It is often said that people can move mountains if they put their minds to it. Whether this saying is true or not, some Jackson dignitaries put their hammers to tearing down walls recently, creating the merger of a humongous business structure.
At 10 a.m., Wednesday, June 4, the walls that separated the Mississippi Telecommunications Conference and Training Center and the under-construction Capital City Convention Center came tumbling down, seamlessly combining what will now be the Jackson Convention Complex. In essence, the two buildings became one.
According to released information, the merger was proposed by state leaders Sens. John Horhn, Hillman Frazier, Alice Harden and David Blount through Senate Bill 2661.
In addition to offering the latest in conferencing ability, fiber optic technology and Wi-Fi capability, the Jackson Convention Complex will offer 330,000 square feet of luxurious exhibit and meeting space conducive to hosting large regional and national conferences and trade shows, and entertainment events in Downtown Jackson at a magnitude to which our city has never been able to do before.
Convention Complex Commissioner LeRoy Walker, who chairs its procurement committee, is excited about combining the two buildings and other area additions to follow. “If you look directly across the street, we’re looking for a hotel to come over there,” he said. The hotel will have 1500 parking stalls. He said there would also be other new venues coming to the area.
“So it’s going to be a mecca for business in Jackson, Miss.,” said Walker. “It’s going to be a first for Jackson.”
However, one city official attending the ‘historic milestone’ event wishes more could be done to improve other areas of the city.
“Oh, it [Jackson Convention Complex] is tremendous for the City of Jackson, but the thing that bleeds my heart is that we have a Farish street down there that is not complete; that’s been in operation of trying to be completed for the last 10 years,” said Councilman Frank Bluntson. “And when folks come to the convention center here, we’re looking for them to go down on Farish Street and have fun – you know – like on Beale Street [Memphis]. So that’s the kind of thing that upsets me,” Bluntson added.
“Now, look how they are working here on this convention center (pointing toward the center). They are nearly about through with it. Farish Street is still down there being Farish Street.”
According to Walker, $1.2 million in business is already booked in the Convention Center Complex for 2009 alone. “So we have already exceeded our target. People will come when you build it,” he said.
The Jackson Convention Complex, managed by SMG – a world leader in venue management, marketing and development, is projected to host 164 events with an estimated 79,600 attendees during its first year of operation, according to C.H. Johnson Consulting, Inc., experts in convention, sports and real estate consulting.
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