Jackson Free Press

The day after the Capital City Convention campaign was announced last week, Jeff Good and Dan Blumenthal, owners of BRAVO! and Broad Street restaurants, pledged 1 percent of their sales between then and the election to the Capital City Convention fund. The two did so in dramatic fashion,with Good spilling pennies on the sidewalk in front of his podium while saying, "We're putting our two cents in." Good estimated that his company's total donation could be $5000 or more, based on the prior year's sales.

Good and Blumenthal support the convention center even though they have not been successful with restaurants downtown so far. "Downtown is not the thriving place for business it needs to be," Blumenthal said. However, Good added, "We truly believe this is a tipping point for this city." Good said many city residents and businesses are "galvanized" to revitalize the city and improve the local business climate, including downtown. Election Day is a chance to prove that "Jackson is open for business," he added. "If it doesn't happen, what does that say about Jackson?" Blumenthal said the city needs to compete with cities like Madison, which might be willing to build their own convention facilities to draw tourism away from the capital city. "I'd love to see them do well, but we have look after ourselves in Jackson," he said.

Some other restaurateurs oppose the plan, but Blumenthal said "the opposition is from a minority of people." He added, "A few of it's, shall I say, higher-profile members because the way (the project) is funded." Much of the opposition's financial support is reportedly coming from businesses outside the city; they have declined to reveal sources of funding.

Good says the 1-percent approach will "validate how inconsequential 1 percent is to a restaurant transaction, when compared to the great good it can serve."