Jackson Free Press

[verbatim statement] Governor Haley Barbour today amended the current Special Session call to include an initiative allowing the sale of alcohol in Jackson's Farish Street historic district. "At the request of a majority of members of the Hinds County legislative delegation and after conferring with the Speaker and Lieutenant Governor I am adding to the call language allowing certain business in the Farish Street historic district to sell alcohol," Governor Barbour said.

Local economic developers believe allowing the sale of alcohol in the district will result in increased tax revenues and enhance the historic area as an entertainment attraction. Without legislative approval, alcohol sales would be banned because of the district's location near a school, the Mississippi College School of Law.

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Thank you Governor Barbour for sticking your neck out and showing support for redevelopment of downtown Jackson - again. (Readers may not be aware that Governor Barbour gave the King Edward project the final boost we needed 2 years ago to secure the initial $2 million of exploratory demolition and environmental remediation.) The "Farish Street relief" is necessary to allow 3 of the planned clubs/restaurants to proceed with plans to open their clubs on the east side of Farish Street in the block between Amite and Griffith Streets. The renovation of a building on the MC law school campus which had been previously demolished created a problem under the licensing statutes which require 100 feet of distance between the clubs and the school. The clubs in question are 90 feet from the renovated building, now being used exclusively as a school. When the initial site inspection was made by the developers the building was vacant (it had been flooded) and was not being used as a school; in fact, the building was later demolished and then rebuilt as a school building, with no other commercial tenants, as had been the case before. One of those clubs affected is the B.B. King Blues Club, a key anchor to the entire redevelopment project. Assuming the Senate approves the measure today (the House passed the bill yesterday), the clubs will be allowed to secure liquor licenses as planned and proceed with construction plans. Obviously, construction loans and building permits could not be obtained without the liquor licenses. So, thank you Haley for your progressive thinking on downtown Jackson! And, B.B. thanks you! David Watkins

Pops

Jul 3 2008

Gov. Barbour has been a great force in the redevelopment of downtown Jackson. Thanks Governor!

QB

Jul 3 2008

Thanks for the update, David. You know our readers always want to know. Good luck.

DonnaLadd

Jul 3 2008

C-L reports that it stalled in the Senate. "The bill needed 25 votes to pass. Twenty-four senators voted for it, and 17 voted against it. It could be debated again."

millhouse

Jul 3 2008