Jackson Jambalaya

Owens is appearing to not be very smart. If he wanted to make extra money in a bogus way, trying to get into the hotel business, while he is the District Attorney, by partnering with the city of Jackson was absolutely the worst option. That was a pathway headed to nowhere good.

So we have a proven real estate developer, or a connected local who has no experience, but promises to share the wealth.

The choice is clear in Jackson, MS.

Not a lawyer but isn't this somewhat akin to a conflict in interest?

If he wants to build a hotel, tell him to go ahead. But not one penny needs to come from the taxpayers. If you don’t think this project will suck taxpayers money out of the coifers, then put your own money in it.

There will be zero proposals that will be based on market principles. All of the proposals will have a long list of requirements of what the city and probably the county will have to do for them.

Same as the Westin downtown, except instead of twisting the city's arm, the developer twisted the state's arm. Being from the right family helps alot.

And Jody is from the right family at the local level.

Do I sense "investors" may not have been actual investors?

Can anyone explain what conventions are happening that a hotel is needed for?

There is an empty 300 room Marriott hotel sitting vacant 2 blocks from the convention center. If we need rooms downtown - open the Marriott back up. Is downtown too dangerous for people to walk 2 blocks?

This makes no sense.

1:21, the answer to “Is downtown too dangerous for people to walk 2 blocks?“ is an emphatic yes.

For a convention center to compete nowadays, attendees should be able to park, sleep, and meet all under the same roof.

LMAO at the comment in a previous thread comment that said he thought the khakis were Feds. What do you have to say now?

...states his address is Inez Owens street. He lives with his momma?

I can assure you that whatever goes on with the City of Jackson’s money and partnership, will be scraped clean well before any profit can be manufactured. The properties will be nice and new and then will go to shambles due to a lack of management.

The DA should be allowed to participate in an investment group that responds to a RFP from City of Jackson to develop & operate a hotel at convention center. Check out other connected local investors that have lost millions being involved in CoJ or the redevelopment authority.

Looks like Owens decided he would take a piece of the action or an active position in the deal rather than money. Did he give anything like cash to the mayor and others that was provided to him by the pretend developers or investors(FEDS)? What exactly was found hidden at city hall? We all know the FBI came to the mayor's office to retrieve something and I am hearing they found what they came for. He definitely is not a very smart man.

No one answered if they knew what conventions were coming to Jackson.

Would not an investor want to know that?

And what % of downtown space is occupied.

Kingfish, this just can't any more twisted. Thank you for keeping it all straight for us.

So glad that Hinds County full time DA has all this extra time to deal in this.

So glad that Hinds County full time DA has all this extra time to deal in this.

Can you say money laundering? I know you can.

KF— how do you know he’s not just the lawyer representing the group. Groups hire and use lawyers names all the time to set up their LLC. Yes it looks shady for a sitting DA, but it’s not illegal or uncommon. Jody actually has more experience in corporate law than he does criminal justice prior to being elected. Go figure

at 9:30 PM

It is unlawful for a district attorney to engage in the practice of law outside of being DA. A law that this DA apparently has been advocating to change… wonder why. But in the end he just couldn’t let such a sweet deal go past.

If Owens had any integrity he would resign. He has recruited a lot of talent to hinds county da. Many of them are at the early stage of careers. He should go before they are tainted. He owes the office that much.

Street takeover conventions could be a huge draw!

Dirt bikes and four wheelers stunting like fools on the streets, drifting burnouts everywhere, bagged cars, stanced cars, Donk Drags; Jackson Convention Center would be absolutely off tha hook!

Aside from whatever these shenanigans might be, he does not seem to be a very good district attorney either... can't seem to get cases moving... maybe too much time at the Cigar Bar and meeting with "investors" instead of overseeing his office?...

As 8:52 said.

If only Jody had a difficult full time job that should (in theory) take up all of his time.

Thank God Jackson is basically perfect and he has all the free time to devote to these side hustles.

@11:07p. Where is that written? Every Municipal judge, public defender, and county judge I know still has their own private practice. Gerald Mumford the county attorney also active in his private practice. Granted, the DA should be busy enough with fighting crime not to have free time, but in this economy…..

Clearly it ain't just the circuit judges in HindsCo working as little as they can possibly get away with. If you live in Byram or Clinton and are trying to do the right thing, well, you're screwed.

10:56: I don't know about a DA, but with respect to judges, Miss. Code Judicial Conduct, Canon 4(G):

"G. Practice of Law.
(1) A judge shall not practice law. Notwithstanding this prohibition, a judge may act pro se and may, without compensation, give legal advice to and draft or review documents for a member of the judge's family."

But there is an exception:

"'Part-time judge' denotes a judge who serves for an extended, fixed term, but is allowed to practice law or any other profession or occupation. The term does not apply to magistrates, court commissioners, special masters or referees."

So a competent, deeply experienced, commercial real estate developer did not win the original bid over two start-ups with no experience? I am fully aware of the past and certain people getting cut out of opportunities. But you at least have to pick people that know what they are doing.

No selections have been made yet.

Soooooo.........How is community development the DA's job? He has time to solicit investors with all the back logged cases in his office??? What are we missing?

No proposal submitted by Richards Reservations (a division of Richards Disposal)????