NEWS - Hospitality & Tourism

By Lou Phelps, SBJ Staff

Dec 19. 2011 – Local media in Jackson, Mississippi is reporting that the Jackson Redevelopment Authority has voted against two proposals to build a hotel across from the Jackson Convention Complex that would have provided more hotel rooms closer to the center.

Instead, the Authority will “seek new proposals for a new downtown hotel,” according to The Clarion-Ledger. Public bonds that could have been used for the public/private hotel project are expiring in two week.s The project has been under study for a long period of time.

The Jackson Redevelopment Authority was being asked to support $ 96 million in bonds.

One of the developers that was bidding to build the hotel in Jackson is the same company that proponents of the Savannah hotel have been in discussions with for a new hotel on Hutchinson Island. The Trade Center needs more hotel rooms close to the convention center to help improve the success of the International Maritime Trade & Convention Center, in general.

”Journeyman Austin Holdings of Austin, Texas, proposed a 300-room hotel with a parking garage and neighboring retail. Bob Gallup, a vice president with Journeyman, said his company intends to offer a new proposal,” reports the Associated Press, covering the meeting.

“Transcontinental Realty Investors of Dallas, Texas, proposed a 309-room hotel with surface parking, along with an unspecified amount of retail space around the facility. TCI owns the land to be used for the planned development. Al Crozier, TCI executive vice president, declined to say whether his company plans to re-apply to develop the hotel,” the AP also reports.

The complete story can be found at http://msbusiness.com/2011/12/jra-turns-down-two-proposals-for-downtown-hotel/