Convention center deal moves ahead

Based on last week’s vote, community support is strong for building a convention center in downtown Jackson.

Capital City residents went to the polls November 2nd to vote for or against a tax increase to fund the project. A 60% vote for the increase was required for the project to move forward, and supporters were pleased that the final tally easily surpassed that mark.

Of course, this step only marks a new phase in the process of revitalizing the city. Hard work remains. Crime, and the perception of it, poses a considerable challenge. The city’s public schools must improve. Petty, personal politics must be set aside.

But despite these difficult situations, it does appear that momentum is building for a better, brighter, and dare we say it, bolder, new city.

The Mississippi business community, local developers and elected officials have made important investments in both private and public projects around the city, and we hope that this cooperative effort continues — touching everyone who has a stake in a vibrant Jackson.

Will it happen? Too early to tell, but at this stage, we remain cautiously optimistic, and that’s a far better place to be than where we’ve been.