OT: Hattiesburg

AttalaDawg72

All-Conference
Jul 8, 2024
1,434
2,300
113
What is the boards opinion of Hattiesburg? I hear that it’s an underrated town with an expectation of continuous growth happening. What say you? Is it nice or no?
 

onewoof

Heisman
Mar 4, 2008
14,915
13,016
113
follow this guy for some unfiltered news there

Code:
https://www.facebook.com/HattiesburgPatriot/

 
  • Like
Reactions: Maroon Eagle

horshack.sixpack

All-American
Oct 30, 2012
11,360
8,258
113
What is the boards opinion of Hattiesburg? I hear that it’s an underrated town with an expectation of continuous growth happening. What say you? Is it nice or no?
I'm there quite frequently. It has a lot of cool stuff now, eateries, etc. It reminds me of Starkville a little in that you can really tell that there was very little zoning/discretion about how things should look for a lot of years and a lot of that stuff still persists. I assume they must have adopted some kind of formal planning these days but don't know for sure.
 

Maroon Eagle

All-American
May 24, 2006
17,995
7,805
102
I'm there quite frequently. It has a lot of cool stuff now, eateries, etc. It reminds me of Starkville a little in that you can really tell that there was very little zoning/discretion about how things should look for a lot of years and a lot of that stuff still persists. I assume they must have adopted some kind of formal planning these days but don't know for sure.
Unlike Starkville, Medicine plays a key role in the Hub City.

Forrest General has grown a lot and with all the different Hattiesburg Clinics (that’s a brand name, y’all) in the different areas of the city, medicine/health are a huge part of the local economy.

And then there’s Merit Wesley and its associated clinics too…
 

OG Goat Holder

Heisman
Sep 30, 2022
12,258
11,331
113
It has a pretty good local economy all things considered. Need to make sure they keep a competent mayor in there, as every town does. People need to stay within the city limits and not give up…..which nearly happened.

Got two colleges so there will be a heartbeat.

Called Hub City for a reason, lot of logistics flow through. Military base helps.

You know USM has done what a bunch of our fans want us to do - dropped down and accepted their role. So maybe there is some pride in winning on a lower level. But they also have never tasted SEC money.
 

Maroon Eagle

All-American
May 24, 2006
17,995
7,805
102
It has a pretty good local economy all things considered. Need to make sure they keep a competent mayor in there, as everybody does. People need to stay within the city limits and not give up…..which nearly happened.
Or continue to allow Hattiesburg to continue to do its annexation of businesses along 98 that suck up the tax revenue so that incorporation of communities (remember the folks wanting Bellevue to incorporate, y’all?) doesn’t happen…
 
  • Like
Reactions: ForestryDawgMSU

Darryl Steight

All-American
Sep 30, 2022
3,784
6,354
113
Traffic can get pretty bad there on Hardy, but the downtown is very old. The downtown has some neat things. It's ok I reckon.
Seems like downtown and the whole Hardy Street corridor from Midtown east is on the come-up. They have midtown market or whatever it's called with Jones' new HQ, the zoo and new water park, which is really good for a town that size. Keg & Barrel is a cool spot, then downtown has the Saenger Theatre and a few good restaurants and bars. And The Lucky Rabbit is a pretty nice little deal on Saturdays.

Now some of the people are out there... but I like the town.
 

John Deaux VII

All-Conference
Jun 7, 2024
955
2,409
93
I was there earlier in the Summer for the first time in several years. Like several have said, the downtown is very nice with a number good local dining options. Hardy Street between 49 and I-59 has some good spots too. Hardy Street / Highway 98 west of I-59 is a bumper to bumper suburban sprawl living hell all the way past Bellevue.
 

Mr. Cook

All-Conference
Nov 4, 2021
3,229
2,362
113
Unpopular opinion: I am in favor of playing USM in football every year, alternating between Starkville and Hattiesburg.

I'm also in favor of playing one of the following in Starkville every year:
  • Alcorn State
  • Jackson State
  • Mississippi Valley State
Perhaps a good idea….but of those “all I see is 3 wins”…
 
  • Like
Reactions: ForestryDawgMSU

Mr. Cook

All-Conference
Nov 4, 2021
3,229
2,362
113
Unpopular opinion: I am in favor of playing USM in football every year, alternating between Starkville and Hattiesburg.

I'm also in favor of playing one of the following in Starkville every year:
  • Alcorn State
  • Jackson State
  • Mississippi Valley State
Perhaps a good idea….but of those “all I see is 3 wins”….
 
  • Like
Reactions: ForestryDawgMSU

The Cooterpoot

Heisman
Sep 29, 2022
6,854
11,962
113
Unpopular opinion: I am in favor of playing USM in football every year, alternating between Starkville and Hattiesburg.

I'm also in favor of playing one of the following in Starkville every year:
  • Alcorn State
  • Jackson State
  • Mississippi Valley State
Why? Nobody will show up for the SWAC games and USM is pointless and only helps them pay their bills.
 

The Cooterpoot

Heisman
Sep 29, 2022
6,854
11,962
113
Its better than Meridian
Hot Coffee is better than Meridian. Hattiesburg is a diverse cool place with no real night life. They're what Starkville will be in about 20 years if the medical community ever takes off in Starkville. But Starkville has almost as many local eats and are almost just as good as Hattiesburg. They're just have a lot of quality chain stuff with theirs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ForestryDawgMSU

greenbean.sixpack

All-American
Oct 6, 2012
8,801
8,073
113
Unpopular opinion: I am in favor of playing USM in football every year, alternating between Starkville and Hattiesburg.
Never pay a non-conference game on the road unless there is some type of positive ground to potentially gain (exposure to a new, big time market, etc). There's nothing to gain winning in H'burg and a lot to lose.
 

OG Goat Holder

Heisman
Sep 30, 2022
12,258
11,331
113
Unpopular opinion: I am in favor of playing USM in football every year, alternating between Starkville and Hattiesburg.

I'm also in favor of playing one of the following in Starkville every year:
  • Alcorn State
  • Jackson State
  • Mississippi Valley State
I’d be all for it if every other SEC were forced to do the same. And I mean the FBS schools. I want Auburn/Bama playing UAB/Troy/USA, not Samford. Arkansas/A-State (finally happening this year). Tennessee/Vandy vs Memphis/MTSU.

I like those regional games and they are definitely better than the alternative.
 

johnson86-1

All-Conference
Aug 22, 2012
14,324
4,824
113
Starkville might be Mississippi’s best college town, but Hattiesburg is Mississippi’s best college city.

Hattiesburg also has a strong case for Mississippi’s Best City.

(I mean— all you have to do is to compare to Jackson…)
Not really, but it's pretty damning how close it is.

Like so many things in Mississippi, Hattiesburg is another story of missed opportunity. It has a really cool downtown and if it had developed in a more typical pattern, Hattiesburg could be a really cool small city. Having it develop in a straight line out 98 makes it pretty limited. Not enough affluent population downtown to make it as cool as it could be. 98 is basically just a different version of flowood. Hell, what they try to brand as midtown is basically a glorified strip mall with residential behind it.

If it ever for some reason managed to take off, the downtown and surrounding residential area would be really cool. Really has the set up to be a downtown with a good walkable area around it. I guess you can probably say that about a lot of downtowns around Mississippi, but Hattiesburgs would take probably less good fortune to happen t han most. Maybe further away than Biloxi but seems to be kept up nicer than Gulfports. Not sure what Merdian or Laurel downtowns look like. I assume the fact that I've never had reason to go there when in those areas is not a good sign for them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Maroon Eagle

Maroon Eagle

All-American
May 24, 2006
17,995
7,805
102
Not really, but it's pretty damning how close it is.

Like so many things in Mississippi, Hattiesburg is another story of missed opportunity. It has a really cool downtown and if it had developed in a more typical pattern, Hattiesburg could be a really cool small city. Having it develop in a straight line out 98 makes it pretty limited. Not enough affluent population downtown to make it as cool as it could be. 98 is basically just a different version of flowood. Hell, what they try to brand as midtown is basically a glorified strip mall with residential behind it.

Yep…

There’s a reason I often take Lincoln Road between Oak Grove and Hattiesburg…

Darn all the construction work on Lincoln the past few days (as well as 59 the past 2-3 years — y’all think the work over the Pearl River in Jackson is bad?)

If it ever for some reason managed to take off, the downtown and surrounding residential area would be really cool. Really has the set up to be a downtown with a good walkable area around it. I guess you can probably say that about a lot of downtowns around Mississippi, but Hattiesburgs would take probably less good fortune to happen t han most. Maybe further away than Biloxi but seems to be kept up nicer than Gulfports. Not sure what Merdian or Laurel downtowns look like. I assume the fact that I've never had reason to go there when in those areas is not a good sign for them.

Laurel’s was horrible for years. Funny what HGTV does…

Meridian’s pales by comparison but what MSU and other state government agencies are doing to invest in the city is good.

There needs to be continued followup from the private sector.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ForestryDawgMSU

AttalaDawg72

All-Conference
Jul 8, 2024
1,434
2,300
113
Unpopular opinion: I am in favor of playing USM in football every year, alternating between Starkville and Hattiesburg.

I'm also in favor of playing one of the following in Starkville every year:
  • Alcorn State
  • Jackson State
  • Mississippi Valley State
I think we need to play one of Alcorn or JSU each year and do a rotation of USM, Tulane, Memphis, UAB or any other local G5 school.
 

patdog

Heisman
May 28, 2007
56,767
26,112
113
Unpopular opinion: I am in favor of playing USM in football every year, alternating between Starkville and Hattiesburg.

I'm also in favor of playing one of the following in Starkville every year:
  • Alcorn State
  • Jackson State
  • Mississippi Valley State
Not every year. But occasionally.
 

patdog

Heisman
May 28, 2007
56,767
26,112
113
Starkville might be Mississippi’s best college town, but Hattiesburg is Mississippi’s best college city.

Hattiesburg also has a strong case for Mississippi’s Best City.

(I mean— all you have to do is to compare to Jackson…)
I’d put the entire coast from Bay St Louis to Ocean Springs first. Then Madison, Hattiesburg, Laurel, Tupelo and probably parts of Desoto County (but much of it is di overgrown I’m not sure which parts). Honestly there’s not a lot to choose from in Mississippi.
 

Maroon Eagle

All-American
May 24, 2006
17,995
7,805
102
I’d put the entire coast from Bay St Louis to Ocean Springs first. Then Madison, Hattiesburg, Laurel, Tupelo and probably parts of Desoto County (but much of it is di overgrown I’m not sure which parts). Honestly there’s not a lot to choose from in Mississippi.
I’m talking City.

The Coast is a Metropolitan Area.

Madison is a One-Woman HOA. 😂