City again seeking developers for convention center hotel, mixed-use project

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Jackson city leaders are again in the hunt for developers for the property across from the Jackson Convention Complex.

In January, the city issued a request for qualifications for developers interested in developing parts of the 7.75-acre site located across the street from the convention center.

The RFQ comes months after the city issued its previous RFP, and after it received no proposals in response.

“There were no responses, but there are people that were interested,” Director of Planning and Development Chloe Dotson said. “Putting together a proposal could take thousands of dollars because you’re demonstrating that you have all the pieces in place for us to... sign a contract and you start development.”

“I don’t think we had people that were ready at that point,” she continued. “And I’m not sure if the city was ready at that point.”

Dotson said instead of seeking a developer for the entire site, she said the city is now seeking firms interested in developing different elements of the property. She says once responses are received, the city can enter into talks with interested firms.

“It’s another way of getting to the result of a deal. It’s just going about it a different way,” she said.

She says one of the reasons the city has been unable to find a master developer is because the acreage is divided into multiple parcels with different owners.

Five sections, including the four largest, are owned by the city. Four smaller plots are owned by the Jackson Redevelopment Authority. Other sections are owned by the Capital City Convention Center Commission and by Kaz LLC, city documents state.

Meanwhile, the city used Section 108 loans to purchase some of the land, meaning developments there must benefit low and moderate-income persons, aid in the elimination of blight, and meet community needs.

“There’s a lot of complexity and talking through and figuring out because of the complexity of the site and the financing,” she said. “So, we’re hoping that the folks that reached out to us and had inquiries about the RFP... will respond to the RFQ.”

Plans are to develop the site in three phases. The first one would include all Section 108 parcels which are set aside for a 335-room hotel, 1,200-plus car parking garage, and open entertainment space.

The second phase would include a mixed-use development on two blocks bordered by Farish, Court, Pearl, and Pascagoula streets. For that property, the city is hoping to bring in restaurant and entertainment options associated with the hotel. Phase three will include 400 apartments or condominiums, and additional parking.

Concepts for the site came from a 2018 study conducted by Hunden Strategic Partners.

“That is still conceptually the idea, although it may be scaled back significantly,” Dotson said. “But the idea is to have a hotel and a public open space for entertainment.”

The study was a requirement as part of an agreement to repay the 108 funds. It’s unclear if those funds have been paid off. Chief Financial Officer Fidelis Malembeka was not immediately available for comment.

The city has been working to develop the property next to the convention center for years.

In 2008, the late Mayor Frank Melton attempted to bring on a Texas-based developer to build a hotel, but JRA rejected the proposal because of the financial risk it would place on the city.

Shortly before leaving office in 2013, Mayor Harvey Johnson attempted to bring a $60 million hotel to the site. However, that project fell through because it was not properly bid out.

The Lumumba administration issued requests for proposals to develop the site in 2019 and 2023. It was unclear the results of the 2019 RFP.

A hotel and parking garage are needed, in part, to bring larger out-of-state attractions to the center, which bring more people to the area and help spur the economy.

[READ: Legislature allocates $1M for Convention Center parking]

According to its website, 17 events are planned for the Convention Center through May 10, the majority of which are sponsored by local entities.

Officials with the center did not respond to a request for comment.

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