Each year at The University of Southern Mississippi, at William Carey University, and at Pearl River Community College, a new group of college students breathes additional life into the city of Hattiesburg. Many of them are new to one of the Gulf South’s premier cities—and they come from every county in Mississippi, every region of the country, and all parts of the world. You might say that in this way they are the lungs of the City of Hattiesburg and Forrest County.
And while many of you know me from my work at USM, I write today to talk not about our city’s lungs, but its heart—downtown Hattiesburg. This year I have the high honor of serving as the Downtown Hattiesburg Association’s president, a position in which I get the opportunity to add to the good work of so many others on behalf of the heart of our city.
Jim Coll, 2020 President of the Downtown Hattiesburg Association
If you are unfamiliar with downtown, here are a few reminders. It is the place where Rock and Roll was born, and where Freedom Summer kicked open the doors of opportunity for many, while opening the ears and eyes of many others. It is a place where thousands of Mississippians gather for the Craft Beer Festival, Live at 5, or to ring in the New Year, and thousands more come together each year for a Star-Spangled Celebration that is a perfect representation of the diverse, vibrant community we all love.
So, the question I have for you is this: what good are limbs, what good are lungs, without a heart? The answer should be obvious—to thrive you must first care for the heart of this city. It is to ensure that the highs of a Star-Spangled Celebration are not followed by a fairly uneventful Tuesday afternoon. It is to make certain that our highs become a new plateau, a new normal.
To be sure, Downtown Hattiesburg and the Downtown Hattiesburg Association have come a long way in a short period of time. In the past three years, 35 new businesses opened, and public and private investment in the area topped $60 million in 2019. In the past three years, private investment alone topped $32 million. Thousands of visitors have come to downtown for the first time, while thousands of others return frequently for events at the historic Saenger Theater, in Chain and Town Square parks, at the Train Depot, and so many other locations.
We have come a long, long way. Thanks to a supportive community and strong partners; committed merchants, city, and county administrators; a staff with an unparalleled work ethic; and a passionate board, DHA is an organization with momentum. Downtown Hattiesburg has momentum. But to be certain, the next steps—the ones that create an environment for long-term, sustainable success—are among the most challenging.
DHA has set lofty goals for 2020, goals that will set a stage for success for decades to come. We intend to strategically build an organization that lasts; aggressively promote the businesses and events that make downtown special; ensure that critical signage and wayfinding helps visitors make their way to and around downtown; and ambitiously pursue impactful economic development projects. We intend to pursue those goals with the passion that the heart of this city deserves. I invite you to join us as we work toward realizing a vision of a healthy, vibrant, energized downtown Hattiesburg.
Jim Coll is the 2020 President of the Downtown Hattiesburg Association. He can be reached at jimcollpr@gmail.com.