Tim Bennett paid his Smith-Wills Stadium lease. Yes, you read that correctly. The repeat Smith-Wills deadbeat paid his rent - after this website reported in October he missed the due date for his annual lease payment.
Mr. Bennett has a history of not paying his rent or only paying it after the media reports he missed a payment.
The City Council approve leasing Smith-Wills Stadium to Kusche Sports Group, LLC in April 2019. Tim Bennett owns Kusche.
The lease contained the following key terms:
* Kusche must pay a minimum rent of $125,000 per year.
* Kusche must obtain a $5 million performance bond and submit a copy to the city.
* The lease was valid for ten years with two renewable ten year terms.
* Kusche must spend at least $6 million on improvements.
Kusche never paid its rent. The company only paid $32,500 to Jackson since the first payment was due in October 2020. The company subleased the parking lot to the VA for overflow parking. The VA pays Kusche $370,000 per year under the 15-year contract although the contract includes costs such as shuttle service and security. Earlier post and copy of lease.
Mr. Bennett managed to escape paying his rent nor did the city hold him accountable for not getting a performance bond. Tim Bennett's company owed at least $500,000 in unpaid rent to the city of Jackson. However, the Jackson City Council wrote the debt down to $100,000 in January 2024. A city official said the city would accept the improvements made to the stadium as "payments in-kind." The amended lease allowed Bennett to make four payments by 2026. The first payment was due upon approval of the new lease that month.
Seven months passed yet no payment was made. Bennett made a $37,500 lease payment in July 2024 - a week after JJ and WLBT reported he had not paid his rent as required under the new lease.
Kusche did not make its $37,500 October 1, 2025 payment. JJ reported Bennett was past due on his rent.
As I wrote in October, it's time to face reality. Baseball is not coming back to Smith-Wills in any substantial form. The days of pulling at least 1,000 in attendance are long gone. Trustmark Park is a much nicer facility yet it can't get a farm team from the major leagues. In Smith-Wills heyday, the Mets had little competition but for Mississippi State University. Ole Miss and Southern Miss are now fielding championship teams as well. Throw in travel ball, and it is clear professional baseball has much stiffer competition than it did 30 years ago. Indeed, one might argue the universities are providing a superior product.
Tear down the stadium. Build a modern baseball complex, soccer fields, or a natatorium (aquatic center for you readers in Chunky.). Jackson probably does not have the money to do anything with the property. Let the state have it so it can build something nice.
8 comments:
He is milking it-
The stubbornness of the city when it comes to Smith Wills, the Zoo, and other properties it cannot and should not retain continues to impress.
The states record in business is not good, and they play recklessly with our money. A swimming pool is a money pit, ask anybody who has one. And dont let Prado anywhere near the property, unless he is going to have free cocktail for all taxpayers from 5-7 pm…
Have we seen the performance bond?
Also, I have been to the park for a JUCO exhibition game. There's no way close to $400k was renovated for his payments. Not even close.
A more honest title would be "Smith-Wills back rent still unpaid. Bennett makes token payment".
I'm tired of these cuckservatives scared of the R word. Revoke the charter.
Backyard swimming pools are a money pit, but so is deer hunting (I do both) but I doubt you've ever been to the Tupelo Aquatic Center. It's quite an asset to the community, unlike Smith-Wills or the Zoo. My only problem with a Natatorium in Jackson is the water situation. Ridgeland would build one in a heartbeat if they could get the funding. https://swimtupelo.com
Smith Wills could really be demolished and it wouldn’t be missed. That is prime real estate, would be great to have something really cool like the Whitewater Rafting park in Montgomery. If Montgomery can support an attraction like that, our metro of 500k surely could. Also, Jackson needs more nice hotels, and Lakeland is the perfect spot being 5 mins from hospitals and two universities. Plus they just repaved it!
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