Ellington

Mayor Frank Melton laid out his immediate resolutions Friday afternoon:

Jackson Mayor Frank Melton on Friday outlined his plans to spend the first three months of the new year focusing on the King Edward Hotel project, the Farish Street Entertainment District and the Jackson Apartments.

"If major progress is not made on the King Edward Hotel, we plan to implode the facility in late February or early March," he said at an afternoon news conference.

I'm curious where the crime issue has disappeared to, in light of the recent spate of murders in Jackson?

Previous Comments

ID

120627

Comment

Be sure to see our earlier stories threads about Mr. Melton's determination to implode the King Edward, as well as threats against the Farish Street developers: July 23, 2005 — Frank Melton vs. the King Eward Aug. 3, 2005 — Grand Hotel: Does the King Edward Have A Glorious Future? Oct. 2, 2005 — Stacking Boards to Demolish King Edward? Nov. 18, 2005 — In the Line of Melton's Fire Dec. 21, 2005 — Dancing Like It's 1984

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-12-31T11:49:20-06:00

ID

120628

Comment

So, what part do the Fed's play in this? If we are waiting on the Fed's does the Mayor think that by stomping his feet and making threats they will speed up their part? Or that somehow that can speed up the private developers? Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, hahahaha, ha....HA! As for Farish St - It is taking too long! There is a big disconnect as to what is going on and where the progress is going! The problem doesn't seem to be in Jackson either. So, the Mayor may have to do something in this case that has justification. But, in this case he has a clear example that shows progress has slowed. There are numerous developers that would be happy to help BB King and Co. set up shops. Of course, Melton may have Performa thinking twice about investing in Jackson as he rapidly making questionable changes? Who knows? With the KEH, we don't know if the past administration had not filed for the loan or if it was Melton who dropped the ball after the election. I lean towards the latter given the actions that have led up to this point. What we do know is their is a developer with deep pockets pleading to do this project. We also know these types of developments work. We know that this landmark was here long before the "napoleon cowboy" rode into town. So, what is it we don't know about the KEH? We may never know if Melton gets his way? Given the state of our Gulf Coast, I am willing to wait a couple of more years if that is what it takes.

Author

pikersam

Date

2005-12-31T13:18:16-06:00

ID

120629

Comment

I wonder what he means by "major progress", since it's his administration's fault that the loan didn't get requested in time. Was he successful in stacking the JRA board? I thought that the KEH environmental/feasibility studies had already been completed, too. Then, one of the latest C-L articles about it said they were still ongoing. This appears to be taking way too long, too. But clamoring to have it imploded doesn't serve much purpose. Especially when it sounds like there are some concrete plans for it. As for Farish, I agree that this project has taken entirely too long. We should've seen major progress on this several YEARS ago. I don't guess I care one way or the other who develops Farish as long as it gets developed competently. But, I do understand that there's a lot of red tape involved with historic districts. Plus, I drove down Farish last weekend and there were at least 2 buildings that are being worked on...so the April date doesn't seem far-fetched at all for at least a couple of places.

Author

millhouse

Date

2005-12-31T15:21:49-06:00

ID

120630

Comment

There is no doubt all of these projects have taken far too long-- especially the King Edward. Melton needs to spend his time working with his staff to determine what the hold-ups are and then do some problem solving. Playing the blame game against the former administration, helpless employees or even contractors who have justifiable reasons for not completing on time is not the anwer. If these projects do not begin to move, it will be due to his inablity to coordinate projects and nothing else. Jacksonians are begining to tire of the backstabbing and posturing from Melton just as they were tired of the endless promises from Johnson! I think most of us realize this is an ineffective way of not dealing with a situation.

Author

realtime

Date

2005-12-31T16:23:33-06:00

ID

120631

Comment

The Mayor cannot and will not "implode" the King Edward at his "whim". For weeks , we on the Council have politely reminded him that the Jackson City Council authorizes the final approval on this demolition and he does not have the votes to get this action passed. Why will we not approve this demolition? 1. The private sector investors are awaiting the final HUD grant paperwork for the "abatement" stage of this process, which, incidentally is "birthed and followed through" by the Office of the Mayor. 2. The Federal Section 108 $4 M project viability loans [of which the city will IMMEDIATELY RECEIVE $2M IN CASH] have to be "birthed and followed through" by the Office of the Mayor and have NOT been aggressively pursued by that same office. The complaining of the "slowness" of the "project" sits squarely with the "complainer". We are witnessing a huge P.R. campaign bitching about the slowness of something that the developers HAVE NO CONTROL OVER. The Mayor's office ALONE can effect expediency in this process. 3.The JRA owns this building.....NOT the City. We cannot just "implode" and "eyesore" even with "cause" unless proper procedures are followed [just as is the case with ALL privately owned property]. 4. The structure is a "Nationally Registered" building, which requires even more "pause" in the process of imploding and requires measures above and beyond normal requisites. 5. The developers have not been given their P.R. "day in court" with this effort. As far as the majority of the Council is concerned [and we have spent HOURS in meetings with a miriad of people regarding this project] , until the DEVELOPERS [with 55 million reasons to question this effort in its entirety...$30 million of their own $ on the front end] say "pull the plug-it won't work" we will not vote to destroy this building. 6. The detection af a "Mike Tyson" mentality toward this idea. "Don't bother me with the facts....my mind is already made up" type of thing. Questions asked in the very few "open" meetings we have had with the Mayor about it detect a disturbing lack of knowledge in it indicate what we can only describe as a closed mind. Please understand that I respect and enjoy a good relationship with our Mayor , but it seems that he has elected to make this a public issue argued in the press and if so, we will pursue that avenue as well. But noone [or no Mayor OR City Council for that matter] can "Just Do It" no matter how some may like the "sound" of it or the heat individuals may take due to their positions opposing a matter such as this. We are a Democratically elected Republic, not a kingdom.

Author

Ben Allen

Date

2005-12-31T18:02:30-06:00

ID

120632

Comment

Thanks for the info Ben. What exactly are the Federal Section 108 $4 M project viability loans used for? A feasibility study or the actual work? I think it would be much more reasuring to have this of info in the public realm than the grandiose overblown hipe we have been hearing for years. Most people do not realize how important a significant building such as the King Edward can be in terms of redevelopment. But I can't blame those who are tired of seeing it in the present state of disrepair.

Author

realtime

Date

2005-12-31T18:18:21-06:00

ID

120633

Comment

Ben, Does the mayor have the capability of firing Performa or would that require a city council vote, as well?

Author

millhouse

Date

2005-12-31T18:46:13-06:00

ID

120634

Comment

The short answer...."YES". We have received a letter from Performa challenging the Mayor's assertions of their "lack of performance" on this project. These will be public in the near future. This issue is complicated and needs addressing. We are not [as a Council] up "to speed" on the actualities of these allegations and were caught a little off-guard by these aggressive comments. These issues are handled by the Office of Planning and Development which was gutted last week. We are in the process of getting the facts. Our form of Government can be frustrating and cumbersome in issues such as this. But to answer your question.....yes.

Author

Ben Allen

Date

2005-12-31T18:56:44-06:00

ID

120635

Comment

Thanks much, Councilman, for all your comments. But "yes" to which of Millhouse's questions, Ben? That the mayor can fire Performa alone, nor does it require a City Council vote? I agree with all of you: If Mr. Melton is going to fight this out in the press, then we need to get as much information out as possible, so that the picture isn't skewed one way or another. Maybe it's time for a BenBlog? ;-)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-12-31T20:16:30-06:00

ID

120636

Comment

Ben, good comments. You know I've backed up Melton whenever I could get away with it, but it sounds to me like he's deliberately sitting on the project while complaining that it's not moving fast enough--which is unconscionable, and the sort of thing the Ledger really should be calling him on. Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2005-12-31T20:44:39-06:00

ID

120637

Comment

Thank you Ben w a. You go boy..........

Author

ATLExile

Date

2005-12-31T21:23:39-06:00

ID

120638

Comment

Councilman Allen, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your post. If I get into another one of those Jackson-defending conversations with someone I know, I will definitely mention this online entry. It is a good example of how government is not as cut-and-dried and some would like.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2005-12-31T21:31:21-06:00

ID

120639

Comment

"Nationally Registered" building" Allen Exactly, it is also registered as a MS Landmark and is protected by the Mississippi Antiquities Law. Should anyone try to demolish the building without proper permits it would result in fines and jail time! They have a board of directors also, so it will take going through them in addition to all the other hurdles to get the KEH torn down. Of course we are "facing a huge PR campaign" - Has Melton proved himself to be anything else then a "PR campaign?" I am glad to see some of our local leaders may not be drinking the Melton kool-aide as fast as they had ...

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-01-01T11:20:29-06:00

ID

120640

Comment

Once the honorable mayor's mouth has written a check that the city cannot cash. I am a lifelong resident of Jackson and I remember when the KEH was open for business. I for one would like to see those days again. We have red tape that has to be sifted through. There is no question that we are all becoming restless. But for this Texas refugee to storm in here and declare that he can bypass federal rules is unthinkable. His tirade of mowing down structures and firing city employees has to stop. He seems to have lost his focus of bringing people, jobs and businesses back to Jackson. I wonder why he came to Jackson anyway. Was he run out of Texas? Would they not let him be a cowboy over there? When will this man wake up and try to make things better for the citizens of Jackson. We admit that there were problems here BEFORE he took office. Not everything needed to be done over.

Author

lance

Date

2006-01-01T15:10:13-06:00

ID

120641

Comment

I'm posting here to bump Councilman Allen's comments this weekend about how the King Edward is *not* going to be imploded back to the top of "Recent Comments" for those who missed them. This is important stuff.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-01T19:16:04-06:00

ID

120642

Comment

Here's the scoop from WAPT and WJTV on this. WJTV: The mayor says the developers are waiting for the city to pay $4 million before they get started, but he wants the city to pay on the back end. WAPT: The mayor says he can get around the historic landmark issue by issuing an executive order of demolition due to risks to the environment. Okay, is any of this true? Who can tell us?

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2006-01-02T08:30:58-06:00

ID

120643

Comment

Here is my understanding. 1. The deal the city and developers made was for the city to apply for $4M in FEDERAL GRANTS, which would be used to begin the development process. The $4M is necessary basically to take the project out the red for the developers (keep in mind this is a $55M development). That is due to a variety of costs of redevelopment, including that the King Edward in its current state is worth in excess of NEGATIVE $1M becuase of environmental issues like asbestos, pigeon stuff, etc. The plan as I understand it is for the developers to use that seed money to pay for certain unusual costs, like environmental remediation and structural reviews at the beginning of the project. Based on Melton's history and attitude, if you were a developer, would you trust that he would follow through and apply for the federal money after you've spent it? No way. He would play games, threaten, and leave the developers holding the bag -- putting them in a position of undertaking a $55 development at their risk while virtually guaranteed to lose money. Anyway, the key point to keep in mind here is that the $4M is not the city's money -- it is federal grant money (see Councilman Allen's post earlier explaining the process). 2. As for the executive order business, I really don't know. But Melton seems to put way too much stock into his powers of executive order. And Melton hasn't really shown much of a command or even grasp of the law in the past (see stories regarding his perjury in MBN libel case detailed elsewhere). My guess is that this is a major bluff. I don't doubt he would try to issue an executive order to that effect. I also am very confident that either JRA, certain city councilmen, the developers, the Mississippi Heritgage Trust, and/or some other group, would file for an injunction with the federal court and win. How could Melton argue with a straight face that the KE is suddenly an environmental emergency -- what evidence could he present to that effect? I don't see any way Melton could get around the injunction and he would have to go back hat in hand to the city council and ask for implosion. Councilman Allen has already gone on record that Melton just doesn't have the votes for that. At the end of the day, the only way the KE will be imploded is if the developers decide to walk away from the project. That may well be in Melton's control if he continues to refuse to apply for federal grants. If that is the case, how would we feel about our mayor then? Hmmm, $55M development in west downtown that would bolster Farish Street and Convention Center, that would bring in hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars in new real estate taxes every year (from KE alone -- it is currently tax exempt), that would spur future downtown development (e.g. developers also have their eyes on other downtown properties, but only if KE is done). Sounds pretty good. Compare that with Melton's way -- tear the KE down at considerable CITY expense, including in excess of $1M for environmental remediation (that must be done before implosion), destroy any chance at redeveloping west downtown or making downtown in general an after hours destination, lose out on certain substantial tax revenue from the KE development alone, lose out on much-needed private investment in the city limits, and send a message to other developers that Jackson doesn't want development. Seems like a no brainer to me.

Author

Jaydub

Date

2006-01-02T12:50:39-06:00

ID

120644

Comment

Yup. Melton will vote to shoot Jackson in the foot. Not like he has to worry about the consequences.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2006-01-02T13:23:34-06:00

ID

120645

Comment

"Compare that with Melton's way..." I remember that during the mayoral campaign, Melton was critical of the Johnson administration's attention to downtown. And this is a prime example that he has no interest in a revitalized downtown. Hell, he wanted the convention center "between two lakes", for crying out loud. He's been nothing but hot air so far, so I don't expect there's much he can do as far as implosion of the King Ed right now. But, if he scares the developers off, which is what it seems like he's trying to do, he may have his way. For the life of me, I can't understand why anybody with Jackson's best interests in mind would be so against this project. And, for the record, I believe that the mayor of any given city should, at all times, have the best interests of his or her city in mind. Call me crazy.

Author

millhouse

Date

2006-01-02T13:42:02-06:00

ID

120646

Comment

Y'all are starting to dance around the reason that residency issues are so important. A mayor, or other elected official, should have a real stake in the city they're governing. In Mr. Melton's case, he could run off the developers and leave downtown in crumbles ... and simply go on home to his home in Texas. It seems to me that he thinks that Jackson is his performance ground. Why else would you actually fire all those city workers right before Christmas, or bash developers in the media constantly with false information? Also, millhouse, I heard nothing during the campaign to indicate to me that Mr. Melton cared about, or even understood, the need for downtown revitalization. It just wasn't something he cared to talk about it, and when he did, he sounded extremely uneducated about it ("between two lakes," for instance). In particular and very telling, at that M.A.P. Coalition meeting, several astute, yes, rappers kept asking him how he was going to revitalize downtown Jackson and jumpstart economic development, and he kept saying over and over again, "I'm going to build you a studio on Farish. You deserve a studio on Farish." Those guys asking the questions got extremely frustrated at him for refusing to answer their questions and for condescending to them in such a way. Of course, the studio on Farish seemed to have dropped off the radar already, as well. It seems to have been yet another empty campaign promise.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-02T15:54:22-06:00

ID

120647

Comment

Hey, I want everyone to know I just moved the King Edward thread, with Councilman Allen responses to Melton, to the Melton Blog, so the URL changed.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-02T21:20:50-06:00

ID

120648

Comment

I would be a shame to lose this building. As awful as it looks now it is still a major Architectural anchor to downtown and absolutley critical to that end of Capital Street. DT Jackson is not at that stage yet where there are developers chomping at the bit to build things down there. It will come, without doubt but in these early days it is imperative to preserve all of the substantial anchor buildings. The Train Station, The Mill Street viaduct, and the Illinois Central Terminal are all part of that. To tear down the King Eddy would be like pulling out a molar that really just needs a root canal. Once it's out it's out......anything that would come along to replace it would essentially be fake and have to adhere to the ecomonies of the times (cheap wood frame apartments). All of that good work completed around it would be marrooned and isolated. Most buildings of that size in the east are being renovated for mixed use. Half of the Eddy should be a hotel or even a third, the rest condos and some office. The lobby goes Food and Bev and retail. That way it generates revenue. 55 million is cheap for an operation like that. New Construction based on the square feet in that building and quality of construction and detail runs 100.00 to 150.00 Dollars a square foot.

Author

ATLExile

Date

2006-01-02T22:13:56-06:00

ID

120649

Comment

As for the executive order business, I really don't know. But Melton seems to put way too much stock into his powers of executive order. You read my mind. It's like having a doctor who thinks he can perform brain surgery just because he knows how to apply Band-Aids. I hope the mayor doesn't have a vast wasteland of ranch homes in mind for Jackson. Or worse, a holding cell (where inmates can easily escape and disappear into the city). Or even worse, a huge shrine with a bronze bust of Melton in a cowboy hat.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2006-01-02T22:33:14-06:00

ID

120650

Comment

Well, he does live in a bland subdivision of ranchy-style homes. (No disrespect intended to residents over there.) I just don't think he "gets" the whole idea of downtown development. He seems a lot like Bush: shooting off the cuff without taking time to learn about issues, or even legalities. Of course, that's what a lot of the people who voted in the election wanted—after all the whining about Johnson taking "so long" to get things done. Truthfully, won't it take longer with all these fits and starts and inaccurate proclamations to the media? I'm worried that our city is going to start looking like a joke to potential businesses, investors and residents, much as it did in that Business Week article about Melton's debacle at the Trade Mart. Maybe he wants to discourage investment and newcomers for some reason; maybe he worries that not everyone is going to believe his schtick (he would have a point there). Regardless, we've got to work hard as a community to balance the impression he's giving off on our behalf. Unfortunately, those it gives a certain impression that the city elected him with his track record. Lord, running off investors? Is that really what the angry North Jackson dudes want from their folk hero? It's predictable that they want him running off the "thugs," but the damn developers??? But, hey, we gotta play the hand that's dealt and hope it doesn't get even worse before it gets better. But the machine guns at the Maple Streets does little to build my confidence.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-02T22:43:04-06:00

ID

120651

Comment

Maybe I should just chain myself to the KEH and sing "If I Had a Hammer". I bet I'll get more coverage than the mayor. ;)

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2006-01-02T22:54:35-06:00

ID

120652

Comment

Caught this sorry "opinion" news at the bottom of an article about the new Telecom Comm. Center. Of course it is on WLBT. It's sad that the new 17.5 million dollar facility has windows looking at that monument to failure, the King Edward Hotel . An abandoned auto repair facility also sits across the street from telecom center, which the city plans to tear down. A monument to failure! WTF!?!? Who is Bert Case to call it a monument to failure? He is such a "suck-up" to Melton it is sick. These people have no sense of reporting the news.

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-01-15T01:24:09-06:00

ID

120653

Comment

Well, pikersam, WAPT gave a MUCH more positive report about the Telecom Center. They said that even though they center won't turn a profit this year because they lost some bookings after Hurricane Katrina, it is expected that the center will be a big boost to the city's economy. The state of the art facility has an auditorium with Internet access at every seat, and there are large plasma TVs in the banquet hall. Once the Convention Center is built next door, downtown is gonna be one bad mamma-jamma! The first event there was held by the Magnolia Bar Association, and the president, Atty. Tylvester Goss of Davis, Goss & Williams, gave kudos to the facility. The main thing I remember someone saying is that the Telecom Center made him proud to be a citizen of Jackson. I plan to email the station and thank them for this report.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2006-01-15T10:55:40-06:00

ID

120654

Comment

“Kane Ditto started the Telecom Center, Jackson State Parkway and the train station projects,” Melton said at the breakfast. “For someone else to take credit is wrong.” May/April 2005 Mayor Frank Melton is proud of the new facility. “I hope to host a number of things here while we are waiting for the new coliseum, a new convention center to be built. We are gonna have a number of festivities in there, but it is absolutely beautiful,” he said. Good follow-up L.W. That certainly shows how biased WLBT is in comparison to WAPT. They should just report the news. If Bert Case wants to do an editorial then he should ask his station manager for the time. I think the Telecom Center is great! It will be well used by small and medium groups for a long time as it only has 74,000sq.ft. of meeting space. Cities that get new venues like this usually snag a few "new" meetings that they would not have had otherwise. Now for larger groups the Convention Center will have to be used. I still think we don't have the space for a banquet for 2000 plus breakout meeting space. There are hotels in other cites with more convention space then the few venues we have in Jackson. I'm not complaining (we are smaller); but it shows we still have a long way to go before we can truly compete with those cities.

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-01-15T12:43:59-06:00

ID

120655

Comment

I'm not complaining (we are smaller); but it shows we still have a long way to go before we can truly compete with those cities. I know you're not. However, I think the best way to compete is to be original, and we have more than enough talent for that.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2006-01-16T12:41:46-06:00

ID

120656

Comment

OK guys some facts I think you will really dig! The Telcom building was designed by the Miami basd firm of "Arquitectonica". Very high end and world famous for works in the US, South America, Europe. Dale and Associates in Jackson were the associate architects. They are very good at teaming with big Nationally know firms to get things going in Jackson. The converntion center is essentially phase two as Arquitectonica is doing that as well. This thing when finished will outrank anything between Atlanta and Dallas, in style. Go to their Web site. It's too cool. I'm sure you guys know this but it doesn't hurt to put the info up front. Now let me "chase a rabbit" for a while, the new court house is really interesting because......Dale & associates have again gone and paired themselves with a big outfit in New York called "Hardy, Holzman, Pfeiffer". All AIA "fellows" and the like. They are big big time. The new federal Courthouse in Tucson Arizona is theirs amoung other big projects in the east. The center of Jackson will be graced with a state of the art Federal Court House. The center of ole Jackson has examples of the finest architecture of the 1830's and 1840's. Very good examples of late 1800's, superb beaux arts period (King Eddy, Lamer Life amoung others); Deco (Standard Life, Plaza Building); WPA Architecture (Eastland Courthouse, Hinds County Court House); the modern periods and now all of this. You guys got it going on in what is essentially a ten block square area. Truly "Mamma Jamma" as J.W. has put it. You want to know my favorite? It would have to be the old Mississippi Bank building on the corner of Congress and Capital. Most major cities have one of those type bank buildings. They were called the "Knickerbochker Trust" bank building style.

Author

ATLExile

Date

2006-01-16T14:24:26-06:00

ID

120657

Comment

ATLExile, thanks for the cool factoids! I'll be looking up that info soon. I guess that's why I don't want the KEH to be demo'd. They don't make them like that any more. We have enough strip malls, dontcha think?

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2006-01-16T16:40:25-06:00

ID

120658

Comment

http://www.arquitectonica.com/ Wow.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2006-01-16T18:36:43-06:00

ID

120659

Comment

L.W. - Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer have a web site to. I noticed they are working on the master plan fo the American University in Cairo, and the Walter Annenberg cultural center in Beverly Hills. The Tucson courthouse is on the web site. The KEH is a grand surviving example of late Beaux arts architecture. As grand as anything that has survived in the south to date. That row of buildings across the street is architecturally significant as well. You know, with all due respect for this new Urbanism and all these new build downtowns around Jackson (Madison, Ridgeland, Harborwalks, Lost Rabbit, Flowood), you guys already have all that in DT Jackson and it is all period and authentic architecture. Not "Whoville" or stage sets. Those old store fronts need restoration but that will come.

Author

ATLExile

Date

2006-01-17T10:13:59-06:00

ID

120660

Comment

The Willard Intercontinental in Washington is celebrating it's 20 year "reopening" date. Similar history with the King Eddy. Original Willard opend in 1850 (hosted Abe Lincoln, and Martin Luther King amoung many others over its 150 year history) and it too was rebuilt about three times. Closed for 20 years and in terrrible condition just like the King Eddy. Now it's one of the finest hotels in the world. The KEH can be both condo and hotel and office. Mixed use and a big revenue producer. The Willard is just one example of many across this nation. The King aint' that far out of reach that it can't be saved.

Author

ATLExile

Date

2006-01-17T15:10:13-06:00

ID

120661

Comment

Original Willard opend in 1850 (hosted Abe Lincoln, and Martin Luther King amoung many others over its 150 year history) and it too was rebuilt about three times. Closed for 20 years and in terrrible condition just like the King Eddy. Now it's one of the finest hotels in the world. You know, I think it would be a good idea to collect a list of buildings that have gone through similar transformations. I know HGTV.com's Restore America link would be a great start. Do you know of any others? The rusty gears in my brain are starting to turn. COVER YOUR EARS, PEOPLE!

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2006-01-17T19:35:39-06:00

ID

120662

Comment

Here Sum......The Hermitage in Nashville; The Georgian Terrace in Atlanta; The Biltmore in Atlanta (Condos, Office space, Grand Function Rooms) ; The Carlton in Atlanta (now the Hotel Indigo, go to HotelIndigo.com); The Peabody in Memphis; The Redmont in Birmingham (Crowne Plaza); and don't forget the Eola in Natchez. There is also a grand old hotel in Baton Rouge that has just been or is being renovated (the Capital or the Capital Grand or something). Also there is one in DT Dallas that is a good restoration project. L.W. this is easy for me, I work for Intercontinental Hotels Group (the parent company of Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza) in the design and project management department. Hotel Indigo is our new brand so I am going to plug when ever I can get my nose in the bowl. Indigo is a "mid Market Boutique". It would be perfect for the emerging DT Jackson Market and the ideal host is an old hotel that can't find it's niche anymore. It's new there are about six underway, three of which are open and several in the development stage. The King Eddy or at least a third of it would be ideal for this brand. Ideal.. It would be the talk of the town. You can't get in the one here in Atlanta. It's Gen X......we have Doggy happy hour on Thursdays.....big gathering spot. It's right across the street from the Fox. Hell, if the owners would see the potential....turn it into a new renovated Crowne Plaza or a Holiday Inn, Jackson does not have a new Holiday Inn or any at all. We terminated the last one on 55 North. Revenue is what will make that thing a go.......

Author

ATLExile

Date

2006-01-18T09:47:23-06:00