The Board of Trustees of the Hinds County Development Authority has issued a resolution in support of Jackson State University’s plan to build a domed arena.
“Jackson State University is an integral component of Hinds County’s economy,” wrote executive director Blake Wallace in his letter about the resolution to JSU President Carolyn W. Meyers. “Physical expansions such as the proposed arena along with expansions in the programs and enrollment of the university consistently serve as proof of your institution’s outstanding role in our community.”
Jackson State University plans to build a 50,000-seat domed arena modeled after Syracuse University’s Carrier Dome in upstate New York. The university envisions that it will use the arena 45 nights a year, and the facility will be used an additional 100 nights to showcase major concerts, events and championships.
The stadium would be completed through a public/private partnership involving multiple entities.
The project’s economic impact – tied to the potential of the city’s medical corridor – could be the largest in Jackson’s history, with more than a half billion dollars being spent in direct costs for construction alone. An analysis by the Institutions of Higher Learning found that the stadium would generate $64.6 million annually in tax revenue. In the first year of construction, the project would produce a $64.8 million increase in personal income and generate $7.22 million for the General Fund.