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DeSoto County Greenways and Tunica Main Street Announce Great River Road Bike Trail
DeSoto County Greenways and Tunica Main Street Announce Great River Road Bike Trail
HERNANDO, MS – DeSoto County Greenways and Tunica Main Street announce the Great River Road Bike Trail.
The Great River Road Bike Trail begins at Walls, Miss. and follows Old Highway 61 (The Great River Road Scenic Byway) passing through Lake Cormorant to the Tunica County line near Harrah’s Casino.
Stopovers include the future Bass Landing Park, DeSoto County’s only access to the Mississippi River.
The Great River Road has been designated a National Scenic Byway, which is part of the National Scenic Byways, a program of the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration.
The program is a grass-roots collaborative effort established to help recognize, preserve and enhance selected roads throughout the United States. The U.S. Secretary of Transportation recognizes certain roads as All-American Roads or National Scenic Byways based on one or more archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic qualities.
"We are so pleased to be a part of the Great River Road Bike Trail," said Lynn Ryals, Executive Director of Tunica Main Street. "The trail will bring cyclists into our beautiful downtown area who might have bypassed us on Highway 61."
"The route will take them by Veteran’s Memorial Park in town as well as other sites along the way," she said. "Cyclists will have a place to stop and rest in our park and get something to eat at one of the local restaurants."
"The route out to Mhoons Landing Park has a great view of the Mississippi River and our natural landscape," she added.
DeSoto County Greenways has completed sign installation beginning at Walls on Old Highway 61 to the Tunica County line near Harrah’s Casino. Tunica Main Street will add signs beginning at Harrah’s Casino following the Old Highway 61 route to downtown Tunica and Mhoon Landing.
Installation of the signage in Tunica County is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
The bike route features bike signs, logos and mileage marker signs placed at strategic intervals along the 35-mile stretch (11 miles in DeSoto and 24 miles in Tunica) of bike routes. Tunica Main Street is sponsoring the signs within the City of Tunica and Tunica County, and DeSoto County Greenways is sponsoring the DeSoto County portion of the signage.
"Adding signage along existing trails already frequented by area cyclists will ensure cyclists enjoy a safer and more scenic travel environment," said Larry Jarrett, Desoto County Greenways Coordinator. "Having these types of bike trails also promotes tourism for our region, especially along Mississippi’s Great River Road.”
“The Great River Road is a perfect ride for the novice rider and families due to its relatively flat terrain, but it can offer opportunities for the experienced rider to work on speed and interval training," said David Baker, Olive Branch resident and frequent cyclist. “This route provides several opportunities to stop off and rest or sight see, such as Bass Landing or stop in at local restaurants for lunch, so it offers something for everyone."
The Tunica County portion of the Great River Road Bike Trail begins at Harrah’s Casino in Robinsonville at the Tunica County line and follows Old Highway 61 to downtown Tunica. The loop to Mhoon Landing follows Highway 4 to Fox Island Road to Riverview Road and returns to the Great River Road Bicycle Route by traveling east on Old Mhoon Landing Road.
The newly designated bike trail is part of many miles of scenic bikeways, greenways and trails available in DeSoto County, as part of the DeSoto County Greenways system.
For more information on the DeSoto County Greenways, please visit http://www.DeSotogreenways.org. For more information on Tunica Main Street, please visit www .tunicamainstreet.com. Tunica, Mississippi is an official Mississippi Main Street Community. For more information on Mississippi Main Street Association, please go to http://www.msmainstreet.com.
Main Street Has Strong Impact In Four Year Period
Main Street Has Strong Impact In Four Year Period
By Jack Gurner
Reporter
North Mississippi Herald
WATER VALLEY – Over a million dollars in private local investment has been made downtown since the formation of the Water Valley Main Street Association four years ago.
WVMSA President Bobby Turnage spoke at the group’s annual general meeting last Thursday and said that 10 downtown buildings that were empty are now occupied and six of those are complete renovations. “That’s 34 full or part-time jobs.”
He added that there are $1.1 million in annual sales from these new businesses and $400,000 of that is payroll.
Turnage listed some of the WVMSA projects and said they had been well received. He added that in statewide competition, the WVMSA had entered three projects and all three had won. “Over the four years, you can see that the Main Street Association has really put our members and our funds – public and private – to pretty good use.”
Mickey Howley, Director of the WVMSA, explained that the WVMSA is a public/private partnership. “We are really dependent on the good will of the city and we have that,” he said, noting the presence of Mayor Larry Hart. He said that the organization is also dependent on local institutions such as the banks, hospital, and downtown businesses.
“We are very dependent on the energy of members and their volunteer effort,” Howley emphasized as he thanked the group’s members. “I don’t question your motivation. I am just very happy that you are motivated and you are a member of this organization.”
As Howley prepared to give out the annual awards, he said that each award is a piece of Water Valley history. He displayed awards from past years that were made from lumber taken from historic downtown buildings. This year’s awards are made from bricks with local heritage, he said. “These bricks I know have been in Water Valley for about 70 years.”
The 2011 awards included:
Best Revitalization Award – Given to Yalo Studio for converting an old building to another purpose, in this case an art studio.
Best New Store Award – Presented to BTC Old Fashioned Grocery for putting jobs and energy back into the community.
Most Creative Retail Award – Given to Defining Moments/Studio B for bringing a creative retail business downtown.
Saving Heritage Award – Presented to Bill McGregor for his efforts to save the Hendricks Machine Shop building.
Most Creative Main Street Design Project – Awarded to Imagination Station for their work in art education.
Fundraiser of the Year Award – Given to Amos Harvey for his tireless efforts to help provide money for the WVMSA’s work.
Board Member of the Year – Presented to both Eddie Ray and Becky Tatum for going above and beyond of call of duty for the WVMSA.
Volunteer of the Year – Awarded to Betsy Person for her ability to get things done.
At the conclusion of the awards ceremony, Turnage announced that Amy McMinn, Julia Ray, and Cora Ray had been elected to the WVMSA Board of Directors. The three will replace other members who are rolling off the board after serving three-year terms.
For information about joining the Water Valley Main Street Association to help promote the Main Street District, contact the WVMSA office at 207 North Main Street or email:
. You can also call the office at: 662-473-3796.
MMSA announces new Investors
MISSISSIPPI MAIN STREET ANNOUNCES FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL INVESTORS
JACKSON, Miss. -- The Mississippi Main Street Association (MMSA) ended its five-year capital campaign, Main Street MATTERS, in July, and raised 94 percent of its fundraising goal of $1.8 million.
"This is an overwhelming victory for Mississippi Main Street Communities," said Bob Wilson, MMSA Executive Director. "In light of a difficult economic time, our business and industry leaders have come together to pledge their support of Mississippi's downtowns and their continued growth and vitality."
Main Street MATTERS was a five-year, statewide initiative of MMSA to establish a public-private partnership to guide and stimulate the economic growth and vitality of Mississippi's downtown communities.
Developed by corporate and community leaders from around the state, this comprehensive program was a bold effort to bring the private sector together with city, county and state elected officials for the good of 51 Main Street communities and several Network and Association members.
Leland Speed, Interim Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority, and Chairman of EastGroup and Parkway Properties, served as the Capital Campaign Chairman, leading a statewide cadre of 24 corporate leaders who made up the Campaign Leadership Council, calling on area businesses, industries and individuals in three campaign regions of the state to support the Main Street initiative.
"Mississippi Main Street is one of the most cost effective economic development programs we have in our state," Speed said. "Our towns and cities must have healthy cores if they are to prosper."
Financial committments were received from 88 businesses and individuals (listed below) to be allocated over the 2011-2015 term.
"Thanks to these 88 investors, we can implement our five-year program in the nearly 70 communities that MMSA works in," Wilson added.
Goals for the campaign include: supporting local Main Street communities and businesses, increasing economic development in downtown areas, and expanding education and communication outreach about Main Street initiatives.
Through strong alliances with private and public sector leaders and local Main Street programs, MMSA will help foster new businesses and business expansions, new jobs, building rehabilitations and upper floor housing, public/private reinvestments and ensure stable funding for all local Main Street programs.
MMSA will also expand and enhance its communication capabilities and education outreach to ensure that legislators and all corporate and community shareholders are working toward common goals and objectives.
Pass Christian joins Mississippi Main Street
PASS CHRISTIAN JOINS MISSISSIPPI MAIN STREET
By Jeannie Waller
JACKSON, Miss. -- On Wednesday, Oct. 26, the Mississippi Main Street Association (MMSA) will designate the City of Pass Christian as an official Main Street Community. The designation is made possible through a partnership between MMSA and BP America.
The designation ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. in the City Court Building (105 Hiern Avenue).
Pass Christian will become the 51st Main Street Community in Mississippi.
Speakers at the designation will include: Chipper McDermott, Mayor of Pass Christian, Renee Brooks, Alderperson, City of Pass Christian; Diane Peranich, Representative, District 121, Mississippi House of Representatives; Bob Wilson, MMSA Executive Director; Bob Davidge, BP America; and Chuck Ueltschey, Mississippi Power Company and MMSA Immediate Past President.
"This is an ideal time for Pass Christian to join the Main Street program," Wilson said. "The City has visionary leaders and local grassroots support, and with the additional investment by BP America and our other investors in the Main Street program, Pass Christian's downtown district will be headed in the right direction."
"We look forward to working with the current city and county leaders as well as other local and regional partners who are investing in downtown Pass Christian to make it a great place to live, work and play," he said.
Pass Christian named 51st MS Main Street community
WLOX.com
By Danielle Thomas
PASS CHRISTIAN, MS (WLOX) -Pass Christian is hoping a new partnership will be the economic boost the downtown needs to fully bounce back from Hurricane Katrina. The city became the newest Mississippi Main Street community on Wednesday.
At Chili Willie's Pizzeria, the key to making a great pizza is using the right ingredients. The restaurant's owner said creating a successful downtown district takes businesses, and lots of them.
"I think the more competition the better it is for everybody,"said business owner Richard Orr. "It brings more people down here, especially Davis Avenue with new restaurants, art galleries, stuff like that. It's just going to help everybody."
Soon Pass Christian merchants will get to know the Mississippi Main Street strategy for revitalizing downtowns by bringing in resources like landscape and exterior design experts and business training.
Bob Wilson is the Mississippi Main Street Association Executive Director.
"We look at how the community markets itself both inside and outside the community," said Wilson.
"With the economic restructuring, how we can reconstruct that vibrant economy that used to be here," Wilson said. "That involves working with existing merchants, trying to make them as successful as possible. Recruiting others to come into Pass Christian."
Already millions of dollars have been pumped into rebuilding downtown infrastructure. The Main Street designation means the city and its businesses are now eligible for additional grants.
"It's chipping away at small things that we can do to make it better. To make people want to visit here, live, work and play here," said Renee Brooks, Alderman-At-Large. "We're the 51st Main Street community to come on line in Mississippi. They have the proven track record. They know what works and what doesn't work."
Business owner Richard Orr said, "As far as the Main Street goes I think that's only going to help us out with the activities and bringing new faces. Hopefully a lot more money towards the city."
Wilson said since Main Street came to Mississippi it has resulted in $4.5 worth of public and private investment and the creation of 30,000 new jobs.
Pass Christian officials said it would have taken a lot longer to join Mississippi Main Street had it not been for BP America. BP donated funds to the Main Street organization to benefit coast cities.
Copyright 2011 WLOX. All rights reserved.
Main Street comes to Pass
By PRISCILLA LOEBENBERG
SunHerald.com
PASS CHRISTIAN -- The Mississippi Main Street Association designated Pass Christian as the 51st official Main Street Community in the state at a ceremony Wednesday at the City Court Building.
“Main Street is the right model to bring Pass Christian to the next level,” said MMSA Executive Director Bob Wilson.
Alderman Renee Brooks is the city’s Main Street liaison. She said Pass Christian was nearly a clean slate after Hurricane Katrina. Under the leadership of Mayor Chipper McDermott, she said, Main Street and a number of other programs have been put in place to help the city realize its potential.
Brooks said a tax-abatement program is responsible for helping a number of new businesses open their doors on Davis Avenue at the Legier and Sazerac Square developments.
She said with Main Street’s help, old and new businesses will thrive.
“Main Street helps businesses with promotion, marketing, design and organization,” Brooks said. “We are focused on becoming a vibrant, sustainable community.”
Main Street Pass Christian’s first official event will be the Fall Festival downtown Saturday.
“It means we are back,” said state Rep. Diane Peranich about the Main Street designation.
Peranich said BP is responsible in large part because of its generous donation to the MMSA program for coastal cities.
Brooks said it costs $10,000 for a city to join MMSA.
Pass Christian and other cities could not participate without the help of BP and other MMSA partners to cover their “buy-in.”
MMSA is working with Moss Point and plans to designate Long Beach as a Main Street Community in November.
MMSA plans to work with independent business owners in Main Street communities through the “Shop Mississippi Gulf Coast Main Streets” retail consulting campaign.
MMSA is an economic-development program of the National Main Street Center, the Mississippi Development Authority and many strategic partners.
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