The papers are saying Jackson State is taking over Memorial Stadium in Jackson

[SwampDawg]

That brings back some old (bad) memories of when I was going to MSU. If I remember correctly our state legislature required us to play a certain number of home games in Jackson. Those of us who didn't have a car and/or couldn't afford a hotel room were out of luck. Of course that was back in the day when most of the time we settled for "moral victories" by getting beat by only 21 points instead of the 28 points on the line.

 

[SwampDawg]

That brings back some old (bad) memories of when I was going to MSU. If I remember correctly our state legislature required us to play a certain number of home games in Jackson. Those of us who didn't have a car and/or couldn't afford a hotel room were out of luck. Of course that was back in the day when most of the time we settled for "moral victories" by getting beat by only 21 points instead of the 28 points on the line.

 

[thatsbaseball]

nm

 

[GloryDawg]

"The Immaculate Deflection"

 

[thatsbaseball]

nm

 

[GloryDawg]

I was there for that game. I was not at the Alabama game in 80. However if everyone who say they were there was really there, there would have been over 100k people at the game. I think that is the most told lie in the History of Miss State sports. (People saying they were there when they really were not there).

 

[jacksonreb1]

that kick and it took us a little time to figure out why the ole miss players were so damn happy. he nailed that kick right down the middle.

 

[VirgilCain]

i was the twinkle in his eye

 

[lxadawg]

nm

 

[idog]

there will be more JSU news soon. they'll be lucky to have any athletic programs left after it's all said and done.</p>

 

[Todd4State]

they'll tear the stadium down and turn it into parking. I can almost guarantee that.

UMC workers, students, and maybe in some cases patients families are really the only ones that use the stadium parking lot- otherwise nothing happens there 95% of the rest of the year.

And I'm not exactly looking for UMC to start a football program like UAB anytime in my lifetime.

 

[FlabLoser]

...you know, the model where you pour in millions right before you shut it down.

 

[Todd4State]

The M-Braves had come to town with AA baseball, and a stadium that blew Smith-Wills out of the water. They never had a chance to survive, and honestly did the best that they possibly could under the circimstances.

Serves Con Maloney right for selling out baseball in Jackson with the Mets and then the Generals. And yeah, I know the Jackson City Council gave him the big middle finger time and time again, but he could have moved the team out to Pearl, Madison, Clinton or wherever and kept baseball in town. He packed his toys and went home when Nolan Ryan moved the team in Round Rock up to AAA because Maloney had some infatuation with the Texas League for whatever reason, and then the team moved to Corpus Christi.

Even more damaging was Smith-Wills losing the Governor's Cup and all of the other D-I baseball games to Trustmark Park, which was inevitable. When State and Ole Miss both agree unanimously on something- it's pretty rare. Those games draw more fans than pretty much any pro game will in Jackson. Unless the actual Atlanta Braves came to town. Also, the Southern League fits the Jackson Metro area a lot better than the Texas League. It never made any sense to me that we were playing teams from Midland and El Paso Tx.

I must say that I'm glad it happened though- we have a nice stadium in town, and they do a really good job promoting the team and with the game experience. Adding Chik-Fil-A and Pizza Shak- that never would have happened in a million years at Smith-Wills. It has grass as opposed to that ******** at Smith-Wills with the tire chunks. I really could go on and on. They do a much better job of hosting the college baseball games and the Governor's Cup than Smith-Wills. To me, it felt like there was an Ole Miss slant to the Mayor's Trophy at Smith-Wills- I thought it was my "maroon colored glasses", but I honestly haven't seen a slant to any team since they moved the game to Trustmark Park. Maybe it was just me pissed off at Polk treating it like an exhibition game while Ole Miss treated it like a real game- which it was. More than likely, it was the PA announcer- I think it was Glen Waddle who does Ole Miss games as well. The fact that they were able to host the C-USA Tournament and have actually had semi-serious mentions of hosting the SEC Tournament are impressive as well.

I do remember being at the last Mayor's Trophy Game- which was the first year Trustmark Park opened up. And Con Maloney basically getting down on the field before the game and pleading for people to come and then he floored me by comparing Smith-Wills to Wrigley Field. I almost fell out of my seat laughing. What's really sad is I'm pretty sure Wrigley Field as old as it is, is in better shape than that dump on Lakeland Dr. in it's best days. Hence why I know call Smith-Wills..... Smith-Wrigley. We lost that game, but that moment almost made up for it.

At least Smith-Wrigley is used by Belhaven and they have baseball showcases and other things there like high school football, so at least it gets more use than the Vet.

 

[LTblows]

Which is almost what needs to happen. Because of it's proximity to Fondren and all the Medical jobs, it makes sense to tear it down and create a high density mixed use community where medical office is the anchor. No where else in Jackson is the market so strong for this type of development. It could be a fantastic opportunity for the city, but I have a feeling that when the land is given over to UMC, they will squander the opportunity to create a vivid, special place and instead just plop medical buildings down and not touch the residential and retail demand along State Street across from UMC.

Edit for correct spelling.

 

[FlabLoser]

I get all that.

Jackson dumped a lot of money in Smith Wills (turf) after the M Braves started playing at Trustmark Park. Expensive lipstick on a pig, polishing a turd, etc. Right at a time when everybody saw that place's days were numbered.

MS Vet Stadium is Smith Wills all over again.

 

[LTblows]

but he could have moved the team out to Pearl, Madison, Clinton or wherever and kept baseball in town.

Trustmark Park should have been in downtown Jackson. The developers tried working with the city so they could bring the baseball team and the Bass Pro into downtown. But Harvey didn't understand how big a jewel that'd be for downtown and his inaction led the developers to Pearl, who were aggressively lobbying for the development.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Link.</p>

 

[idog]

Bryant can keep preaching a new stadium for JSU, but it won't matter soon. if what i have heard is true, then JSU has a good shot of not having a football program pretty soon. that said, i'm sure they'll try to drag their feet so they get this season in before taking the hammer from the NCAA so we may not hear anything until mid/postseason.

 

[GloryDawg]

Smith - Wills that is.</p>

 

[LTblows]

if Jackson ever wants to step up from a tertiary market to a secondary market, which it has the ability to do. I think Phil just got my vote. Thanks for the link.

 

[Todd4State]

But as far as expanding the medical center as far as clinics, what is going to happen first is they are going to tear down the old apartments that are on campus that were once used for medical residents and their families and put them there. Actually- let me clarify- I know that they are going to put some buildings there, but I'm not sure what they will be yet. But they've just opened a new classroom wing and the Guyton Building, so it seems logical to me to put clinics out where the apartments are.

If you put clinics where the Vet is, and don't change the parking lot, and continue to add students, and employees, they're going to have an even bigger parking problem.


Right now, the new pharmacy school is the top priority, and it should be open pretty soon.

 

[Todd4State]

I would have put it on Capitol St. The problem with the Jackson city Council and baseball going back to Con Maloney was they always wanted to get all of the money and benefits from it, but they didn't want to put any money into it.

But, Capitol St. would be a great location because of the proximity to the suburbs, the fact that it was once the hub of the city where people would go, and also because of the revitalization that is taking place there now with the King Edward Hotel and the Standard Life Building.

I wouldn't put it on the fairgrounds because that's where the original Jackson Senators stadium was, and it was destroyed by a tornado, thus ending the Jackson Senators.

 

[Ford76]

I am glad that Trustmark wasn't built in Jackson. Why would I want to drive on some pot hole infested torn up street to get to a game in one of the top 10 most dangerous cities in America? Harvey keep on doing your surveys and let real development happen on the outskirts.

 

[GloryDawg]

bd

 

[LTblows]

and have no effing clue what you're actually saying. Go call up Catvet and walk around your culdesac in the burbs.

 

[Ford76]

Just so I know where you are going with this, what or who is Catvet?

 

[Todd4State]

When you have a stadium downtown, it attracts people. Let's say the M-Braves draw 2,000 fans a game on average just to throw a number out there. That's 2,000 more people coming downtown, and those people also bring business. So, what happens is businesses pop up because there is business to be had. That also means that the city is forced to upgrade the area- or fix the potholes in this case.

Also with it being on Capitol St., it would be pretty close to Farish St.- which would have helped get that area going, which it really hasn't to this day. Fondren is 10x more active than Farish St.

Look at Trustmark Park- there are a ton of restaurants and hotels on the road between there and the interstate. That's because people go to the game and beforehand or afterwards, they want to eat.

With a downtown ballpark, I've seen some teams actually incorporate apartments almost into the stadium where someone could live in the apartment, and then sit on their balcony and watch the game. Sort of like Wrigley Field. That would be very appealing to a baseball fan like me that works and goes to church downtown.

 

[LTblows]

Todd4State wrote:
With a downtown ballpark, I've seen some teams actually incorporate apartments almost into the stadium where someone could live in the apartment, and then sit on their balcony and watch the game. Sort of like Wrigley Field. That would be very appealing to a baseball fan like me that works and goes to church downtown.

Totally helped to revitalize the West End of downtown. Great area. Great stadium.

Edit for pic:

<div style="text-align: center;">

</div>