Seven Jackson neighborhood associations have written letters to Jackson State University President Carolyn W. Meyers expressing their support for JSU’s proposed domed stadium.
“We are pleased to support the University’s plan to construct a football stadium near the Jackson State University campus,” wrote Mississippi State Rep. Alyce G. Clarke, president of the West Central Jackson Improvement District. “There are many positive aspects of this proposed plan that will benefit our residents; the opportunity for jobs within walking distance of residents; improved infrastructure; entertainment options that could keep taxes in our city and the list goes on.”
The West Central Jackson Improvement District serves as the umbrella organization for more than 10,000 residents living within a one-mile radius of the campus.
Other community organizations that wrote letters supporting the stadium include the Battlefield Community Watch Group, the Capitol Neighbors Association, the Dalton-Deer Park Community Association, the Hemingway Circle Neighborhood Association, the University Park Neighborhood Association and the Washington Addition Neighborhood Association.
Plans for the 50,000-seat domed stadium were announced to campus during the university’s Feb. 27 Spring Update.
“It’s been your dream for many years to have a stadium located on the campus,” said David Hoard, vice president for Institutional Advancement, to thunderous applause in the Rose Embly McCoy Auditorium. “This is a game changer.”
The stadium project has received the endorsement of area chambers of commerce, the Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau, and city and county leaders. The facility would have a tremendous economic impact for the entire region since it will allow Jackson to draw big events that normally choose other venues.
There are four potential sites for the facility. The stadium would be used for all of JSU’s athletic events and would be made available for concerts and other activities that call for a larger venue. No other university in the South would have a stadium on the level of the one proposed for JSU.
The stadium, which is estimated to cost $200 million, will be funded through a public/private partnership involving multiple entities. There are currently 14 possible funding streams being sought, including personal seat licenses, box rentals, state of Mississippi contributions, Hinds County support, New Market Tax Credits and naming rights.