Consider This: Jackson State Stadium

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - The state of Mississippi has a very valuable piece of property right in the middle of the Jackson medical corridor.

The land and facilities have been around for decades and are very much showing their age. It most often sits vacant and is only used a few times each year.

There’s just one problem.

The few times it is used, it’s home to Jackson State’s football program. However, that could change. The state allocated $250,000 for JSU to conduct a feasibility study to build its own stadium. That would be a win-win for JSU and the state.

The current stadium property could be repurposed and redeveloped and become a significant asset for medical care, medical training and research.

It would also be a positive move with the creation of high paying jobs, and enhanced recruiting and retention for those desirable medical positions.

This plan has been talked about for years, but with Mississippi leaders putting real dollars toward a study, this could be the first step in making the project becoming reality.

For Jackson State and the city, it would be a boon to have a stadium near the campus, leading to a transformation of the area around JSU and downtown Jackson. Not only could the stadium host JSU football games, but it could also be used for soccer, track & field, concerts and other events.

If the study reveals it is reasonable to move forward, the next step will be raising funds and launching a capital campaign to pay for it.

Having Deion Sanders leading the charge with his many contacts, influence, and big personality will certainly help fast-track the project.

With the increased national attention on Jackson State because of Coach Prime leading the football program, there has never been a better time or a better opportunity to turn this dream into a reality.

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