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Old 03-12-2021, 08:02 AM
 
3,345 posts, read 2,641,978 times
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https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinio...as-ncna1259819
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Old 03-12-2021, 09:34 AM
 
1,288 posts, read 1,851,884 times
Reputation: 2821
Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodlands View Post

I do have one question.. Is Jackson in fact on the rise as they say it is on the show? Some of the city shots make it seem like its not as bad as some of the material that I have read/seen.
I've been here since 95 and have worked downtown for the entire time. IMO, Jxn is certainly not on the rise, but continues in a sharp decline. Jackson has been plagued with poor leaders, many of our mayors have been largely do nothing and seem to be more interested in hooking associates up with lucrative city contracts, then not holding them accountable. A previous mayor could not even pay his own $100k home mortgage, but somehow got elected.

The current mayor seems to enjoy being the victim and would rather blame racism, climate change, other leaders, etc, than actually go about fixing the issues, he seems very sharp, but is entrenched in playing the victim card. The POTUS come to Jxn a few years ago and the mayor refused to meet with him. The most powerful man in the free world comes to your city (that is in great despair) and you won't meet with him? You can have differences with (and even hate for) people and still work with them for the good of your community.

Obviously the growth of Flowood, Madison, Clinton, etc, has drawn middle income residents from Jackson, leaving a few very rich, (mostly confined to the Eastover area) and lower income residents. I also believe Katrina contributed to the decline of our fair city.

I expect politicians to be either corrupt or incompetent, but it seems ours have both qualities.

Three things I would do immediately:

1. Do whatever it takes to get a casino/sportsbook built on the Pearl River.
2. Move the zoo to the Lefleurs Bluff area and develop a tourist zone. You'd have the zoo, and three museums all in the same area. Restaurants and other retail would follow. Do something with Smith Wills, that land is too valuable to sit there unused. This would require working with state and other leaders, but is certainly doable.
3. Develop a mini Beale Street downtown, it could be done on the section of Farish Street that was 75% developed and then abandoned, start small and let it grow organically. Provide tons of security.

In the early 2000s, Birmingham was in worse shape than Jackson, they have come a long way since then. They welcomed middle class suburbanites to come into the city and spend their dollars, Jackson has not embraced this. It seems Jxn leaders don't want people from surrounding communities to come into the city.

Last edited by viverlibre; 03-12-2021 at 10:48 AM..
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Old 03-12-2021, 10:21 AM
 
3,345 posts, read 2,641,978 times
Reputation: 4145
Quote:
Originally Posted by viverlibre View Post
I've been here since 95 and have worked downtown for the entire time. IMO, Jxn is certainly not on the rise, but continues in a sharp decline. Jackson has been plagued with poor leaders, many of our mayors have been largely do nothing and seem to be more interested in hooking associates up with lucrative city contracts, then not holding them accountable. A previous mayor could not even pay his own $100k home mortgage, but somehow got elected.

The current mayor seems to enjoy being the victim and would rather blame racism, climate change, other leaders, etc, than actually go about fixing the issues, he seems very sharp, but is entrenched in playing the victim card. The POTUS come to Jxn a few years ago and the mayor refused to meet with him. The most powerful man in the free world comes to your city (that is in great despair) and you won't meet with him? You can have differences with (and even hate for) people and still work with them for the good of your community.

Obviously the growth of Flowood, Madison, Clinton, etc, has drawn middle income residents from Jackson, leaving a few very rich, (mostly confined to the Eastover area) and lower income residents. I also believe Katrina contributed to the decline of our fair city.

I expect politicians to be either corrupt or incompetent, but it seems ours have both qualities.

Three things I would do immediately:

1. Do whatever it takes to get a casino/sportsbook built on the Pearl River.
2. Move the zoo to the Lefleurs Bluff area and develop a tourist zone. You'd have the zoo, and three museums all in the same area. Restaurants and other retail would follow. Do something with Smith Wills, that land is too valuable to sit there unused. This would require working with state and other leaders, but is certainly doable.
3. Develop a mini Beale Street downtown, it could be done on the section of Farish Street that was 75% developed and then abandoned, start small and let it grow organically. Provide tons of security.

In the early 2000s, Birmingham was in worse shape than Jackson, they have come long ways since then. They have welcomed middle class suburbanites to come into the city and and spend their dollars, Jackson has not embraced this. It sometimes seem that Jxn leaders don't want people from surrounding communities to come into the city.
Jackson’s infrastructure needs to be fixed first.
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Old 03-12-2021, 12:27 PM
 
1,288 posts, read 1,851,884 times
Reputation: 2821
Quote:
Originally Posted by Suesbal View Post
Jackson’s infrastructure needs to be fixed first.
Concur, that's a long term, complicated and multi-step project. What I listed above can be put into motion quickly to generate revenue to help fund infrastructure upgrades.
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Old 03-12-2021, 01:24 PM
 
Location: Jack-town, Sip by way of TN, AL and FL
1,699 posts, read 1,943,288 times
Reputation: 3012
Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodlands View Post
I do have one question.. Is Jackson in fact on the rise as they say it is on the show? Some of the city shots make it seem like its not as bad as some of the material that I have read/seen.
Jackson was behind its peer cities, but there were signs of life of urban renewal. The backbone is there for Jackson to be a great entertainment city, but there's going to need to be an influx of security and outside investment. None of that is going to happen with the current mayor. It's basically because it's the capital city, and too big to fail, that's keeping it relevant now. It will limp on until we get a mix of good leadership and some parties flush with cash.

Problem is, people have cut back on 'city entertainment' since COVID. Not sure when that's coming back anywhere. People can now live wherever. The dynamics have changed and who knows what happens until that stabilizes.
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Old 03-14-2021, 05:57 PM
 
Location: Johns Island
2,499 posts, read 4,396,562 times
Reputation: 3762
Quote:
Originally Posted by viverlibre View Post
1. Do whatever it takes to get a casino/sportsbook built on the Pearl River.
2. Move the zoo to the Lefleurs Bluff area and develop a tourist zone. You'd have the zoo, and three museums all in the same area. Restaurants and other retail would follow. Do something with Smith Wills, that land is too valuable to sit there unused. This would require working with state and other leaders, but is certainly doable.
3. Develop a mini Beale Street downtown, it could be done on the section of Farish Street that was 75% developed and then abandoned, start small and let it grow organically. Provide tons of security.

In the early 2000s, Birmingham was in worse shape than Jackson, they have come a long way since then. They welcomed middle class suburbanites to come into the city and spend their dollars, Jackson has not embraced this. It seems Jxn leaders don't want people from surrounding communities to come into the city.
1. I agree with development on the Pearl, but a casino won't do crap. Not like Natchez and Vicksburg are great places to visit thanks to their casinos.
Instead there needs to be full scale development along the river, similar to San Antonio.
2. Moving the zoo is fine, but it won't spur any development like you seem to think. Zoe and those museums are for children. Tired parents bring them in, buy a couple of hot dogs, and go home.
Agreed that the Smith Apples land is wasted as is.
3. Farish street never reached 75% complete! Maybe 20%...
Organic development would likely happen around Hal and Mals area, not farish street. If the city made things happen.
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Old 03-15-2021, 10:24 AM
 
8,136 posts, read 13,188,138 times
Reputation: 2529
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mississippi Alabama Line View Post
Jackson was behind its peer cities, but there were signs of life of urban renewal. The backbone is there for Jackson to be a great entertainment city, but there's going to need to be an influx of security and outside investment. None of that is going to happen with the current mayor. It's basically because it's the capital city, and too big to fail, that's keeping it relevant now. It will limp on until we get a mix of good leadership and some parties flush with cash.

Problem is, people have cut back on 'city entertainment' since COVID. Not sure when that's coming back anywhere. People can now live wherever. The dynamics have changed and who knows what happens until that stabilizes.
I havent been to Jackson since the 90s.. but I have been to Birmingham several times and the City seems to be moving in the right direction.. Ironically, I was at a conference in Birmingham where Mayor Woodfin of Birmingham and Mayor Lumumba spoke.. Both are young and very bright and appear to love and be bullish on their cities.. But when I compare what I have read about Jackson with what I have read and seen in Birmingham.. they seem to be moving at two totally different paces.. Even Montgomery seems to be making great strides as is Little Rock when you look at the State Capitol Cities of the deep south.

Given the City's history.. I agree having a nice entertainment district along the Farrish Street corridor seems like a good start from my Google Streetview tour.. Seems to have good bones and a good historic story to tell. I hope to pass through Jackson post covid and check it out in person to see how things are going in the near future...
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Old 03-15-2021, 10:30 AM
 
8,136 posts, read 13,188,138 times
Reputation: 2529
Quote:
Originally Posted by viverlibre View Post
I've been here since 95 and have worked downtown for the entire time. IMO, Jxn is certainly not on the rise, but continues in a sharp decline. Jackson has been plagued with poor leaders, many of our mayors have been largely do nothing and seem to be more interested in hooking associates up with lucrative city contracts, then not holding them accountable. A previous mayor could not even pay his own $100k home mortgage, but somehow got elected.

The current mayor seems to enjoy being the victim and would rather blame racism, climate change, other leaders, etc, than actually go about fixing the issues, he seems very sharp, but is entrenched in playing the victim card. The POTUS come to Jxn a few years ago and the mayor refused to meet with him. The most powerful man in the free world comes to your city (that is in great despair) and you won't meet with him? You can have differences with (and even hate for) people and still work with them for the good of your community.

Obviously the growth of Flowood, Madison, Clinton, etc, has drawn middle income residents from Jackson, leaving a few very rich, (mostly confined to the Eastover area) and lower income residents. I also believe Katrina contributed to the decline of our fair city.

I expect politicians to be either corrupt or incompetent, but it seems ours have both qualities.

Three things I would do immediately:

1. Do whatever it takes to get a casino/sportsbook built on the Pearl River.
2. Move the zoo to the Lefleurs Bluff area and develop a tourist zone. You'd have the zoo, and three museums all in the same area. Restaurants and other retail would follow. Do something with Smith Wills, that land is too valuable to sit there unused. This would require working with state and other leaders, but is certainly doable.
3. Develop a mini Beale Street downtown, it could be done on the section of Farish Street that was 75% developed and then abandoned, start small and let it grow organically. Provide tons of security.

In the early 2000s, Birmingham was in worse shape than Jackson, they have come a long way since then. They welcomed middle class suburbanites to come into the city and spend their dollars, Jackson has not embraced this. It seems Jxn leaders don't want people from surrounding communities to come into the city.
I have seen where some cities create ( some intentionally some not) a self fulfilling prophecy of shunning/discouraging newcomers for fear of gentrification or political dilution and then condemn same outside investment/newcomers for shunning the city and around and around the cycle goes and the net effect is the status quo which, unfortunately, is what some politicos want....
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Old 03-15-2021, 01:22 PM
 
Location: Johns Island
2,499 posts, read 4,396,562 times
Reputation: 3762
Quote:
Originally Posted by viverlibre View Post
In the early 2000s, Birmingham was in worse shape than Jackson, they have come a long way since then. They welcomed middle class suburbanites to come into the city and spend their dollars, Jackson has not embraced this. It seems Jxn leaders don't want people from surrounding communities to come into the city.
Can you clarify what the bolded phrase means in actual practice? What was done to "welcome" people into birmingham?

When you talk to people about birmingham, you get similar rhetoric to Jackson - the city is unsafe, the schools suck, you must live in Hoover.

Don't come to the Jackson board and blow smoke that everyone loves birmingham.
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Old 03-15-2021, 05:05 PM
 
Location: Jack-town, Sip by way of TN, AL and FL
1,699 posts, read 1,943,288 times
Reputation: 3012
Quote:
Originally Posted by JacksonPanther View Post
Can you clarify what the bolded phrase means in actual practice? What was done to "welcome" people into birmingham?

When you talk to people about birmingham, you get similar rhetoric to Jackson - the city is unsafe, the schools suck, you must live in Hoover.

Don't come to the Jackson board and blow smoke that everyone loves birmingham.
You're actually correct on this one. Nobody went and tried to convince middle class people to come back, it just happened, due to private investments that made certain areas attractive again. And yeah, those middle class people who did move back send their kids to private schools. Same sort of thing that's in Jackson around Fondren, except on a bigger scale, simply because Birmingham is bigger. And the "middle class" is greatly exaggerated, it's more young people and a select few urbanites who don't have kids or are single. Middle class people do come and dine/play/etc. in Birmingham, but again, it's all due to the scale of everything.

But the same problems that are in Jackson are in Birmingham. Just bigger. Birmingham also got more investment again, because it's just bigger. Birmingham is nothing....NOTHING....compared to a city that's truly doing it right, like an Atlanta or Nashville, or even places like Raleigh or Austin. No contest at all. And give Huntsville another 20 years....it will out-pace Birmingham as well.
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