Mississippi Business Journal » Ben Allen

The wait continues for Edison Walthall hotel buyer

Ted Carter — Fri, 31 May 2013 05:01:04 +0000

Hopes for injecting more life into downtown Jackson’s Capitol Street through a renovation and possible conversion of the vacant Edison-Walthall sustained a setback when the hotel did not get an acceptable bid at auction. For now, the circa 1927 lodging landmark will remain with the Landmark Center office building a block away as once-major properties [...]

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A touchup for Thalia Mara

Ted Carter — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 06:01:39 +0000

It’s said Jackson’s Thalia Mara Hall hasn’t got a bad seat in the house. But seats that are in bad shape? Those are about as plentiful as the number of days that make up the Broadway run of the “Phantom of the Opera.” Since its opening in 1968 as the Jackson Municipal Auditorium, the City-owned [...]

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Survey: Metro Jackson office markets showing some strength

Ted Carter — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 21:08:11 +0000

Jackson’s Central Business District office market is starting 2012 much as it did 2011 with slightly more than a quarter of available space empty. That’s the good news. The CBD wouldn’t be keeping its current occupancy levels had expected lease renewals not come through, commercial real estate professionals say. Parkway Properties’ 120-building fourth-quarter office market [...]

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Watkins: Farish still on track

Clay Chandler — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 06:00:23 +0000

David Watkins wants to be clear: Farish Street is on schedule for the major tenants of its first block to open late this year. The project has not stalled for lack of money, as was reported in the Clarion-Ledger last week. Watkins, who is developing the historic district into a Beale Street-like mix of clubs [...]

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For Jackson’s arena hopes, a Golden standard

Clay Chandler — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 06:00:18 +0000

City of Jackson officials have received three proposals from firms interested in performing planning and design studies for a possible downtown arena, and Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr.’s spokesperson says interviews are being set up with the hopes of a selection being made soon. “We hope to have that happen in short order,” Christopher Mims wrote [...]

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Museum investment seen as boost for downtown

Ted Carter — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 06:00:46 +0000

History enthusiasts are relieved and pleased by a state Legislature appropriation last week of $38 million to build a new Museum of Mississippi History and a civil rights museum on state land just north of the William F. Winter Archives and History Building, 200 North Street. But supporters of downtown development are trading high-fives, as [...]

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Mayor takes over steering effort for downtown arena

Ted Carter — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 06:00:16 +0000

A steering committee created to plan and promote an arena for downtown Jackson has disbanded to make way for Mayor Harvey Johnson to lead the charge. Where the effort goes from here is now up to the mayor and City Hall, said Ben Allen, director of Downtown Jackson Partners, a public-private entity that works to [...]

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Arena in right place

MBJ Staff — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 06:00:02 +0000

Ben Allen ventured onto friendly turf a few Tuesdays ago to try to re-energize a campaign for a multi-use arena in downtown Jackson. Supporters made up most of the crowd of 200 or so people who turned out for the “Arena Extravaganza” sponsored by the organization Allen heads, Downtown Jackson Partners, and the Jackson Chamber [...]

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Arena a key piece to downtown vision, promoters say at rally

Ted Carter — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 06:00:52 +0000

Downtown Jackson Partners, Chamber: Study will address feasibility of a downtown area Ben Allen kept the focus at his “Arena Rollout Extravaganza” held last Tuesday on the unity of purpose that it’s going to take to erect an $80-million-plus entertainment palace downtown. The event was all about the arena, even to the point that Allen, [...]

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New Incubator Comes to Regions Plaza

Stephen McDill — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 22:37:01 +0000

JACKSON- MBJ-TV gets a behind-the-scenes look at a new multi-use small business incubator that is setting up shop in downtown Jackson. Tenants looking for a low rent, destination location for their first start up are already lining up to get in.

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