy oil change place.. Oh, I'm sorry that was a long, long time ago and that's a Jackson problem, they couldn't support it (sarcastically). "Every store in the chain is attractive, well landscaped and located in upscale neighborhoods. Shoot, you almost can't see them from the road." Haha. Development 101 (sarcasm)."
FACT is he did NOT develop that site and it went to another developer. And look what happened. (no sarcasm)
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