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Posted Sep 4, 2024, 10:28 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: May 2023
Location: JXN Mississippi
Posts: 1,227
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Boutique hotel slated for Fondren in Jackson
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Business is booming in the Fondren district of Jackson, and the newest development in the hip and funky area proves the point.
Ground is expected to be broken on a $25 million 111-room boutique-style Hampton Inn with first-floor retail and dining space along State Street between the Station pizza restaurant and Pig and Pint BBQ during the first quarter of 2025.
The development was originally slated to get off the ground a couple of years ago, but the Jackson water crisis was a factor in the delay.
Chico Patel, CEO of Wealth Hospitality, which is spearheading the project, also built the 125-room Homewood Suites, just down the street and also in the Fondren District. There, he said the hotel was having issues with getting water pressure to the top floor.
"We just wanted to wait and make sure," Patel said.
Now, he said they are full steam ahead on the Hampton project and he loves the Fondren area to build the hotel.
"(Homewood Suites) is now performing at a high, high level because it is right in the center of the medical district," he said. "You have Millsaps (College), Belhaven (University); the children's hospital sends us a lot of business because that is a an extended-stay hotel. Obviously being close to Veteran's Stadium is a big help with football season now here. There was room to grow."
So there will be two hotels within walking distance that combine for nearly 240 rooms and almost $50 million in investment in the last several years for Fondren.
"There is just a huge demand for hotels in that district," Patel said. "The state capitol is right down the road, and there are so many amenities build right in just in walking distance. It's a natural fit. With the Trade Mart and coliseum not far away, there's events and graduations that people are always in town for. There is a mixture of everything."
Patel said he is hopeful the five-story Hampton with onsite parking can be completed by the end of 2026.
In the retail space on the first floor, Patel expects there to be an "upscale wine bar" with tapas food selections. He said the design of that first-floor project will begin shortly.
Patel and Wealth Hospitality also own and developed the 108-room Holiday Inn Express in Ridgeland, which was completed in the Spring of 2024 at a cost of $16 million.
Wealth Hospitality mainly works with Hilton, Hyatt and IHG for development.
Patel said his company has built more than 70 hotels nationwide the last 10 years and has another 40, including the one in Fondren and a couple of more in the Jackson Metro area in the pipeline to be built in the next 24 months.
Rebecca Garrison, the executive director of the Fondren Renaissance Foundation said the new hotel from Wealth Hospitality is coming at just the right time.
"As our entertainment offerings continue to grow, it’s really important to have more hotel beds strategically located the Fondren Business District," Garrison said. "But’s the need is really much greater than for out-of-towners coming for a concert or a show. We see a strong demand for business travelers who like to stay where they can walk to a wide variety of restaurants. Fondren’s proximity to UMMC and Veterans Memorial Stadium, alone, brings the demand for rooms to a much greater number than we currently have."
Thinking even further down the road, Garrison said the Fondren district hopes to be in the market for small conferences and conventions in the future.
"Currently, we just don’t have the availability of hotel rooms to even think about bringing in an extra group of 30 to 40 people for a couple of days," she said. "That's where this new hotel comes into play. Homewood Suites has been a great neighbor on the south end of Fondren. Having a sister hotel on the north end is going to open up a lot of possibilities for Fondren."
https://www.clarionledger.com/story/...s/75058019007/
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Electric aircraft to charge at Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport
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• Video Link
Rosa Beckett, CEO of the Jackson Municipal Airport Authority (JMAA), left, and Sam Hobbs, right, with Beta Technologies, open up a press conference to questions regarding a Beta charger for electric aircraft that is now at the Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport in Jackson, Miss., Tuesday, Sept 3, 2023. The universal charger is one of four in Mississippi. There are 32 aircraft chargers across the country.
Sam Hobbs, with Beta Technologies, answers questions during a news conference regarding the Beta charger for electric aircraft that is now at the Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport in Jackson, Miss., Tuesday, Sept 3, 2023. The universal charger is one of four in Mississippi. There are 32 aircraft chargers across the country.
A Beta charger for electric aircraft is now at Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport in Jackson, Miss., seen Tuesday, Sept 3, 2023. The universal charger is one of four in Mississippi. There are 32 aircraft chargers across the country.
Rosa Beckett, CEO of the Jackson Municipal Airport Authority (JMAA), speaks during a news conference about a Beta charger for electric aircraft that is now at Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport in Jackson, Miss., Tuesday, Sept 3, 2023. The universal charger is one of four in Mississippi. There are 32 aircraft chargers across the country. Beta electric aircraft is expected to be operational in 2025.
Sam Hobbs, center left, with Beta Technologies, and Rosa Beckett, CEO of the Jackson Municipal Airport Authority (JMAA), center right, cut the ribbon for a Beta charger for electric aircraft that is now at the Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport in Jackson, Miss., Tuesday, Sept 3, 2023. The universal charger is one of four in Mississippi. There are 32 aircraft chargers across the country.
A Beta charger for electric aircraft is now at Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport in Jackson, Miss., seen Tuesday, Sept 3, 2023. The universal charger is one of four in Mississippi. There are 32 aircraft chargers across the country.
https://www.clarionledger.com/pictur...t/75057993007/
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Entergy Mississippi to build first new natural gas power station in 50 years
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The new station will be located in Greenville and will replace the Gerald Andrus Steam Electric Station.
Entergy Mississippi announced on Tuesday that it was building a new natural gas power station in Greenville.
The company said it plans to retire the Gerald Andrus Steam Electric Station, replacing the older power plant with more advanced and efficient technology once construction is complete and the new station in up and running sometime in 2028.
It is the first new natural gas power station Entergy Mississippi has built in 50 years. It will also be the first combined-cycle combustion turbine power station the company has built from the ground up.
Entergy’s goal is to ensure customers continue to have modern, reliable energy well into the future.
“As our customers’ needs and environmental factors evolve, so must our fleet. We’re investing in cleaner, more efficient power generation now, to help us keep bills lower for customers than they otherwise would be in the future,” said Haley Fisackerly, president and CEO of Entergy Mississippi.
According to a statement from the company, the combined-cycle combustion turbine facility is a dual-fuel technology. While natural gas is the primary resource, the advanced facility will be designed to support blended hydrogen to produce reliable energy.
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Entergy said that over the past two decades, they have bought three natural gas power stations, the most recent of which was Choctaw Energy Facility in French Camp in 2019. The others were Attala Plant in Sallis in 2006 and Hinds Energy Facility in Jackson in 2012.
In addition to the current natural gas units, Entergy said the Sunflower Solar Station near Ruleville and the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in Port Gibson are generating emission-free electricity and contributing to the company’s diverse and reliable power generation mix.
Entergy Mississippi purchased the solar facility in 2022 and owns a portion of the nuclear plant which has been in operation since 1985.
Entergy provides electricity to approximately 459,000 customers in 45 counties in Mississippi.
https://magnoliatribune.com/2024/09/...n-in-50-years/
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Newk’s Cares returns for 2024 to raise funds for ovarian cancer research
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JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Newk’s Eatery announced the return of its annual “Lori’s Day” event, which raises funds for ovarian cancer research.
This year’s “Lori’s Day” will be held on September 24, with 20% of all sales from Newk’s Eatery locations nationwide donated to advancing ovarian cancer research and supporting patients and their families.
Lori Newcomb, the co-founder of Newk’s Cares and the late wife of Newk’s Eatery Founder and Executive Chairman Chris Newcomb, battled with stage IIIC ovarian cancer. Diagnosed in 2013, she passed away in 2019, inspiring the Newk’s Cares initiative that her daughter Madison Newcomb continues to champion.
The company has donated more than $2.5 million to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA) over the past 10 years.
“We started Newk’s Cares to honor my mother’s memory by helping those who face the same struggle,” said Madison Newcomb. “I am so proud of all that Newk’s, our team members and our generous guests have done over the last decade and beyond to fund critical research and raise awareness for the importance of ovarian cancer screening for women across the nation. This disease not only affects families but communities as a whole — we are driven to continue supporting those families and communities.”
Throughout September, Newk’s Eatery locations across the country will turn teal to honor the color of ovarian cancer awareness. Special signage, collectible cups and donation ribbons will educate guests about the disease, and patrons will also have the option to contribute to the cause by donating $1, $3 or $5 at checkout. Online, Newk’s customers can purchase Newk’s Cares water bottles, with 10 cents from each bottle going to OCRA.
Newk’s Eatery will also host an Ovarian Cycle spin bike event on September 20 in Jackson with proceeds benefiting OCRA.
https://www.wjtv.com/living-local/fo...ncer-research/
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