Jackson Free Press

For more than a decade, at least two mayoral administrations have been fighting to make a Jackson city convention center a reality. On June 12, it finally happened.

With flicks of gold-painted shovels filled with red Yazoo clay, city officials joined county supervisors, private business owners and dozens of supporters to celebrate the recent groundbreaking of the Jackson Convention Center.

"This is the first visible sign of the citizens of Jackson trying to take control of their future," said Bravo! co-owner Jeff Good, who ardently supported the convention center and now sits on the convention center board.

"When we all voted for this, we said we wanted to change what Jackson is about. This groundbreaking is notice to the world that Jackson is going to start changing physically, and hopefully, from this sense of pride, we may start to change emotionally. We may start to build a stronger sense of place, community and cooperation."

Mayor Kane Ditto made the first progress toward a convention center by securing money for the Jackson TelCom Center, which now stands at the corner of Pascagoula and Farish Streets.

The TelCom Center was designed to be a state-of-the-art training center for business leaders looking to introduce new services or technologies to a wide array of audiences, but the seating capacity of the TelCom Center falls substantially short of what a convention center would offer.

Former Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. was entranced with the idea of a city convention center almost to a fault, according to some critics who accused him of jeopardizing the TelCom Center years ago with talk of linking the construction of the two.

It was Johnson's intent to have the convention center piggyback on the TelCom Center. The TelCom center was considerably closer to being a done deal than the infant convention center, and Johnson feared the convention center would lose both funding and interest among city residents and legislators unless it was anchored to a project that was already widely accepted.

"When I first got in office, I discovered that we had this money for the TelCom Center, and it occurred to me at that time that a TelCom Center would be a great partner for a convention center and, in fact, could be the start of our convention center," Johnson said.

Johnson and local business leaders convinced legislators to authorize more than $17 million to build the TelCom Center in 1995, but that must have been a good day, because the Legislature was generally loath to dispense money for capital city projects.

Tax-phobia and a ripening Grover Norquist-mentality sweeping the Capitol drove legislators to refuse Jacksonians even the right to hold a referendum to tax themselves to fund the Convention Center as late as 2003.

Finally, Gov. Haley Barbour said in 2004 that he would not veto a bill giving city residents the option to fund the center through a hospitality tax. Conservatives then stepped aside to allow House Bill 1932 to clear the floor.

The subsequent referendum to approve the hospitality tax was carried with more than the 60 percent required voter approval in November 2004, but then came squabbles between Johnson and the MetroJackson Chamber of Commerce on who would get to sit on the Convention Center Board.

Johnson blocked three of MetroJackson's four nominees, saying that those nominees (who were owners of businesses outside the city) did not have the best interests of the city at heart. It was the Jackson Convention Center, after all, Johnson reasoned, so suburban businessmen did not belong on the board. He opted to let the board run without the intended number of board members, rather than accept the MetroJackson nominees.

When Frank Melton won the mayoral election in 2005, he immediately accepted the chamber nominations, and two years later, MetroJackson Chamber of Commerce President Duane O'Neill is helping throw the first shovel of dirt.

"This is something that's been worked on for a long period of time, but now the reality of it starts setting in," O'Neill said. "The idea is that if we turn dirt today, we know we're going to have this thing up and running toward the end of 2008. Now it's time to market this because folks are already looking at where they're going to hold conventions two to three years out, so all the sudden this becomes, instead of just an idea or plan, it becomes a reality. This is a big day."

Melton spoke during his 2005 campaign of putting the Convention Center in numerous locations other than the referendum-approved location on Pascagoula Street, such as on Highway 80 or between the Two Lakes, which is an as yet unfunded development project Melton also supports. Still, the Mayor said Monday he was pleased with the progress on the convention center.

"We've been working hard to make this a reality," Melton said. "I'm glad to see it happening."

For Johnson, who burned some bridges chasing the dream of a Jackson Convention Center, the groundbreaking was a day of grateful smiles and gleeful predictions for the future.

"What we have throughout this country is a renaissance of downtowns because you can't duplicate a downtown," Johnson said.

"I know there are efforts to try to do that," Johnson continued, "to create new communities outside the central city, but the fact of the matter is that the central city is called the central city because it is the nucleus of the metropolitan area. There is no reproducing that."

Previous Comments

ID

66425

Comment

“This is the first visible sign of the citizens of Jackson trying to take control of their future,” said Bravo! co-owner Jeff Good, who ardently supported the convention center and now sits on the convention center board. “When we all voted for this, we said we wanted to change what Jackson is about. This groundbreaking is notice to the world that Jackson is going to start changing physically, and hopefully, from this sense of pride, we may start to change emotionally. We may start to build a stronger sense of place, community and cooperation.” A little tounge in cheek here; but are we supposed to take him seriously? A bit melodramatic isn't he? I thought that supporting Melton was a visible sign of taking control of Jackson, controlling crime, controlling our public image, and bringing Jacksonians together? Grace and Benevolence woohoo! Now it is the Convention Center. I've never seen Jackson so divided. Unless a sporting event, a concert, or a family gathering is held there, I do not see how the Convention Center is going to boost moral across the city. Much less be a symbol of Jackson controlling it's future. All it takes is one bad vote by the Hinds Co. Board of Sup's to set Jackson back. Or a disfuntional administration leading your city. Oh wait, we got that already! It will certainly help Jackson move forward; but, don't overplay your hand. A lot of Jackosnians made this dream possible! Anyway, the arena will be built before then and steal away a lot of the thunder of the Convention Center. I'm sure our leaders took that into account when falling over backwards to sign the arena deal. Why don't the restaurant guys and the Chamber get together and buy Dennery's a new sign? That would be a welcomed symbol that Jackson is moving forward. Oh yeah, a new coliseum would work too. You can dress up downtown all you want; but, you still have to drive down I-55 to get there. The cookbook "Come On In" had a theme of "Doorways to the Hospitality of the South" From the book: "Here in the South, doors symbolize our famous gift for hospitality - a legend which happens to be true" High St is not a good looking doorway right now.

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-06-14T18:28:26-06:00

ID

66426

Comment

I think I read somewhere recently that Dennery's is on a waiting list to get their sign fixed. I was under the impression that fixing a sign wouldn't be an ordeal, but apparently it is. It does look pretty trashy, though... In fact, I think where I read this may have been in the Jack Sunn column where somebody was asking if it was still open. The ripped up sign does make it seem like they went under or something. I'm not sure how much thunder this proposed arena will take from much of anything. Like somebody said in another thread, Meltdown would be doing Jackson a much bigger favor if he'd find somebody to fund a REAL arena instead of disrespecting the people that have worked so hard on the King Ed by going after another investor.

Author

millhouse

Date

2006-06-14T20:20:19-06:00

ID

66427

Comment

I think the convention center is in the wrong place. Implement the two lakes idea and put a decent arena right there along with a convention center and downtown Jackson would look very nice even if it did help Pearl.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2006-06-14T21:40:07-06:00

ID

66428

Comment

I agree milhouse that it may not steal much thunder since it probably won't be built. But, rest assured that those two will go head to head for certain events if it is. The first one open would have a leg up for the type of convention that could be held at either. Stuff that is held at the Trade Mart is a good example. I would think the privately owned arena would be able to offer better prices and more flexibility to the convention planner. And, it would look really bad if the Chamber or JCVB tried to steer businesses away from one location for another because they have a bigger stake in one over the other.

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-06-14T22:24:49-06:00

ID

66429

Comment

I agree with Picksam and Millhouse....It won't be built. And even so Jackson is the only city in the immediate region where it would have worked. Can't get a drink in Rankin....who would go all the way up to Madison to see a second rate football team. Is soccer gaining ground in "J"? And the Old Dennerys (if still there) on Le Fleurs Bluff ought to be renovated and reopened as It would be the first major food outlet within reach of the Ballpark to offer pregame and after game food and beverage.....the South State area will be good synergy with that ballpark.

Author

ATLExile

Date

2006-06-15T10:06:16-06:00

ID

66430

Comment

I'm gald they are on the list for a new sign. However, in the years that that sign has been missing a letter or two, we have developed the south side of County Line, built the Telecom Center, and rehabed several shopping centers - all of which have new signs! ATL, the "old Dennery's" you speak of must not be there. The only thing at Le Fleurs Bluff is the State Park (which the city sold to the state and now it cost money to get in) and the Emergency Services building. No room for new developement. The Dennery's we are talking about has been off High St. for a a couple of decades at least. The sign, which is the tallest and most visible item on the exit, has been in states of disrepair for about as long. I love the restaurant, love the Dennery's, I just hate seeing the sign. Of course the LeFleur's Bluff you speak of may be different from what we know it as due to the State park called that. I'm sure you remember when it was Riverside Park. That place was the bomb! Now it is a gated park that seems more intimidating then fun. The lack of safe, public green space in jackson is horrible.

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-06-15T10:55:13-06:00

ID

66431

Comment

piker, no I was not referring to the Park I was referring to the actual Lefluers Bluff. The original site of the firt settlement. It's around the Woodrow Wilson Bridge over the Pearl and use to be the Bootlegger bridge into Rankin County. The original Dennery's is over there off Commerce, Way down. It was one of those cement Deco streamline looking buildings in my memory. I think it even had a porthole window.

Author

ATLExile

Date

2006-06-15T21:33:01-06:00

ID

66432

Comment

Why can't Dennery's pay for a new sign themselves?

Author

golden eagle

Date

2006-06-16T00:23:10-06:00

ID

66433

Comment

ATLExile, The old Dennery's Restaurant is now a parking lot, fenced, for WLBT-TV, I think. A park for festivals is planned where the Bluff is next to the bridge. If the LeFleur Lake project is approved by the Corps then the park will be changed. Regarding Dennery's current sign (signs) why don't they just take down the terrible one they have up if they can't get a new one. The one visible from the highway was broken before Katrina. Don't know when the one in front of the place was destroyed. While we are speaking of signs, the one for the Regency Motel (or whatever it is being called this year) that shows from Pearl Interchange has not changed in months and is super tacky to see day after day. You get a double whammy exiting with the horrible Dennery's sign and then the tacky Regency signboard. Also the fence needs weed control around the motel. Don't know if that is MDOT or motel's responsibility. Maybe some loyal patrons of these establishments will read the JFP and mention it to those responsible for these eyesores!

Author

ChrisCavanaugh

Date

2006-06-16T08:43:19-06:00

ID

66434

Comment

"The old Dennery's Restaurant is now a parking lot", Thank you ChrisCavanaugh. It has been years since I was actually down that far. As long as I am not getting anything done today except reading youz guys very interesting blogs....I would like to throw out an idea that I think is past time for Jackson. You guys need a Botanical Garden like the one we have here (ultimately). The one here started small, just on a rise in Piedmont Park and has gown to be quite an impressive deal. Now mind you, I wouldn't know a snap dragon from a golden rod but.....Jackson is a Garden Mecca and "It would seem to me" (I love that phrase)......that a Public Botanical Garden adjoined to the Festival Park and utilizing that Cypress swamp as a natural flora and forestry lab would be ideal for Downtown attraction. Am I wrong? Are there any gardening experts out there....I meaen Atlanta and Birmingham have one.....Jackson Next? More great attractions for a convention city center and think how it would complement Cap green and South State! That would beat a "Ballpark" anyday.

Author

ATLExile

Date

2006-06-16T13:10:28-06:00

ID

66435

Comment

at least we will have the biggest convention center in mississippi, if someone wants to have a convention in mississippi we would have the biggest facility. the arena want beat the new convention center out, people who attends convention like to be downtown around culture and biuldings around it, you know somewhere that looks like a downtown.

Author

WILLman

Date

2006-06-18T11:04:46-06:00