Jackson Jambalaya

I've been wondering how long it was going to take Hilton to decide that they've had enough of the most radical city in America.

Isn't the mayor aware of what's going on in Jackson?

Since it's on a bidding site, does that mean the owner will walk away if no acceptable bids are placed?

"thriving downtown submarket."

that's some poetic license. God, I hope they get bought and cared for.

Looks like we are about to see another 40 years of abandonment. Hopefully, whoever buys and renovates these in 2063 inherits a better environment to operate a business.

Any potential buyer better go hang out on the front steps on a Saturday night. That's all the due diligence you need.

We lived at the King Ed six years ago. The apartments were great, the hotel was nice, and that end of Capitol St wasn’t in the shape it’s in now. It’s sad to see the city’s decline under Mayor Lumumba. The city has let Union Station go to hell, they allow vagrants to camp everywhere, and could care less about crime. It’s no surprise they want to unload these properties.

Was just a matter of time. That end of Capitol St. is populated by thugs. The train depot is a homeless shelter.
And, we have the mayor to thank for it all!!

The planetarium appropriation was supposed to go to fix up Union Station but Horhn and Lumumba worked to get it switched over. Governor probably would've let that one pass if it had stayed with the train station as transportation is a more natural government function.

The starting bid for the Hilton Garden Inn would be $8.27 per square foot per the link.

How long before the Mayor gets on MSNBC, CNN or the like and touts these sells as racist because they don't like him or the way he does(doesn't) do things. Everything is racist and not his fault.

Headline coming soon:

Mayor Lumumba grants economic stimulus package for M Bar's new hotel and entertainment complex downtown. Throw in a bunch of cultural buzzwords and ism's, mention white flight and racism and I bet I'm not far from the truth.

GIVE ME Enough $$$$$ and I dont need no stinking businesses or taxpayers. Chokwe #2 term ten times worse than Chowke #1 Term. Man I miss Tony Yarber (never thought I would say that HA.

10:48 has an awesome idea. Imagine moving the M bar to this location. Could rent the rooms out by the hour. Literally everyone involved would be happy.

It just makes me sad to see downtown become a semi-post-apocalyptic cityscape.

And worse, instead of demanding change and lawfulness...we see rallies held to support the continuation of leaders that are hellbent on creating the horror and demise.

I've given up on the Mayor's supporters ever waking up and stopping the cheerleading for the master of their destruction. And now its just America's most pathetic case of Stockholm syndrome.

Fire sale. As soon as they become vacant the low-lifes will move in.

Sell it to the Cartel and they can import their romantic getaway concept from the old Rodeway Inn site to the King Edward.

The last time I rode under the tracks by the hotel and train station it was deplorable. I have never seen so much trash laying under there. The jails are full of prisoners sitting around eating up taxpayers money. Why can’t they get out there and pick up what is probably their own garbage. If baby choke’s desire was to destroy a once nice city he’s done an outstanding job!

11:17 made a valid point. Just the other day I saw Rankin County using prisoners to clean up the roads. Why can Hinds not do this???

Everyone wants to blame Labamba for everything. He is only one of the hundreds of thousands nationwide who are part of a declining culture. There's nothing anyone can do about it.

Section 8 coming to the King Edward soon

I’m pretty sure Emily Seiferth Sanders has the investors lined up and ready to pounce on these.

11:38, prisoners volunteer to go pick up trash, you can no longer force them. Who is going to volunteer to do this in downtown Jackson?

We catch the Amtrak in Hazelhurst for Saints weekends. Its 20 minutes further from my house than the Jackson train station. That should tell you something.

11:52 fair.
But he is the very proud nd public spokesperson advocating for the national movement you reference, here in Mississippi so we are well within reasonable rights to blame him for the Mississippi results of said movement.

11:38. FYI the Rankin SO sends out road clean up crews Monday-Friday of each week.

All you nay sayer, Chicken Little types need to calm down. Any day now the Farris Street Entertainment District is gonna start drawing crowds of people from every walk of life.

11:52 Yes there is something citizens of COJ can do. Protest to remove him from office. Sign petitions and Vote Him Out! That is the dumbest remark ever but you are correct as it takes a majority to make change!

11:38 AM
Not enough misdemeanor inmates.

Has Mike Kohan been notified of this sale?

“I’m a big time developer who is in the business of purchasing downtown buildings that generally fit the bill of the standard life and King Ed buildings. I came to this site because I knew that the comments section would be a collection of the best and brightest this state has to offer. In addition, I know you guys know a ton about downtown real estate. Indeed, it’s quite obvious that your views on Jackson aren’t lazily derived from right-wing blogs that generate click traffic by seeing how much they can shit on the City. So, suffice to say that I think you guys should be taken super super super seriously. Thanks for your advice regarding these potential deals. I’ll be forever grateful for your brilliant insight.”

-no one ever

@240 I know nothing about real estate, but I do know nobody will staty or live in a place where homeless people piss on the sidewalk around your building.

I am calling BS on 2:40 pm. Go ahead big man. Pony up and buy them both.

Free the hotels!

Isn't the King Edward on the National Historic Register? That actually affects what the owner can/cannot do with the property. If so, it will be interesting to see what becomes of this "landmark". As for the self described "big time developer" at 2:40 - you go right ahead and develop all of downtown Jackson you want. Until there is a complete change of both attitude and city government, you will only be purchasing tax write offs.

At least Ditto's "multi-modal transportation center" (a/k/a train station with a bus depot behind it) only cost taxpayers $17 million. So there's that.

Oh, and 2:20 p.m, please advise ANY of the posters on this thread before you - and me - exactly where they're wrong about what is demonstrably happening in/to Jackson. Please elaborate in detail so we can all understand. We'll wait.

You're right 2:40. I'm just a simpleton, so would you explain to us peons how a dilapidated structure in a shit hole of a city with no reliable water/sewer, no businesses, no tourists, high crime, and zero leadership is a good investment compared to other opportunities? I'll just listen while you 'splain.

Thanks,

Wake up people. @2:40 PM's reply is in quotes! It is sarcasm.

When is the Westin going to be listed?

i'm thinking y'all missed the sarcasm that is 2:40''s post. at least it seems like sarcasm to me.

Can you dumbass rednecks not ascertain that 2:40 was posted "tongue in cheek". We deserve to be number 50.

The multi-modal center was harveys
KF oughta go back and pull up some media from that- topical item of balloons were even mentioned for a form of transportation at the time

Jackson is a shithole city of the first rank, and that, my friends, is the bottom line. Cue Snake Plissken.

An honest question... Do you all want Jackson to fail?

I see a hardcore CGI sequel called "Escape from Jackson" starring a 70-year-old Snake Pliskin stepping out of a Tesla, and saying, "I don't give a fuck about your Mayor."

Jackson is done and there is no coming back. It’s time for a serious discussion about moving our state capital.

I would buy these properties but unfortunately I have spent my entire fortune buying a couple dozen eggs!!

@7:56pm, I don’t live in, work in, visit, or patronize businesses or restaurants in Jackson because I value my safety and life and don’t want to pay their excessive sales tax rates. I do not give a shit if Jackson succeeds or fails. But the residents and voters in Jackson must want it to fail because they continue to vote for the Democrat political leaders who are responsible for its failure.

7:56. Keep up. Jackson downtown WAS on a roll 7/8 years ago. It has gone down the shitter since then.

"Jackson is done...no coming back"

Jackson can be resuscitated only by Choice and Vouchers giving parents control in public education. Stokes and the Governor should back this now that there are several other state models to build on.

King Edward and Standard Life buildings. This is just so sad to me. Both were amazing back in the day.

Unfortunately Jackson is located in Mississippi, the cycle just continues with no way out of last place.

@7:56 PM
at the rate they're going, yes. allow the city to sink into the abyss.