Command Realty Group
Hilton Embassy Suites Hotel – Mayor’s Report
May 18th, 2023“Project Sky” is the alias I assigned to this project when I first became involved in the recruitment and process to bring it to Southaven in 2017! I called it this because I wanted to see something different here that changed the skyline. After countless discussions, Project Sky is about to become reality in Southaven, bringing the first-ever full-service hotel to Desoto County. This beautiful, skyline-changing, $65-million development will be a 7-story, 240-room hotel on 6 acres at Pepper Chase/Venture Rds with a 10,000 square-foot restaurant, 3,554 square feet of meeting space, fitness/yoga room, lobby workstation, lazy river, and resort-style swimming pool, all connected via covered walkway to a newly-expanded convention center at the Landers Center. This entire project is a three-pronged partnership including the City of Southaven, Desoto County, and the Desoto County Convention & Visitors Bureau to incentivize private hotelier, Premier Lodging, LLC to build the private hotel development and attach it to the new convention center. The convention center expansion at the Landers Center was critical in attracting this high-quality hotel. Desoto County has agreed to issue bonds for $38.5 million along with a $17 million cash investment by the DCCVB for the new 275,000 square-foot convention center that will be built adjacent and just north of the current Landers Center facility, which will further connect to the hotel on the north end. The City of Southaven’s Board of Aldermen voted in favor of allowing the Mississippi Development Authority’s Tourism Rebate Program for a sales tax incentive to the hotelier to make the hotel financially feasible. Construction of both the convention center and hotel are projected to begin simultaneously in the third quarter of 2023 with completion and opening projected in 2025. This will become the only convention center in the state of Mississippi with a hotel on site. This project, along with Tanger Outlets, will become the cornerstones of tremendous future development in the Metropolitan District (Church Road from Pepper Chase to Elmore Rds) creating a new tourism draw for the entire county of Desoto that has never existed before as economic spillover will transcend Southaven. These are strong words, but I sincerely believe this development will positively impact Desoto County’s future more than any other.
https://southaven.org/Blog.aspx?IID=175
Jon Reeves, Tribute Hall Honoree
March 6th, 2023As I honor the special people who’ve made exemplary contributions to Southaven in our history, none span more than Jon Reeves! He began serving our citizens in the community of Southaven in 1963 and is still invested in our business community today. After an admirable military career in the U.S. Army, Mr. Reeves and his soon-to-be bride were looking for a place to start their future journey together when he was offered his first civilian job by successful multi-enterprise business entrepreneur, Cary Whitehead, and his company, Allied Investment Company. Allied, who later changed their name to Allied Mortgage and Development Company, played a key role in the initial development of Southaven with utilities, home construction, and mortgage services for many of the very first homeowners from their office on Highway 51 just north of Stateline Rd. Mr. Reeves started a connection with Southaven with this first job in 1963 providing mortgage services. Mr. Whitehead saw something special in the young Jon Reeves and made him his “go-to” man for many new business ventures, never worrying about experience but requiring him to be quick on his feet and learn with on-the-job training. One of these ventures was building Holiday Inns around the country. While on the east coast overseeing hotel construction, Mr. Reeves and his new bride built their first home. Before construction was final, they had an offer from a prospective buyer. Since their home was not for sale, Mr. Reeves agreed to build another home just like it for that person, which further resulted in a third request. Then, as we say, “the rest was history”. Jon Reeves was assigned by Cary Whitehead in the ‘60s to assist in building Allied’s new office building. After completion, he worked in an office next to Mr. Whitehead on the 4th floor of this new building that later became and still is, Southaven City Hall. In the late ‘60s, along with fellow Allied employee, Bob Williams, he operated a produce business called, “The Market Place”, at the location of the original Allied offices on Highway 51. After a few years, the partners closed this business and created R&W Builders which later became Reeves-Williams, one of the largest residential home builders in Southaven’s history. After selling Reeves-Williams in the early 2000s, Mr. Reeves has continued to develop both residential and commercial properties in Southaven and has been a mentor and friend to countless other business people in our city. While reflecting on his life in Southaven, Mr. Reeves smiled when he told me that he commonly has people approach him and say, “Hey, you built my home”. As he looked back even more, he said, “I’ve always been a part of Southaven from the beginning and 90% of my life has been Southaven”. And, for that, Sir, Southaven is grateful!
https://southaven.org/Blog.aspx?IID=171
Mayor’s Report – Getwell South Widening Project
February 23rd, 2023It’s a “Woo Hoo” and “Oh Crap” moment all at the same time! Any kind of road construction is a pain in the tail, but this project will mitigate the worst traffic congestion problem in our city involving a city-maintained street/road. We have been trying to solve this very expensive problem since 2015 when we made application for federal transportation funds through the Metropolitan Planning Organization Agency. Why did it take so long? We jumped many hurdles along the way as metropolitan jurisdictions must share limited funding for this program. When it was finally “our turn”, we complied with MDOT processes as they are charged with managing federal transportation funds. Then, you start the right-of-way purchase for the land needed to widen the road which takes on a life of its own with family trusts, absentee owners, and interesting personalities. The financial magnitude of this project… The last piece of bad news is what we’re all tired of hearing about…inflation! This project was original projected to cost $10,545,740. The federal fund allocation is $7,887,061. The lowest bid and actual cost of this project is $14,060,127! Since the Star Landing intersection improvements were included in a previous Desoto County MPO project that extended from Star Landing to Pleasant Hill Rd, the City could not include this in our project per MPO rules. Desoto County is assisting with this intersection signal and widening which costs $875,000, leaving the City with the remainder of the project cost totaling $5,298,066. Enough about the labor pains, let me show you what this baby will look like! This project will widen Getwell Rd south of Church Rd to Star Landing Rd from two lanes to five lanes, including a median for improved safety and new signals at College Rd and Star Landing Rd, as previously noted. The west side of the road will also be prepped for a future multi-use pedestrian trail as future funding becomes available. This project will eliminate the current “bottleneck” at Church Rd. Before you ask… As I mentioned above, improving transportation grids in a city growing like Southaven takes detailed planning. Many future projects are already planned, just pending funding. Specifically, Getwell will need to be widened further to I-269 as the opening of this interstate system has already dramatically changed daily traffic counts. Southaven and Desoto County have had many discussions about this and will continue to pursue a complete solution on the busiest north/south arterial road in our county, excluding federal and state routes. Construction of this long-awaited project officially begins on March 1 with an estimated two-year timeframe for completion.
https://southaven.org/Blog.aspx?IID=170#item
Mayor’s Report – First Tribute Hall Honoree, Chief Vernon McCammon
August 8th, 2022It’s time to celebrate our history! One of my goals has been to honor the people in our history who’ve contributed exemplary efforts in making Southaven a great place to live. When City Hall was renovated in 2020, we incorporated a new design for a tribute hall that will be further adjoined to a new archive library near the entrance of the building. This is a great, high-profile location to honor our people and our history. There could not have been an easier decision by our Board of Aldermen and me than to make the very first honoree, Chief Vernon McCammon. Chief McCammon joined the Southaven Fire Department as a volunteer in October, 1968, twelve years before our city’s incorporation. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1971, then Chief in 1974. While serving as Fire Chief in the mid-1970s, he also joined the inaugural team who created the first-ever EMS service in Desoto County. When Southaven became a city in April, 1980, he was the obvious choice and became the first, official Fire Chief in the City of Southaven. He served the City as Fire Chief during monumental growth years, meeting the public safety needs of our citizens from the early days of one fire station and red, land-line fire phones, to pagers, then to the most modern technology and four fire stations when he retired in October, 2006. During this time, he hired and mentored hundreds of men and women who’ve followed his outstanding model of service. Chief McCammon has been interwoven into the fibers of Southaven since he moved here with his wife in the 1960s, raising his family here, helping build facilities, and extending a helping hand to whomever, whenever there has been a need. Recently, I had the privilege of sitting down with Chief and asked him what he thought the key was to his success as a leader. His response was, “I’m a people person”. Indeed you are, Sir! Thank you for your service and congratulations!
https://southaven.org/Blog.aspx?IID=158#item
Mayor’s Report – Honda of Southaven
December 7th, 2021It was my privilege to join Lou and Mike Sobh today as they broke ground on their new Honda auto dealership in Southaven. The Lou Sobh Automotive Group is a nationally respected company with the finest reputation of customer service standards. They have already proven to be a great corporate citizen committed to supporting the communities where they operate. The first-ever Honda dealership will be a great addition to our economy and offer our citizens and other local consumers another quality automobile option. Honda of Southaven will be located near the southeastern corner of the Goodman/Elmore intersection and is projected to open for business in the 3rd quarter of 2022. - Mayor Darren Musselwhite
https://southaven.org/Blog.aspx?IID=152
Entergy considers new Southaven substation
November 15th, 2021Entergy says it needs to provide more electric power to the growing DeSoto County area and a substation near the Getwell Road corridor of Southaven may be where that could happen. “In fact, we have several new substations under construction or planned in DeSoto County, including two more in Lewisburg and Hernando,” said Entergy Customer Services Manager Robert Johnston recently. A location is far from settled, but one possible spot for a substation could be the area of Tchulahoma Road and Windy Lane in Southaven on 10 acres of land. A new substation for Southaven has been something Entergy has been considering the past couple of years, thanks to demand and growth. “We have to work with the Public Service Commission to make sure that we get the Certificate of Need that justifies the need,” said Entergy Director of Business and Economic Development Ed Gardner. “We have to locate the property and negotiate the purchase of property, and that in itself is difficult in a fast-growing area.” Entergy would also have to obtain easements for distribution lines and if the Tchulahoma location is selected, those lines would need to be along streets, such as Central Parkway, Getwell Road, and others. Entergy filed its petition to build the substation with the Mississippi Public Service Commission in late October. Docket 2021-UA-176 was filed on Oct. 29. “DeSoto (County) is one of the fastest growing areas of the state and Entergy has invested a significant amount in the area to meet the county’s service reliability needs,” Johnston wrote in an email to DeSoto County News. “Our economic development department has been involved in numerous projects that have resulted in significant investment and job creation in the area.” Gardner said the exploding growth of the area demands more power distribution. “Over the last 10 years, DeSoto County has grown by 1.5-1.6 percent per year,” Gardens said. “In the last five years, between 2015-2020, the county grew nine percent, so you’re looking at almost two percent growth per year. There’s a lot of residential growth, but one of the drivers for the growth is the industrial distribution growth.” Gardner mentioned projects such as the new Medline distribution center, Amazon, O’Reilly Auto Parts and the Associated Warehouse Grocers center in Hernando, which has all increased electric needs for the area. Johnston cautioned the substation project is a continuing process and the facility going “on line” is still some months away. He added residents affected will know about it in formal notifications from Entergy. “We are all in negotiations and nothing has been finalized but it could be late 2022 or early 2023 to actually bring it all online,” Johnston said. “There’s a formal process to notify customers about it, if rights-of-way will be taken, and for negotiations being made on land. Anybody affected by where the final location is will be notified.” City officials say they are aware of Entergy looking at a new substation and has asked the utility to continue keeping the City abreast of the progress.
https://desotocountynews.com/desoto-county-news/entergy-considers-new-southaven-substation/
Olive Branch again rated high from Money Magazine
September 14th, 2021Once again, the city of Olive Branch is gaining attention on a national level as a great place to live. Money Magazine Tuesday released its annual "Best Places to Live" list and the DeSoto City city of over 41,000 people is right there once again, this time ranked 23rd among the top 50 "best places to live." The city has consistently been highly ranked, reaching number five in 2017. The write up from Money Magazine lists the Old Towne Historic District, Brussel's Bonsai Nursery, Olive Branch Farmers Market and the one private and three public golf courses. The article also points out the easy accessibility to Beale Street and downtown Memphis, along with the more than 80 businesses that have located in Olive Branch, including Williams-Sonoma, Snap-On Tools, and Cardinal Health. It states the city's median income is at more than $82,000 annually, the median home price is more than $258,000 and the unemployment rate is at six-percent. Money Magazine stated a number of factors it takes into account when forming its annual list. One hundred different metrics were looked and were organized into nine categories: Cost of Living Economic opportunity Diversity Education Fun (aka amenities) Health & safety Housing market Income & personal finances Quality of life You can read the item on Olive Branch on the Money Magazine website.
https://desotocountynews.substack.com/p/olive-branch-again-rated-high-from?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjozMzUyNDk2MSwicG9zdF9pZCI6NDEzMTI0MjksIl8iOiJjSVltZSIsImlhdCI6MTYzMTY2MjY1NywiZXhwIjoxNjMxNjY2MjU3LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMzI4NjcxIiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.DJUk36XmAmMF3EiIOu0l75idSDzxh8XMkwdcJs7BhnY-
Mayor’s Report – Getwell Road South Widening Project
August 4th, 2021Our largest funded priority in mitigating traffic congestion in the City of Southaven is the widening of Getwell Rd south of Church Rd to Star Landing Rd. This is a massive project expected to cost approximately $9.8 million that has been contingent upon federal funding through the Metropolitan Planning Organization. The City made application for these funds in 2015 knowing that we had a dire problem even then. The MPO funding will provide approximately $7.5 million with the City paying the remaining estimated $2.3 million. We have pressed for this project to be awarded funding and to get it under construction, but have been at the mercy of federal fund availability and federal processes. We are now close. Construction is projected to begin in early spring of 2022 with completion two years later. This project will widen Getwell to five lanes and correct the traffic “bottleneck” at Church Rd. It will include a landscaped median to improve safety and a 10-ft multi-use pedestrian trail on the west side. The intersection of College and Getwell will also be widened with proper turning lanes and new mast-arm traffic signals. This project is part of a comprehensive transportation improvement plan implemented in 2015 to address the traffic challenges brought about by our tremendous economic growth. It will bring a huge value to the Getwell corridor and be supplemented by additional future projects.
https://southaven.org/Blog.aspx?IID=149 
More jobs coming to DeSoto County with the addition of AeroSafe Global to the I-22 Logistics Park!
July 29th, 2021The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) Wednesday announced that AeroSafe Global, a provider of cold chain solutions for the safe, sustainable delivery and effective use of biopharmaceuticals across the supply chain, is locating a branch of its manufacturing operations to Olive Branch in the I-22 Logistics Park. “Health care and manufacturing go hand-in-hand in Mississippi, as both industries are strong economic drivers for our state, particularly in North Mississippi,” said Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves. “We are proud to welcome AeroSafe Global as the newest corporate partner to the state of Mississippi, a move that reinforces Mississippi’s stance as a leader in these important sectors, and we thank the company for bringing 100 exciting job opportunities to DeSoto County. MDA said the project is a $2.5 million corporate investment that will create 100 jobs. “After 15 years in service to our biopharma partners with a dedicated team of more than 250 employees, we are thrilled to announce plans for a new, state-of-the-art operating facility in Olive Branch,” said AeroSafe Global CEO Jay McHarg. “The DeSoto County region has the business climate, talent pipeline and infrastructure to support the continued growth of AeroSafe, and we are excited to become an active and valued member of the local community.” Headquartered in Rochester, New York, AeroSafe Global is internationally recognized, serving biopharmaceutical customers around the world. The company’s innovative cold-chain-as-a-service offering, the AeroChain, includes proprietary technologies and turnkey solutions that biopharmaceutical manufacturers require for shipping temperature-sensitive products, including the COVID-19 vaccine. In Olive Branch, the company will produce critical components used to protect critical cold chain medical and clinical shipments. “Olive Branch welcomes AeroSafe Global, and we are certain they will find superior transportation options, as well as the labor market and amenities of this area, will contribute to their continued success,” said Olive Branch Mayor Ken Adams. The Mississippi Development Authority has certified AeroSafe Global through the Advantage Jobs Rebate Program, which is available for eligible businesses that create new jobs exceeding the average annual wage of the state or county in which the company locates or expands. DeSoto County and the city of Olive Branch also are assisting with the project. “Additionally, we appreciate the teams at the DeSoto County Economic Development Council, the DeSoto County Board of Supervisors and the City of Olive Branch for working with MDA to secure this exciting win for our great state,” added MDA Executive Director John Rounsaville. The company will begin hiring for the new jobs in August.
https://desotocountynews.com/desoto-county-news/aerosafe-global-to-locate-in-olive-branch/
Whataburger could add another Southaven location
May 28th, 2021It appears there may be another Whataburger restaurant coming to Southaven. The Tuesday, June 1 Southaven Board of Aldermen agenda includes an item on the Planning and Zoning agenda for a design review approval from the burger franchise for two locations. One is the location already announced on the northwest corner of Goodman Road and Malco Blvd., in the former TGIFriday’s restaurant site now vacant. The second is for another location in the Getwell Road corridor, south of Goodman Road in what is labeled as the Snowden Farms PUD. Whataburger, a popular fast-food restaurant chain, announced in early May it was re-entering the Mid-South market, first to the Southaven location on Goodman Road near the Malco DeSoto Theater, and most recently to another location in Cordova, Tennessee. No announcement of this latest site plan has been announced by the company or city officials, however. Currently, Whataburger has eight Mississippi locations, with the closest ones being in the Jackson metro area, where four restaurants are situated. There are also Mississippi Whataburgers in D’Iberville, Vicksburg, Ocean Springs, and Gulfport. Tuesday’s Board of Aldermen meeting in Southaven is to begin at 6 p.m. at City Hall. Board meetings are live-streamed on the official City of Southaven website.
https://desotocountynews.com/desoto-county-news/whataburger-to-add-another-southaven-location/-
Mayor’s Report – Fire Station #5
February 23rd, 2021As our city continues to experience tremendous growth, challenges become more pressing in providing the highest standard of service. Many years ago, the plan began to add the City’s 5th fire station to service the extensive growth in the southeastern part of our city. This plan was stalled in 2008 when the housing crisis began, but we reinstated this plan again in 2014 and have prepared since then for this day. I’m so glad to report that we have secured land, planned the financial instrument, and awarded the bid to begin construction on this long-planned project that is crucial for our future in meeting public safety goals. The Board of Aldermen recently awarded the lowest and best bid of $3,871,938 to Legacy Construction Services to begin construction of Fire Station #5 on Star Landing Road adjacent to the big curve just west of Getwell Road. This beautiful facility was designed by A2H with a dual-front design to accommodate future road changes with Star Landing and will be under construction within 45 days with projected completion by year end. Along with our aggressive fire hydrant expansion plan and adoption of the most recent building codes, we believe this addition will improve our already- excellent “Class 3” fire rating. Currently, there are only 5 cities in Mississippi with a rating this high (low number means high). Moving to a “Class 2” would make us the best rated fire department in Mississippi, along with only Hattiesburg and Biloxi. It goes without saying that an excellent fire rating signifies excellence in public safety, reduces property insurance costs, especially commercial rates, and makes our city even more economically attractive. I’m extremely proud of the outstanding men and women in our Fire Department and this new facility will help them continue with the highest standard of excellence.
https://southaven.org/Blog.aspx?CID=1 -
Mayor’s Report – Main Street Pedestrian Project
November 19th, 2020Recently, the City awarded the lowest and best bid to Ferrell Paving in the amount of $1,393,727.42 to begin construction on this long-awaited and long-planned project. This project will add sidewalks on both sides of Main Street extending from Highway 51 to Northwest Drive, then carrying southward along Northwest Drive to City Hall and Saucier Park. It will also add new mast arm traffic signals with pedestrian crossing options at the intersection of Whitworth/Main. The City received federal co-op money administered through MDOT in the amount of $991,341 allowing the City to fund this project completely with just $487,386.42 of City funds. Projects like this get delayed from time to time due to property right-of-way and utility obstacles. Projected completion of this project is in September, ‘21 and will be well worth the wait as it will help us with our goals of the revitalization of our original business district and the improvement of pedestrian options in our city. If you haven’t been to Saucier Park behind City Hall, you are missing a beautiful park. Connecting this park to this new pedestrian path will add an excellent new amenity for our citizens.
https://southaven.org/Blog.aspx?IID=143 
Alex Grisanti opens his Southaven pizzeria Friday
November 10th, 2020It’ll take a big sign for Alex Grisanti to let folks they’ve arrived at his new restaurant. On Friday, Elfo Pizzeria in Southaven opens, part of Elfo Grisanti Northern Italian Cuisine. He’s pretty sure people will call it Elfo’s. Grisanti worked for years along alongside his father and brother Judd at Ronnie Grisanti’s and later opened Elfo, the restaurant he owned with his wife Kim, first in Chickasaw Oaks Village and later in Germantown. (Judd Grisanti owns Ronnie Grisanti’s in Regalia.) Alex Grisanti also owns 9 Dough 1 pizza food truck. In this week’s Sound Bites, we talk about the new restaurant, which has evolved over the past few months that Grisanti has held the lease. He’ll open with pizza, salads, sandwiches and take and bake items in the pizzeria on Nov. 13 and hopes to have the full-service restaurant open around Dec. 1.
https://dailymemphian.com/section/podcasts/article/18001/alex-grisanti-opens-his-southaven-pizzeria-friday-
Elfo Grisanti’s Opening In Southaven
August 25th, 2020We are excited to be welcoming the first Grisanti restaurant in Mississippi! Alex Grisanti will be opening Elfo Grisanti’s in Southaven in early September. This new family-owned restaurant was named after Alex Grisanti’s grandfather and son. It will be located on Getwell Road near the new Silo Square. The restaurant will include a main dining area as a pizzeria, along with a few private rooms for fine dining. For the time being, they will serve takeout and hold off on their dining room due to COVID. The menu will include the Grisanti classics, such as toasted ravioli, Elfo’s Special, Manicotti, and Miss Mary’s Salad. The classic Italian restaurant will be cozy, simple, and charming. Southaven is delighted to be having such a wonderful addition to the city!
Documents reveal design, site plan for Google Ops Center
August 18th, 2020The nation’s first Google Operations Center will be a modern, one-story design with staggered sides and strips of glass curtain walls and skylights to admit natural light, architectural renderings show. The 60,000-square-foot building will be placed on the west end of the nearly 10-acre property at 5665 Airways in Southaven, the site plan shows. The tilt-concrete structure’s position means the Google Operations Center will overlook Interstate 55, about 3.5 miles south of Memphis. The Southaven Planning Commission approved on July 27 the proposed site plan for the nearly 10-acre project The building design is still undergoing some revisions, said Whitney S. Choat-Cook, Southaven’s director of planning and development. The Lakeland-based architectural, engineering and planning firm A2H designed the plans, documents show. The nearest access from I-55 that would serve the site is the Church Road exit. The property is about a quarter-mile north of Tanger Outlets shopping center. The site plan shows surface parking lots for 300 vehicles are to be built between Airways Boulevard and the building. Green space divides the parking into three distinct lots, which are connected by drives and walks. The site plan shows existing and newly planted trees and other landscaping will screen the development from Airways on the east, from the Terraces of Southaven Apartments on the north, and perhaps to some extent from I-55 traffic on the west. Panattoni Development is developing the Google Operations Center, and will lease the site to Google. Google announced in December that it would locate its first U.S.-based operations center somewhere in northwest Mississippi, and confirmed in July that the site would be 5665 Airways in Southaven. The giant internet search-engine company plans to hire 100 people by the end of 2020, and open the center in Southaven in summer 2021.
https://dailymemphian.com/article/16237/documents-show-design-site-plans-for-google-operations-southaven
Amazon opens fulfillment center for larger items in Olive Branch
August 18th, 2020Amazon on Sunday, Aug. 16, opened its new fulfillment center in Olive Branch, the e-commerce company’s second operations facility in Mississippi, company officials announced Monday. The 1 million-square-foot building at 11505 Progress Way is Amazon’s fourth facility to open in the Memphis area, with two more facilities under construction. The new fulfillment center will ship products to customers across Mississippi and the region On the morning of the facility’s first day, employees received training and then received the operation’s first item: A Tri-Pod Deer Feeder. Workers will use high-tech equipment to pick, pack and ship larger items such as sports equipment, patio furniture, fishing rods, pet food, kayaks, bicycles and larger household goods. By contrast, the Amazon robotics sortation center under construction in Frayser/Raleigh will handle smaller items. The Olive Branch fulfillment center is equipped with COVID-19 safety measures and best practices to keep employees safe, company officials said in a release. Amazon has implemented more than 150 process changes in response to the virus, including physical distancing, temperature checks, masks and gloves. Amazon is spending $800 million worldwide to carry out protective measures for employees against COVID-19. The company also recently spent almost $5,000 to provide 555 DeSoto County School students with back-to-school items. To learn more about working at an Amazon fulfillment center, visit amazon.jobs.
https://dailymemphian.com/article/16226/amazon-opens-olive-branch-fulfillment-center-
Southaven Mayor Darren Musselwhite’s comments on the Governor’s Order
July 13th, 2020FACTS, NOT HYSTERIA, NOT POLITICS… COVID-19 Update: Effective today, July 13, 2020, Governor Reeves declared Executive Order #1507 which will be displayed on the City of Southaven’s website to be viewed in its entirety. It has specific changes for specific counties. The key changes for Desoto County are as follows: Masks must be worn by all people in all retail businesses and in any business or gathering by people who cannot maintain a distance of 6 feet from other people. Indoor gatherings are limited to 10 people and outdoor gathering to 20. Along with my staff, I have answered many hundreds of questions regarding the Governor’s Orders throughout this pandemic. My goal today is not to try to explain the thought processes of someone else, but to give direction and lead those who read this with facts. First, many who are regarded as public health experts have given and continue to give us incorrect information throughout this pandemic. When someone gives me incorrect information multiple times, they lose credibility. This is not disrespectful to them, but simply factual. When many people rely on your statements, you have a great responsibility to be accurate. There is nothing wrong with saying, “I don’t know”. Unfortunately, the former has been rampant during this pandemic and hard to know who to believe, so I encourage everyone to join me in making logical judgments considering facts. Let’s talk about the facts and I will share my thoughts… This virus is real and very dangerous for a very small percentage of our people. We should all do our part with a common sense, practical approach to protect all of our people. Although I do not agree with government mandates considering real data now, I do think we should all stay smart with hygiene, social distancing, and common courtesies to our fellow man. I encourage facial coverings when in dense gatherings (less than 6 feet apart) if an individual is able to do this without jeopardizing their own health. Individuals should make their own decisions regarding their health, not governments. I strongly disagree with “shutdowns” and limitations of any kind that kill our economy and increase other health risks, considering the real numbers (*99.99% of Desoto Countians and 99.96% of Mississippians have survived this virus to date). Testing is not accurate, period. Even for the testing statistics we have, we know that positive case counts will naturally rise with more testing. This does not accurately prove that the infection rate is increasing. How do you know how many people have been positive, but never got sick, nor got tested? You don’t. Testing statistics are not accurate, nor are they a reliable source of information regarding spread rates. Desoto County is one of the most densely-populated counties in Mississippi and when you consider that we border Shelby County, TN, we are the most densely-populated area in the state (approximately 1.1 million people combined). Of course we have one of the highest positive case totals because we have more people and more testing, largely because of mandatory testing by employers. Our fatalities per capita are lower than the State of Mississippi as a whole. As noted above, we now know that many people who test positive are not sick and statistics that are reliable (fatalities per capita) prove that this virus does not have a dangerous outcome for most people. Fatality rates, although not perfect, are the most reliable data. Death rates are not rising exponentially, but have been at a consistent rate throughout this pandemic. Check the sources below. We should also continue to watch and be conscious of hospitalization increases, although again, many statements have proven to be untrue regarding capacity challenges. However, it is very important that we continue to watch closely. I plead with all my fellow elected officials and centers of influence to remember that we have a greater responsibility to promote facts and consider all risks to people, including all health risks and devastating risks to livelihoods. We should listen to credible sources, but the people elected us to maintain sight of the “big picture” and make policy decisions accordingly. This virus is not going away anytime soon. We cannot shut down our lives, but must stay smart and proceed with our lives through it. *Source: Mississippi State Department of Health, July 13, 2020 Desoto County Confirmed Cases Per Capita= .96 of 1% (2009/185,000), 98.91% Not Positive Desoto County Fatalities Per Capita= .010 of 1% (20/185,000), 99.99% Survival Rate Mississippi Confirmed Cases Per Capita= 1.23% (36,680/2,976,000), 98.77% Not Positive Mississippi Fatalities Per Capita= .04 of 1% (1,250/2,976,000), 99.96% Survival Rate
https://southaven.org/Blog.aspx?IID=139 -
Google
July 9th, 2020When one word is sufficient for the title of your announcement, you know it’s a big one! It’s such an exciting time in Southaven and our next new development ranks with the most significant to ever happen in our city’s history! Google has announced they will open the first U.S. Google Operations Center in Southaven, Mississippi, which will provide human customer and operations support for Google customers and users around the world. The new 60,000 square-foot facility will be located in our Metropolitan District at 5665 Airways Boulevard, just north of the Tanger Outlet Mall and adjacent to I-55. Construction is projected to begin in August of this year with occupancy and operations beginning in the second quarter of 2021. This operation will bring 100 new professional jobs initially with plans to potentially expand to 350, all from our local workforce talent pool. There are currently only two other facilities like this in the world, one in the Philippines, the other in India. Google is a titan in the global economy and we are honored to have their first-class operation in our city. It’s a great testament to our city and people that such a fine organization has chosen us as their newest home. I look forward to seeing the career opportunities this will provide for our people and the joint success the City of Southaven, Desoto County, State of Mississippi, and Google will enjoy together for many years in the future. It’s very rewarding to see that our city’s assets, priorities, and quality of life have become appealing to the strongest and best organizations in the world. These organizations make mention of our key geographic location; educated and talented workforce; attractive and pride-soaked city; excellent parks and recreational opportunities; and appealing place to call home. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?! The little things do amount to big things! Congratulations Southaven, the best is yet to come!
https://southaven.org/Blog.aspx?CID=1 
Google taps Southaven for first center of its kind in U.S.
July 9th, 2020The first Google Operations Center in the United States will be built in Southaven, on a site of rolling, wooded acreage 3.5 miles from Memphis along Interstate 55, the search-engine company announced Thursday, July 9. Google’s goal is to hire 100 people by year’s end, and to open the 60,000-square-foot building at 5665 Airways by summer 2021. Online hiring is already starting Panattoni Development will build the structure, which Google will lease. Google did not provide an architectural rendering, but a source familiar with the plans describes it as a modern, one-story building with lots of glass, a walking trail and parking areas that include charging stations for electric vehicles. The facility will provide customer and operations support to Google customers and users around the world. “This Google Operations Center represents a critical investment for the company and we look forward to being an active member of the local community for years to come,” Troy Dickerson, Google Operations Center vice president, said in a prepared statement. “The new site will give us the opportunity to hire amazing local talent and we are confident that the Southaven community will be a great home for our Operations Center,” Dickerson said. Google will establish a temporary office in Memphis while the Southaven building is under construction. In December, Google announced it will locate its first U.S. operations center somewhere in northwest Mississippi. The company’s announcement on Thursday confirms the specific location that The Daily Memphian identified through sources in early April. In its December announcement, Google also said 350 people will would work at the center. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic the company has adjusted the “first phase” of hiring to 100 by year’s end. Google is not offering any additional, “forward-looking” hiring numbers, a spokesperson said. The company is taking a conservative approach to future investments because of the pandemic, and will hire based on Google’s needs, the spokesperson said. A college degree is not required to work as a customer support associate. The company will provide “competitive wages and comprehensive health care,” the announcement states. For more information about applying for a job, visit googleoperationscenter.com/jobs. Employees at a Google Operations Center answer customer calls and use text chats and email to troubleshoot problems for customers or help with advertising campaigns. Called “operation specialists,” the employees help customers with such company products as YouTube ads, Google Play, Google Wallet, Google Hardware and Google Maps. The building will rise on rolling acreage now filled with hardwoods and pines that tower over thick under-story growth. A reporter, walking through the woods on Wednesday, disturbed a number of white-tailed rabbits and a sleeping fawn, which bolted away from its bed under tall plants. The woods are pastoral but, on the west side, are filled with the constant whine of interstate traffic. The building will be accessed from Airways. The site is about a quarter-mile north of Tanger Outlets shopping center, immediately south of Terraces of Southaven apartments, and directly across I-55 from Southaven RV & Marine. The nearest I-55 exit is Church Road. Written statements about Google’s announcement from local and state elected officials include: Southaven Mayor Darren Musselwhite: “Google is a titan in the global economy and we are honored to have their first-class operation in our city.” Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves: “I am truly honored and excited that Google has chosen to open their new operations in Mississippi. This is a true testament to our skilled workforce and the increasing economic strength of our great state.” U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker: “Google’s decision to locate more than 100 jobs and their first U.S. Operations Center in Mississippi is a testament to our state’s great workers and pro-growth policies. I am glad to welcome one of the most innovative companies in the world to Southaven.” U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde Smith: “Mississippi continues to attract companies across a variety of business sectors, and it’s exciting to have Google contributing to the growing tech economy in our state.” U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly: “Mississippi is known for its outstanding workforce and business friendly climate. This winning combination makes for a solid investment. We are thankful to have the first U.S. Google Operations Center in Southaven.”
https://dailymemphian.com/section/business/article/15340/southaven-google-first-operations-center-in-united-states-
My Small Role in Protecting Your Freedoms…
May 26th, 2020When I was elected Mayor of Southaven in 2013, and again in 2017, I swore to faithfully support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Mississippi and obey the laws thereof. I have upheld this oath everyday I’ve been in office and will continue to until my last day. When this crisis began in mid-March, no one knew the degree of risk that we faced which made it constitutionally-sound to implement temporary restrictions on personal liberties. As upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court multiple times, government has the Constitutional right to restrain personal liberties temporarily during emergencies “under the pressure of great dangers” to protect “the safety of the general public”. However, I must be straightforward in saying that I have serious concerns with liberties being restrained for this length of time, considering the real data we have now.* This virus is dangerous to some, but does not threaten “the safety of the general public”. 99.98% of Mississippians have survived this pandemic to date. I also have concerns about the discriminatory nature of government allowing some businesses and organizations to assemble and do business, but not others. Again, as Mayor, I swore to support the laws of the State of Mississippi and support the Constitution of the United States. When these two conflict, I’m in a situation that I never thought would become reality and must support the Constitution of the United States. As the Chief Executive of the City of Southaven, I will enforce all state laws until they conflict with the Constitution of the United States. Executive Orders #1487 and #1488 were issued today by Governor Reeves which extend the “Safer-at-Home” Order until Monday, June 1, 2020 at 8:00 AM. Both Orders may be read in their entirety for all details, but the most notable changes are as follows: SCHOOLS MAY OPEN WEIGHT ROOMS AND TRAINING FACILITIES may re-open with detailed hygiene, social distancing, and health-screening requirements. OUTDOOR PLACES OF AMUSEMENT AND RECREATION may re-open with detailed hygiene, social distancing, and health-screening requirements with the number of customers being limited to 50% of the park’s maximum occupancy. It remains extremely important that our citizens with underlying health conditions that place them at a higher risk use all precautions and safeguarding measures to protect themselves. All citizens should continue to respect the dangers of COVID-19 as they resume their lives in a smart and safe way. Most sincerely and respectfully, Mayor Darren Musselwhite *The Statistics… Desoto County Fatalities per Capita = .003 of 1% (6/185,000) Shelby County, TN Fatalities per Capita = .009 of 1% (88/937,000) State of Mississippi Fatalities per Capita = .02 of 1% (596/2,976,000)
https://southaven.org/Blog.aspx?IID=136 -
Governor’s Amended “Safer-At-Home” Order…
May 13th, 2020Today, Governor Reeves announced that he is extending his “Safer-at-Home” Order until Monday, May 25, 2020 at 8:00 AM with Executive Order 1480 which will be the official source of all details. He asked all Mississippians to continue to take this virus seriously as we still face health risks. He acknowledged that we are now facing serious economic damages and must continue with a phased re-opening. ALL FROM HIS LAST ORDER REMAINS UNCHANGED except the following changes that will be effective immediately, today, May 8, 2020: SALONS and BARBER SHOPS (which interpreted by Southaven will also include tattoo parlors) may open with strict hygiene, health screening, and social distancing measures, including requiring only one patron per employee/server at a time; all patrons 6-feet apart; no indoor waiting area; mandatory facial coverings of the mouth and nose by both server and patron as well as gloves by server. GYMS (which interpreted by Southaven will also include dance/gymnastics/martial arts studios and all other indoor athletic training facilities) may open with an occupancy limitation of 30% capacity and strict hygiene, health screening, and social distancing measures. TO BE NOTED: As stated previously, all other remains unchanged which limits all other indoor gatherings to 10 persons or less and outdoor gatherings to 20 persons or less. I have requested clarification from the Governor’s Office regarding physical, “in-person” church services, but have not received any update and this new order has not changed anything. His initial order, which is still in effect, says: “Religious entities, including religious and faith-based facilities, entities and groups, and religious gatherings are essential provided that they adhere to the CDC and the Mississippi Department of Health recommendations and guidance to prevent the spread of COVID-19.” The Mississippi Department of Health continues to state that “in-person” church services are not safe and that social distancing and limiting gatherings to 10 people or less is critical. It’s my goal to give clarity to our churches and all citizens, but I’ve not been provided with any other details other than this information. I will continue to reach out to the Governor’s Office and provide updates as they are given to me. As I’ve stated repetitively, our data does not warrant continuing to restrain our economy and lives and I will continue pressing for a broader re-opening and return to full recovery. You have made tremendous sacrifices and showed your toughness and resilience. We are on the brink of a great recovery! Let’s continue to be smart while we claim our lives back! It’s time! With the most concern and respect, Mayor Darren Musselwhite
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It’s Time…
May 5th, 2020Yesterday, Governor Reeves issued Executive Order 1478 which amended his “Safer-in-Place” Order effective Thursday, May 7 at 8:00 AM. The Order may be read in its entirety for all details, but basically changed the following: Restaurant dining rooms may open with a 50% seating capacity limit for customers; 6-person maximum at tables; 6-feet social distancing between all persons when practical; bar areas prohibited unless serving food; no live music; mandatory facial coverages for servers; and other detailed hygiene and health-evaluation measures. Outdoor recreational gatherings, including team sports, may occur with a maximum of 20 participants. Obviously, these limitations regarding sports create challenges for a Parks & Recreation operation like we have in Southaven. Our plan is as follows: Recreational baseball and softball will begin practice on Monday, May 18 at Snowden Grove and Greenbrook Parks. We will have a full season with games beginning on Monday, June 1 and the season concluding by July 31. There will be no state tournaments or Dizzy Dean World Series. Competitive baseball and softball tournaments will begin on Friday, May 29. Indoor training at the BankPlus Sports Center and our new, beautiful Greenbrook facility will begin on Monday, May 18. Soccer practice begins on Saturday, May 16 with the first games on Saturday, May 30. Volleyball will not occur until after June 1. Tennis and golf are now open, but no tournaments or group activities until Friday, May 29. Playgrounds and Forever Young Senior activities will remain suspended until Monday, June 1. Strict social distancing requirements will continue to be required. Obviously, a degree of common sense must be used as it is impossible for players to distance at all times during sporting competitions. I commend Governor Reeves for his tireless efforts during this crisis and for proving that he is truly listening to Mayors in our state. His latest action is a big step in the right direction, but we need more. I will continue to plead with him to have a broader re-opening and communicated long-term plan or either allow us to implement our own plan. We have a detailed plan for recovery in Southaven that I am very confident will bring us back gradually, very cautiously, and effectively. Now, let’s talk facts about where we are right now. Our people have made tremendous sacrifices! We have truly flattened the curve and controlled the spread of this virus. We were all terrified in mid-March and didn’t know how severely we would be affected here. It has been 55 days since President Trump declared a national emergency and 49 days since our first positive case in Desoto County. We now have our own experience and data. Listen to these facts: As of today, May 5 we have had 308 COVID-19 positive cases, which equates to .17 of 1% of our population in Desoto County (305/185,000). Our fatality rate is .002 of 1% of our population (4/185,000). Shelby County, Tennessee’s numbers are very similar. Our spread rate for 49 days since our first positive case has averaged 6.29 daily and has remained very consistent, not typical of an exponential epidemic spread rate. Our COVID-19 hospitalization rate in Southaven has decreased 83% since April 1 and capacity has never been challenged at any time throughout this crisis. Listen to me, this virus is very serious and we must remain very cautious and continue to evaluate data daily. Losing one life is too many and this risk must continue to get our utmost attention. However, our real experience and data with this has proven that much of what we were warned about has not been a real threat here. We are not Italy, Spain, or New York because of the major difference in population densities. We did what we had to do and it was the right call, but now other health risks caused by the drastic measures we implemented outweigh the risk of the virus itself. We cannot be paralyzed by fear and bankrupt our country, state, and local economies. It’s time that we come out of our bunker and fight for our way of life again! ALL of our businesses, churches, other organizations, and individual citizens need their government to get out of their way now and deserve a chance to prosper again in the face of new challenges! Furthermore, with all due respect, we are blessed with some of the most talented physicians and scientists in the world and we would not have achieved the success we have in this fight without them, but it’s time to return them to their proper roles as advisors and let our elected officials make policy decisions. Leadership is about considering all facts, developing a strategic plan, and communicating it clearly and boldly to the people depending on you. To all elected officials: Now is not the time for political games, finger pointing, and fighting. Never is it acceptable to circulate misinformation for political purposes. It is time to come together and solve problems for the people who entrusted us to do so. To the people of Southaven: You have made tremendous sacrifices and showed your toughness and resilience. We are on the brink of a great recovery! Let’s continue to be smart while we claim our lives back! It’s time! With the most concern and respect, Mayor Darren Musselwhite
https://southaven.org/Blog.aspx?IID=133 -
Southaven Mayor Darren Musselwhite’s comments on the Governor’s Safer At Home Order
April 24th, 2020Today, Governor Reeves indicated that his “Shelter-in Place” Order will be replaced on Monday, April 27 at 8:00 AM with a “Safer-at-Home” Order until Monday, May 11 at 8:00 AM. This Order will delay the City of Southaven’s “Comeback Plan” that I’ve previously communicated. Our Plan will be implemented immediately when given the leniency by the Governor as I realize our people need to know what lies ahead of May 11 and also need hope for returning to their businesses and normal lives, in general. I will continue to keep our city prepared and updated. The Order is available on State sites to be viewed in its entirety, but this summary is my paraphrase to help our citizens. You may view my comments regarding the Order during our Special Board Meeting today at the following link at about the 7-minute mark. https://livestream.com/accounts/6642033/events/9102856/videos/205065553 WHAT IS CHANGING? This Order allows travel to all jobs for individuals and opens all businesses, organizations, and facilities unless specifically excluded below. All non-essential businesses, organizations, and facilities must still comply with CDC social distancing guidelines requiring a minimum distance of 6 feet between all persons and the limit of physical gatherings to 10 persons or less. All persons over age 65 or with any health conditions that may increase vulnerability to the COVID-19 Virus are ordered to continue to “shelter-in-place”. All non-essential retail will be open with a 50% building capacity occupancy limit per applicable building fire code. Curbside commerce options are still recommended. Healthcare professionals and healthcare facilities may also resume performing non-emergent, elective medical procedures and surgeries, as clinically appropriate, in accordance with the guidance provided by the Mississippi State Department of Health. WHAT REMAINS CLOSED/PROHIBITED? Restaurant dining rooms (including bar areas), but drive-through, curbside, and delivery options remain allowed Gyms, salons, and barber shops Recreational and amusement facilities, including theaters; museums; dance/gymnastics/martial arts studios and all other indoor training facilities; trampoline parks; bowling alleys; pool halls; arcades; playgrounds; basketball courts; volleyball courts; baseball/softball fields; and football/soccer fields All public and private social and other non-essential gatherings in groups of more than 10 people in a single space at the same time where individuals are in close proximity (less than 6 ft.) Evictions are suspended, and all state, county and local law enforcement officers are directed to cease enforcement of orders of eviction for residential premises during this Safer at Home Order. No provision of the Governor’s Order shall be construed as relieving any individual of the obligation to pay rent, to make mortgage payments, or to comply with all laws or any other obligation that an individual may have, including under tenancy or mortgage WHAT REMAINS ESSENTIAL? The following are considered Essential Services pursuant to the Governor’s Orders: Government operations, including defense operations, law enforcement, and courts Healthcare, including home health care, and veterinarian care Essential retail, including grocery stores, pharmacies, food and beverage stores, nutrition stores, convenience stores (excluding inside dining), gas and fuel stations, hardware and building material suppliers, firearm and ammunition suppliers, telecommunication equipment suppliers, sanitation, cleaning, and household necessity suppliers, office and professional service suppliers, and restaurants for drive-through, curbside service, or delivery (excluding inside dining and take-out) Essential infrastructure, including utilities, supply chain, communications, telecommunications, public works, transportation, and hotel/lodging Manufacturing, wholesale and distribution, and shipping Agriculture Essential services, including mail, sanitation, laundry, medial and hazardous waste management, building cleaning, building security, home sales and repair, automobile sales and repair, and mortuaries and cemeteries Construction and related trades, including but not limited to lumber, building materials and hardware, electricians, plumbers, painters, cleaning and janitorial, and moving and relocation services Banks and financial services Professional services, including attorneys, accountants, architects, engineers, real estate sales and service, and insurance sales and service Media outlets Education to facilitate remote learning, critical research, or meal provision Technological and logistics support Child-care programs and services Churches, religious gatherings, weddings, and funerals (Physical gatherings only will be limited to CDC guidelines and remote and “in-automobile” parking lot worship options are recommended.) Basic-necessity services for disadvantaged persons Lawn care Pest control Essential services required to maintain the safety, sanitation, and essential operations of residences and essential businesses Hang in there a little longer! Stay calm; stay smart; stay tough; stay positive; and stay away from risk as much as you can. We will get through this and return stronger than ever! #southavenstrong With the most concern and respect, Mayor Darren Musselwhite
https://southaven.org/Blog.aspx?CID=1 
Milwaukee Tool locating third distribution center in Olive Branch, creating 100 jobs
February 12th, 2020(DeSoto County Economic Development Council Release) – Milwaukee Tool is locating a third distribution center in Olive Branch to meet a need for increased distribution capacity. The project is an $8.7 million corporate investment and has created nearly 100 jobs over the last year in preparation for the distribution center’s opening this spring. Milwaukee Tool is an industry-leading manufacturer of heavy-duty portable electric power tools and accessories for consumers worldwide. The company will locate the new distribution center in IDI’s Crossroads Distribution Center Park.
https://www.localmemphis.com/news/milwaukee-tool-locating-third-distribution-center-in-olive-branch-creating-100-jobs/
2020 State of the City – Mayor’s Report
January 6th, 2020Mayor’s General Update... 2019 was an incredible year for the City of Southaven as many long-planned projects became reality and we continue to build upon our economic success of the past. We expect another great year in 2020 as all the vital signs for success are thriving. Our priorities of public safety, aggressive infrastructure improvement, revitalization, beautification, and recreational enhancement will continue to make our city more economically-attractive leading to continued financial stability, and ultimately making our city an even better place to live. REVITALIZATION OF “ORIGINAL SOUTHAVEN” West End Business District Incentive Progress…Buildings were renovated in 2019 as businesses recognize the value of this incentive package to build new or renovate existing buildings in this designated district on Stateline Road between Highway 51 and Airways and Highway 51 between Stateline and Dorchester Drive. These incentives include a 7-year tax freeze for ad valorem taxes for the increase in taxable value as well as a waiver of license, permit, and utility fees. Specifically, Wendy’s demolished their old building and completed a new facility in December, 2019 and the Magnolia Shops development at Stateline and Millbranch is currently under renovation. City Hall Renovation…a $1.9 million project to renovate one of the oldest commercial buildings in Southaven which will improve the safety of many City employees, improve the City’s marketing image, and add to the revitalization attractiveness of the original business district currently under construction with completion projected for March, 2020. Stateline Road Resurfacing…a $1.7 million project to resurface Stateline Road between I-55 east to Tchulahoma and Horn Lake Road west to Highway 301 to be completed including new striping in January, 2020. Highway 51 Intersection Modernization Project…a $609,037 project to remove the old span-wire traffic signals and replace with beautiful mast arms with signals that have modern traffic communication and pedestrian capabilities completed in June, 2019 Monument Sign at I-55/Main Street…the first, beautiful, brick-based monument sign with landscaping and lighting was completed in November, 2020 at this original entrance location showing our pride in the City’s original business district. Horn Lake Creek Bridge Repair…a $2.4 million project to repair the Stateline Road Bridge over Horn Lake Creek that received financial assistance from the State’s Emergency Road and Bridge Repair Fund in the amount of $1,989,500 with construction to begin in mid-2020. Arena Floor-Leveling…a $600,000 project planned and discussed in 2017 which leveled the oval section of the floor allowing more versatile use of this facility for multiple purposes in addition to volleyball and further tremendously improving the total use of the facility which was completed in August, 2019 Street Resurfacing for Wards 1 & 2…59.57% ($1,528,800/$2,566,241) of our general budget allocation for City streets was allocated to improving streets in need of resurfacing in our original neighborhoods in 2019. Greenbrook/Stateline Median Landscaping Project…a $20,576 project to remove poorly-grown crape myrtle trees and add new landscaping to improve the look of one of our original residential neighborhood entrances completed in October, 2019 Main Street Pedestrian Project…a $1.5 million project which will add sidewalks from Highway 51 along Main Street to Saucier Park on Northwest Drive projected to begin construction in mid-2020 Main Street Decorative Light Poles…a project to remove many old, cluttered light poles on Main Street between Highway 51 and Northwest Drive and replace with beautiful two-headed decorative poles which will provide better lighting and, along with the Main Street Pedestrian Project, improve revitalization attractiveness in our original business district with pricing and construction timelines to be determined in late 2020 CITY BEAUTIFICATION Monument Signs for City Entrances and High-Profile Intersections…a project to add beautiful, brick-based signs with landscape lighting on I-55 and other intersections to beautify our city and improve our economic attractiveness began in 2019 with the completion of the I-55/Main and I-55/Star Landing signs with Goodman/Malone to begin construction in the spring of 2020. Community Pride Awards & Adopt-a-Spot Beautification Program…successful use continues with these two programs to award private property owners for their exceptional efforts to beautify their properties and volunteer to beautify common areas of residential subdivisions which improves property values and the economic attractiveness of our city. District Banners…banners have been added in our new Metropolitan District as well as a new beautiful blue color design for our West End District banners. AGGRESSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT Street Resurfacing…$2,566,241 was allocated and completed in 2019 for our neighborhood and arterial streets. The City is currently researching a paving proposal to acquire equipment and hire personnel to resurface streets rather than contract these services, with the hope of being more efficient with funding and aggressively paving more streets each year. Drainage Improvement…$500,000 was allocated to complete projects that had caused problems for many years. Getwell South Widening Project…a federally-funded $8.7 million project to widen Getwell Road to five lanes from Church Road south to Star Landing Road with median and pedestrian paths pending five-years planning with right-of-way acquisition projected to be complete by late 2020 and construction beginning in early 2021 Pepperchase Road Extension…a state, county, city-co-op-funded $4.1 million project to extend this road from the Landers Center south to either Star Landing or Highway 51 currently under design with construction projected for late 2020 Snowden Grove Pedestrian Project…a $769,500 federally-funded project to add a 10-foot multi-use trail throughout Snowden Grove Park currently under construction with completion projected in February, 2020 Central/Snowden Grove Parks Multi-Use Trail…eight-year pending project moving dirt in the spring of 2020 connecting these two major parks with a 10-foot pedestrian trail routing south on Tchulahoma Road to May Blvd, then east to connect to the trail inside Snowden Grove Park. May Blvd Pedestrian Bridge…an estimated $1.7 million project to safely connect the major pedestrian trails and numerous pending developments on both sides of Getwell at May Blvd without slowing vehicular traffic, designed in early 2020 with construction projected to begin in late 2020 Greenprint 2040…the City continues to cooperate with this Memphis-Metro plan to do our part in making our city and region more pedestrian friendly. Sidewalks and bike lanes will continue to be added with new developments and existing streets as funding allows. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Silo Square…a $200 million 228-acre mixed-use development with a town square and pedestrian paths began construction in mid-2019 with initial business occupancies projected in mid-2020 Metropolitan Business District…a new business district created and defined in 2018 for the Church Road/I-55 area to incentivize and bring quality commercial development for this high-profile area has already been successful with attracting unprecedented, pending developments to be announced in 2020 Hilton Embassy Suites…developers are considering a different location after a 2-year planning process to bring a $40-million luxury hotel to the Metropolitan Business District. Industrial Development…an incredible year welcoming $134 million of capital investments into our city to use 1,923,600 square feet of new facility space while creating 830 new jobs for manufacturing and distribution operations including global names such as Medline and Spectra Labs (Fresenius Medical Care) Service, Retail, and Other Business…248 new businesses opened in 2019 creating 951 new jobs. New Building Permits…405 new residential permits (highest since 2007) issued in 2019 for a total new property value of $41,961,709 in new construction as well as 22 new commercial permits with a value of $98,091,542 PARKS & RECREATION ENHANCEMENT & EXPANSION Field of Dreams Playground…$448,400 special-needs playground was completed in April, 2019 adjacent to the Field of Dreams baseball field near the south entrance of Snowden Grove Park. Greenbrook Indoor Softball Facility…7,800 square-foot facility is currently under construction near the main entrance to Greenbrook Park that will house four hitting/pitching tunnels with removable nets for a large multi-purpose training area, offices, concessions, bathrooms, and general assembly area projected to be completed and operational in March, 2020 Springfest BBQ Pavement Project…a $1,324,162 paving and landscaping project currently under construction to eliminate the nuisance of mud and poor drainage, which will also beautify this area and serve a dual purpose for additional concert parking projected to be completed in March, 2020 Soccer Expansion…a $5 million project currently under construction to add 7 new fields including bathroom, concession, and office facilities to property just north of the bowling alley at Pine Tar Alley/Snowden Lane which will complement the 5 existing fields on Stateline Road to bring more participation and use for all with completion projected in late 2020 Turf at Snowden Grove & Greenbrook Parks…The City is currently studying the cost/benefit ratio of replacing the infield and foul-line natural grass areas of the baseball and softball fields with artificial turf. There is significant cost savings with field maintenance and opportunity-cost savings from eliminated rain-outs that have initiated this consideration. A decision has not been made at this time, but expected in 2020. PUBLIC SAFETY Fire Station #5…land has been secured for this long-planned project adjacent to the curve on Starlanding Road just west of Getwell for construction of a new fire station, currently being designed, to improve protection to the southeastern part of our city and potentially improve our already- excellent “Class 3” fire rating with construction projected to begin in late 2020 Fire Hydrant Expansion in Annexed Areas…completion of phase 6 of 6 of a $7.4 million project to increase the size of water lines to meet Southaven’s fire hydrant standard and improve fire protection in all annexed areas is projected to be under construction along Stateline Road near the northwestern edge of our city in mid-2020 Police Body Cameras…the City has been researching the benefits, costs, and implementation plan of using body cameras for our officers for the last two years and plans to begin the initial phases of demonstration in 2020. FINANCIAL STABILITY No Property Tax Millage Increases…Southaven continues to be the largest municipality in Desoto County, but only the 4th highest taxing entity of the 7 total. No Utility Rate Increases Growing Sales Tax Revenue…$15,148,749 revenue in 2019 is the highest in the City’s history and shows an excellent growth trend up from $12,499,170 in 2013 Government Finance Officers Association Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting (4th consecutive year)…a prestigious award given only to about 5% of approximately 89,000 cities/counties nationwide for going beyond typical accounting procedures to improve governmental financial transparency Net Reserve Policy (Unassigned Fund Balance)…the City continues to maintain a minimum 12% fund balance as a percentage of general fund expenditures (Fiscal Year ’19 Audit to be completed in spring of 2020).
https://southaven.org/Blog.aspx?IID=106
Bank Rebrands to New Name
November 20th, 2019Customers of First Tennessee Bank in DeSoto County and elsewhere are seeing changes in the name of their favorite bank branch, as the bank has now become First Horizon Bank. First Horizon National Corporation recently hosted a preview celebration in downtown Memphis to unveil the company’s new logo and building signage. The new brand name and logo officially took effect at the close of business on Oct. 25. All brand signage changes are scheduled to be completed early next year. The new name reflects the company’s alignment of its banking, wealth management and fixed income businesses under the First Horizon brand, said Mississippi Community Bank President Michael Parker. “We feel that the new name reflects our company’s alignment of our banking divisions,” Parker said. “We’ve had initiatives to be more cost-effective where we can reinvest in our client, in the form of global technology, through our app, online banking, just better services and products for the client to have a more engaged experience with First Horizon.” The move continues recent action by First Horizon, which in June announced it would unify its family of companies – First Tennessee Bank, Capital Bank, FTB Advisors and FTN Financial – under the First Horizon brand. “Our bank was founded in Memphis and we’ve had the number one market share in Tennessee for a number of years,” Parker said. “We’ve expanded into Mississippi, Houston (Texas), the Carolinas, and Florida. We felt like adapting with our name branding to First Horizon just better meets that growth initiative.” Parker said customers can expect to see the new First Horizon branding be more prevalent among the bank locations. “Sign updates will be ongoing through the end of the year and into 2020,” Parker pointed out. “As updates come to debit cards and checks, we’ll update our branding. There’s nothing the customer has to do. We’ll continue to keep our clients updated and keep them aware of what to do next.” There are four bank branches in DeSoto County. Two are in Southaven and one each in Olive Branch and Hernando. There is also a location in Senatobia. Bob Bakken is Managing Editor of the DeSoto Times-Tribune.
http://www.desototimes.com/business/bank-rebrands-to-new-name/article_b0e8d97e-fbe0-11e9-8175-7fb2e8ce6ec2.html
County Holds to Low Jobless Rate
July 17th, 2019According to the latest information, DeSoto County remained one of the Mississippi counties with the lowest unemployment rates among the 82 counties in the Magnolia State. The Mississippi Department of Employment Services (DES) last week came out with its April jobless figure for the state of 4.9 percent unemployed for the month. Tuesday afternoon, the DES released its county-by-county numbers for each Mississippi county. DeSoto County is reported to have a 3.9 percent jobless rate during April, according to the DES report. That puts the county tied for fifth-lowest among counties, joining Lafayette, Lee, Pontotoc and Madison. Rankin County, at 3.4 percent, has the lowest unemployment figure in Mississippi. Lamar and Union (3.6) and Scott (3.8) are ahead of DeSoto and the other four counties to complete the top five rankings. Conversely, Jefferson County, in southwest Mississippi along the Mississippi River, is at the bottom with 10.9 percent of its workforce without a job. Adjoining counties to DeSoto, Tunica (4.9), Tate and Marshall (4.8), are all reporting a figure above 4.5 percent. The April report showed 3,440 people in the county’s labor force 88,480 were without work in April. The rate is the same as March, but it is four-tenths of a percent above the 3.5 percent total for April of 2018. In Mississippi, the 4.9 percent jobless figure means the state has been below five percent for 19 straight months, but was up one-tenth of a percent from the April figure last year. Bob Bakken is Managing Editor for the DeSoto Times-Tribune.
http://www.desototimes.com/news/county-holds-to-low-jobless-rate/article_9e49b192-7d43-11e9-bc84-3fead6d05a2b.html
DeSoto County Gets Another Top Ranking
April 5th, 2018DeSoto County has consistently ranked high in most rankings as far as quality of life, health and education are concerned and now the state's fastest-growing county can add another feather in its cap. According to DeSoto County Administrator Vanessa Lynchard, DeSoto County ranks third in the state for one of the top "paycheck friendliest counties in the United States." Lynchard said the designation means that in addition to an overall high quality of life, residents of DeSoto County can get the best "bang for their buck" due to income, purchasing power and the county's relatively low unemployment rate. "Your dollars stretch," Lynchard said of the study which was conducted by SmartAsset.com. According to the criteria of the study, the data firm performed an analysis which included "semi-monthly paychecks of residents, relative purchasing power, unemployment rate and income growth." DeSoto County ranked third behind Madison and Rankin counties in south central Mississippi.
http://www.desototimes.com/news/desoto-county-gets-another-top-ranking/article_0fccf6a4-3857-11e8-b8b9-83b2f75a547b.html
Sprawling $200 million development to bring town square atmosphere to Southaven
January 26th, 2018A massive 228-acre, mixed-use development will bring a town square comparable to Collierville and Oxford, Miss., to Southaven. Silo Square, on farmland between Getwell and Tchulahoma roads south of Goodman, calls for a mixture of residential, commercial and public uses built around a central Main Street boulevard lined with two- and three-story buildings. "The square we're going to build will very much resemble an old town square, like the Collierville square or the Oxford square," Brian Hill of Lifestyle Communities LLC of Hernando told Southaven aldermen earlier this week. A silo currently standing on the property, across Getwell from Snowden Grove Park, will be retained and serve as a signature feature of the development. Hill said plans also call for construction of a barn on a portion of the property that will house a farmer's market. Hill hopes to start work soon on the roughly $200 million project, and some aspects could be completed by year's end. Aldermen unanimously approved the development, which also had the support of the city's Planning Commission. Mayor Darren Musselwhite and aldermen used words like "pumped" and "excited" to express their support before voting on the development, which drew no negative comments from the public. Planning Director Whitney Choat described a project that would bring rooftop restaurants, community spaces and a variety of housing sizes and types to a growing area of the city. "There's a lot of energy around this part of Southaven," Hill said. The breakdown in the plan submitted by developers calls for about 64 acres of common space consisting of wooded areas, lakes, trail systems and parks. "This significant amount of green space represents nearly 28% of the gross property acreage, and will contribute immensely to the character and identity of the neighborhood," the plan states. Another 120 acres will be devoted to residential development designed to appeal to a range of ages and family sizes. The single-family residential area will include lots of 6,000 to 15,000 square feet. Another 128 loft units will provide a "highly desired" residential option not currently available in the market, according to the plan. The 45-acre mixed use development making up the town square area is described as the signature piece of the project. Trees and multi-story buildings will form a square around a central space that will have a clock or bell tower in the middle. "The ground floor of the multi-story buildings will be occupied by retail, restaurant and offices users, and residential lofts with balconies overlooking the street will fill the majority of the upper floors," the plan states. "Crosswalks, lush landscaping, classic building architecture, courtyards, plazas and outdoor dining areas will bring life and activity to the streetscape on the main street boulevard and set the tone for the rest of the development." Hotels, office buildings, the farmer's market and possibly a grocery store will round out the project. Access to the development will come from both the Getwell and Tchulahoma sides, and music from concerts at BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove will waft across Getwell to rooftop restaurant patrons. "What I love is the history of this farm," Hill said, "and what we'll be able to preserve."
https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/2018/01/05/southaven-development-brings-town-square-feel-city/1006802001/
Gibson Guitar building sold
December 22nd, 2017Gibson Brands Inc. has sold its iconic factory building Downtown. Real estate investment firms Somera Road Inc. of New York and Tricera Capital of Miami teamed up to purchase the property, according to a Tuesday news release. The release did not disclose a purchase price but said the transaction includes much of Gibson's real estate in Memphis and Nashville. In a separate transaction, the firms paid $6.4 million for a half-acre property at 1102 Grundy St. in Nashville in November. The Memphis part of the purchase includes the 150,000-square-foot Gibson factory and showroom and the 350-space parking lot located across Linden Avenue on Pontotoc Avenue. The sale is expected to close on Dec. 13 “We’re especially interested in markets with a growing and buzzing millennial population, and we continue to invest in those urban cores,” said Tricera co-founder Scott Sherman in the release. “Memphis checked all of the boxes we look for in new markets. With the continuously growing Downtown population, we are eager to use this transaction to open the door to additional opportunities. "While other ‘millennial’ markets such as Nashville and Austin are experiencing saturation and pricing out many potential relocators, Memphis is owning its sweet spot with real estate occupancy costs and the costs of living at attractive rates.” Before the deal closes, the Center City Revenue Finance Corporation (CCRFC) is set to decide Dec.12 whether or not Gibson's 25-year payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) agreement, effective through 2023, can be transferred to the investors. Along with the transfer, the investors are asking for the PILOT's employment requirement to be eliminated, according to a letter written by Bass, Berry & Sims lawyer Richard Spore III, who is representing the investors. The investors are also requesting for permission to use the property for retail and offices, as well as for a potential brewery, according to that letter. Initially, Gibson will lease back the building from Tricera and Somera, while the investors decide what to do with the property. “Scott and I were aware of Memphis, but until we visited, we had no idea how unique this market is,” said Somera managing principal Ian Ross in the release. “The Gibson building is a prime location in the heart of Downtown Memphis, and it’s uniquely positioned at the epicenter of growth. We can’t wait to roll up our sleeves and get to work.” The companies have hired Colliers International for property management and leasing services. Andy Cates and Andrew Phillips will be the local leasing representatives.
https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2017/12/05/gibson-guitar-building-sold.html
Breaking: Memphis College of Art announces plans to close
November 1st, 2017Memphis College of Art (MCA) is no longer admitting new students and will close at the conclusion of fulfilling its obligation to existing students who remain in good standing, the college announced on Tuesday. The college anticipates the wind-down will last through 2020. Citing declining enrollment, "overwhelming real estate debt," and "no viable long-term plan for financial sustainability" the Board of Directors of Memphis College of Art voted to immediately stop recruiting new students and to make plans to close the college. “It is with great sadness that we move forward with this decision,” MCA board chair Henry P. Doggrell said. According to the college's news release, MCA will begin the "orderly dissolution" of its real estate and other assets to fund its debt obligations and other liabilities, including providing funding to serve existing students who remain at MCA. MCA said the board, after a long process, determined that "an independent, private fine arts and design college is no longer financially sustainable in Memphis." Over the last few months, the school's leaders have cost cuts, but it was not sufficient to sustain operations beyond the current academic year without continued significant community support. Through the wind-down, MCA will continue to offer Community Education programs, including its new Fashion Certificate program, summer camps, and adult art classes. MCA’s Holiday Bazaar will also take place as scheduled on November 17-18, with proceeds funding existing student scholarships. “This has been a heartbreaking process,” said MCA interim president Laura Hine. “But, we remain proud of the creative energy MCA artists have long brought to Memphis and are eternally grateful to the donors and foundations who have sustained us throughout our 81-year history. The tremendous value of the artistic contributions made by MCA faculty, students and graduates, over many decades, simply can’t be captured in words.”
https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2017/10/24/breaking-memphis-college-of-art-announces-plans-to.html?ana=twt
New Southaven business ‘for the birds’
August 15th, 2017A new business has taken flight and it is aimed primarily to help and supply bird lovers all over DeSoto County and beyond. A Southaven couple last week opened the latest franchise location of the Carmel, Ind.-based Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop. It is located at 5847 Getwell Road in Southaven. Sandra and Dave Ehrlichman both have been involved in the aviation industry, so it almost seemed natural that the winged creatures that they enjoy in their backyard would be the catalyst for them to land from their careers a bit and head into the business world. “I’ve always enjoyed the birds and sitting in the backyard watching the birds with my husband one day, I remembered some friends of ours had the store in Memphis,” Ehrlichman said. “I dashed off an email to the corporation and asked for information about the franchise, and they called me within about 24 hours.” Ehrlichman said the couple then started a process of learning about the industry and learning about the corporation, a process that was quite extensive. “We just on faith kept moving forward,” Ehrlichman said. “They have criteria that you need to meet and one of those is interviewing other franchisees to ask them questions. I really didn’t know anything about running my business, but the corporation has a wonderful support system.” That support system includes a business coach who checks in with Ehrlichman each week and IT support if there is a problem with the store computer programs and cash register systems. Her previous work as a flight attendant and flight attendant instructor for Delta Connections airline has helped her bring strong customer service skills to the store. “That was my big thing as a flight attendant,” Ehrlichman said. “That was my job, to interact with the customers. I want people to feel happy when they come into the store and happy when they leave. It really is a joy!” Ehrlichman said they reviewed several locations for their store to settle into once they determined to move ahead, but the Getwell Road spot couldn’t be topped as their ideal spot to be. “Goodman Road is getting so busy, and Getwell Road is getting that ready,” Ehrlichman said. “This was actually the first place we looked at and I liked it for two reasons. We get good visibility for people traveling on Getwell north and south and the space is as much as we need now. It also helps that we live a mile behind us.” Ehrlichman said there will be more than just birdseed found inside her store. “They will find an assortment of different kinds of food for your backyard birdfeeding hobby,” she said. “If you like squirrels, we have things for the squirrels and if you don’t like the squirrels, we have ways to deter them. We have nature-themed gift items and yard ornaments, pretty much anything that you need to feed whatever that you want to feed in your backyard.” Ehrlichman also knows there is a demand for the type of merchandise Wild Birds Unlimited can provide and customers are glad the store is open. “I had people come by, look into the window and see that we were getting product in,” Ehrlichman said about the early visits while they were getting the store stocked for last week’s opening. “If people came by and we were in here before we opened, we would let them in. We’d explain we weren’t open yet, but we would show what we were going to have, thank them for stopping by and give them a little starter bird feeder and bird feed for them to try.” The bird seed that is found is not similar to what may be purchased at other stores. Ehrlichman said it is better, because studies have shown birds are more apt to eat more of their seed than other brands, kicking out the extra “chaff” that birds don’t like. “A lot of the ‘big box stores,’ in order for their seed to be less expensive, put fillers in it that the birds don’t like and they tend to kick out what they don’t like,” Ehrlichman said. “In our feed, you’re still going to get some of the stuff that the birds will kick out, but it’s stuff the ground-feeding birds, like the doves, are going to eat. While it appears to be more expensive, it is not, because everything in there is going to be edible by the birds.” That means, get ready to welcome a host of birds to your backyard, from cardinals, hummingbirds, goldfinches, Carolina chickadee, and other varieties, all common to the area. Wild Birds Unlimited is open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday. It has a Facebook presence at Wild Birds Unlimited of Southaven and may be reached by phone at 662-510-5626. Bob Bakken is Staff Writer and may be reached at 662-429-6397 ext. 240.
http://www.desototimes.com/business/new-southaven-business-for-the-birds/article_bdcb8846-8156-11e7-9dc4-83a65080c39b.html
What will $1.5 million buy? A dozen firefighters in Southaven
August 9th, 2017Southaven has received a $1.5 million grant that will allow the city to hire 12 additional firefighters. Mayor Darren Musselwhite called the grant, from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's SAFER grant program, "truly monumental." "This grant will allow our city to move forward with the personnel needed to further serve our southernmost portion of the city, and will increase our overall emergency response capabilities," Musselwhite said. Musselwhite added in a note on the city's website that the grant will help the city staff a new fire station planned within the next four years. Until the new station is built, additional personnel hired under the grant will allow the fire department to operate a double company at existing Fire Station No. 4 at 6450 Getwell Road. SAFER, an acronym for Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response, is designed to help fire departments nationwide increase or maintain an adequate number of firefighters. Three Mississippi cities received grants this year, with Southaven getting the largest. Clinton and Biloxi also received grants. Stipulations require Southaven to provide 25 percent in matching funds each of the first two years of the three-year grant, and a 65 percent match the third year. After the grant expires, funding for additional personnel hired under the grant will be the city's responsibility. Fire Chief Roger Thornton called the grant highly competitive. "We are very fortunate to have the resources to successfully apply and implement this award," Thornton said. Southaven currently has 99 firefighters staffing four stations. The department also has 12 paramedics and 10 administrative positions. Southaven has grown dramatically in recent years, to an estimated population of about 53,000. It is Mississippi's third-largest city. The growth has stretched the city's ability to keep up with needs in areas such as police and fire, prompting Musselwhite to laud the fact that the timing of the grant coincides with the start of planning for the new station. The new personnel will be hired in January, the beginning of the three-year grant period.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/2017/08/07/what-1-5-million-buy-dozen-firefighters-southaven/543707001/
Developers of mixed-use plans on large Germantown tract not ready to present revised plan
August 9th, 2017A development group that tabled plans for a large mixed-use project in Germantown is presenting a revised version behind the scenes to key players, but the group is not quite ready to return to the city with the changes and re-enter Germantown's review process. The Atlanta-based Carter development company unveiled plans for Germantown Town Center in March. The $200 million project is destined for the Arthur Property surrounding Iberia Bank on the west end of the suburb's central business district. The 32-acre site adjacent to Saddle Creek West stretches between Poplar and the Norfolk-Southern Railway line. After receiving Planning Commission approval for the concept in April, Scott Taylor, chief executive officer for Carter, asked the city's Board of Mayor and Aldermen to delay the application in May as they worked with neighbors regarding some of the concerns. The group did not present the new plan by Friday afternoon's deadline for inclusion on the Planning Commission's next meeting Sept. 5. "We have recently been meeting with elected officials, staff and neighbors sharing a revised plan based on feedback we have received over the past few months," Taylor said in a text. "We have not determined when we will file a revised plan for review by the Planning Commission as we believe we need to meet with more residents to continue seeking their feedback." The original plan called for 56,000 square feet of office space, 254,000 square feet of retail uses and 302 multi-family units. The site is adjacent to five homes on the east side of Miller Farms. Those residents, while complimentary of the plan, were vocal about the impact on their property, particularly regarding drainage, encroachment on their land and patrons of the project looking over into their property. Alderman Forrest Owens, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen liaison to the Planning Commission, was among those who met with Taylor. He said the new plan has more condo-type units for sale rather than rentals and a reduction in retail space. That retail space could focus more on entertainment uses and additional restaurants. "I'm excited," Owens said. "And cautiously optimistic. It looks like a good plan to me." Alderman Dean Massey likes that the new outline reduces the density from the original version, but there are still some concerns. He said before he can support the project, he wants to explore how it changes the overall character of the city, along with how it impacts traffic and existing businesses. "The Carter Group clearly made an effort to increase connectivity and scale down the scope of the project," Massey said, adding he wants to make sure some of the hardwood trees are preserved.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/local/suburbs/2017/08/04/developers-mixed-use-plans-large-germantown-tract-not-ready-present-revised-plan/541290001/
Toyota might look at Tennessee ‘megasite’ outside Memphis
August 9th, 2017States will bid frantically to lure Toyota Motor Corp.’s new car plant, a frenzy that could push incentive packages far over $1 billion for the proposed 4,000-employee factory. Real estate experts Friday said the site selection process for the country’s first new car plant in years will likely lead to the Southeast. Site selection consultants say one of Tennessee’s leading industrial sites is the Memphis Regional Megasite, 4,100 acres of vacant farm land on Interstate 40 near Stanton. State officials purchased the land a decade ago to attract a Toyota car plant and it remains unused today. Toyota decided to put its Corolla assembly line west of Tupelo at Blue Springs, Miss. Toyota's new plant also would make Corollas and would not displace the vehicle from Blue Springs. Although the severe shortage of skilled workers throughout the United States has been part of the national conversation for years, experts say Toyota is not likely to come to the same conclusion that led Honda Motor Co. into the industrial north. Looking for a site to build a new Civic car assembly plant, Honda located outside Indianapolis in 2006 even though Indiana had been a bastion for the United Auto Workers since the 1930s. Economic development experts said the scarcity of skilled trade workers in the Southeast, home to 15 car assembly plants and Boeing’s massive South Carolina facility, steered Honda north. But the shortage may not influence Toyota. Over the last decade, states have ramped up advanced manufacturing programs in vocational schools and community colleges, with Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee all getting high marks for worker training. Those training programs as well as low operating costs, the automotive supply chain along I-40, Interstate 75 and Interstate 85, and a new emphasis by industrial executives on courting key politicians are likely to give the Southeast a new edge over the North, said John Boyd, head of Boyd Co. Inc., a location consultant in Princeton, N.J. On Friday, Toyota became the latest automaker to announce a new plant, following Tesla’s decision to make electric cars in Nevada. The Japanese automaker disclosed an alliance with smaller Japanese rival Mazda Motor Co. to jointly build a plant in the United States. No site was identified by Toyota. Governors, mayors and economic developers in every state will undoubtedly pursue the new plant. “It’s amazing to see the transformation in economic development from incentives 15 years ago to what we see today,’’ said Scott Waller, interim chief executive of the Mississippi Economic Council, the statewide chamber of commerce in Jackson, Miss. “Today the incentives are workforce based. It’s all workforce driven. There’s absolutely no question Mississippi can be successful.” Boyd figures the auto industry's interest in electric cars could steer Toyota to make electric vehicles in the new plant and that could lead the company to locate the factory near a university-based research center. He said that was a reason Hutto, Texas, not far from the University of Texas, was Tesla’s runner-up for the factory that went to Nevada. Boyd counts North Carolina and its Research Triangle near Raleigh as the top site for Toyota followed by South Carolina, where Clemson University robotics experts are refocusing on technology for self-driving vehicles. Tennessee's legislature earlier this year approved legislation allowing self-driving cars on the highways, but that may not be enough to attract Toyota to the Memphis Regional Megasite, located on I-40 about 32 miles from Jackson, Tenn. "You have to think it'll be looked at very closely by Toyota," Boyd said about the megasite, adding that it is probably too far from a major research university to sustain Toyota’s interest for an electric car plant. Representatives from the Greater Memphis Chamber and the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, which has spent $140 million preparing the I-40 site for industrial plants, did not return calls seeking comment. Just how large incentive packages will become for the Toyota plant remains to be seen. While the largest package ever created for a corporate project was New York’s $5.6 billion investment in an Alcoa aluminum complex, automotive states have run up hefty incentives as well, reports Good Jobs First, a liberal think tank near Washington. It reports Tennessee accumulated $225 million for Nissan, which operates in Middle Tennessee at Decherd and Smyrna, and $554 million for Volkswagen’s assembly plant at Chattanooga. Boyd figures incentives for a Toyota-Mazda project could exceed $1 billion including worker training programs, extension of utilities and roads and tax breaks.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/story/money/2017/08/04/toyota-might-look-tennessee-megasite-outside-memphis/540751001/
Bally’s and Resorts Tunica casinos to be sold for $44 million
March 28th, 2017Penn National Gaming Inc. announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the holding companies for Bally’s Casino Tunica and Resorts Casino Tunica, for approximately $44 million cash. Penn National Gaming already owns the nearby Hollywood Casino Tunica operations. In a statement, Penn National’s president and CEO Timothy J. Wilmott said, “The acquisition will add two complementary casinos to our existing Hollywood Casino Tunica operations, thereby presenting Penn National with the opportunity to benefit from a centralized local management structure.” When the transaction is complete, Penn National will operate both Bally's and Resorts and lease the underlying property associated with the two businesses from Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (GLPI: Nasdaq), for a total initial annual rent of $9 million. The transaction, which is expected to close in the second quarter of 2017, is subject to the approval of the Mississippi Gaming Commission. Bally’s Casino Tunica and Resorts Casino Tunica generated adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of approximately $21 million for the 12-month period that ended Dec. 31, 2016. Bally's is the closest Tunica-area casino to Downtown Memphis. It features a 40,000-square-foot casino with 947 slot machines and 16 table games, along with a steakhouse, buffet restaurant, 24-hour café, and a live entertainment venue. Resorts Casino Tunica is located adjacent to Hollywood Casino Tunica. Resorts features a 35,000-square-foot casino with 800 slot machines and nine table games, as well as a steakhouse, buffet restaurant and 24-hour café, as well as 18,000 square feet of meeting and event space and a 201-room hotel. Elle Perry covers hospitality, tourism and health care.
http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2017/03/28/ballys-and-resorts-tunica-casinos-to-be-sold-for.html?ana=e_memp_bn&u=f%2Fl7M4Ze%2F2JaeRXg2QUUfg0f07da5c&t=1490727139&j=77767731
Done Deal: Six acres near FedEx World HQ sells
March 16th, 2017Forest Bend Properties LLC recently sold almost six acres of land near FedEx World Headquarters to New Development LLC, according to a deed filed with Shelby County Register of Deeds. New Development paid $784,000 for the site, according to the deed — about $200,000 more than Forest Bend paid for a slightly larger plot of land at the same address in 2015, according to a separate deed. The piece of land sits across the street from a McAlister's Deli and about a block away from Hwy. 385, which 50,000 vehicles drive on per day, according to marketing materials for the parcel. It also sits less than two miles away from Sedgwick Claims Management Services' future headquarters. New Development owns multiple pieces of land in the city that are home to gas stations and other retail developments. NAI Saig Company's Bryan Evans represented New Development in the negotiations, and Colliers International's Andrew Phillips represented Forest Bend. Jacob Steimer covers CRE, manufacturing, finance and nonprofits for MBJ.
http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2017/03/09/done-deal-six-acres-near-fedex-world-hq-sells.html
DeSoto road projects moving forward
February 7th, 2017DeSoto County is on track to have some major improvements to its road system finished next year, according to Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) Northern District Commissioner Mike Tagert. The new construction of I-269 from the Tennessee state border to its connection with I-69 north of Hernando and the completion of the Coldwater River bridge south of Hernando on U.S. Highway 51 are both on schedule to be finished in 2018. MDOT is also working forward on the widening to eight lanes of I-55 between Hernando and Southaven, although Tagert, in Olive Branch Tuesday to speak to the local Rotary Club, said it is moving slowly. “We are in the engineering phase, where we are trying to identify the impact of additional lanes on the current land ownership through that corridor,” Tagert said. “The big picture is to widen I-55 to eight lanes and it's crucially needed. We're in the engineering and design phase as we speak.” As with many other projects, Tagert noted that paying for the project remains an issue with limited funding. “It's good, ol' fashioned funding that's the hangup on the project,” Tagert said. “We're only limited by funding. We're going to have to spread it out over a course of time as we can afford to pay for it.” Tagert did say DeSoto County drivers should be able to travel the finished portion of I-269 by the fall of 2018. “We're very proud of the I-269/I-69 project in DeSoto County and I hope folks in DeSoto County are, as well,” Tagert said. “I-269 is a monumental project, but it's ahead of schedule and it's on budget. We're about 18 months out from finishing it and that's progress.” The Northern District Commissioner didn’t speculate on how much of that project could be finished this year, saying the paving progress is at the discretion of the contractor. Meanwhile, motorists between Hernando and Senatobia will still have to detour on I-55 for the time being, instead of taking a direct Highway 51 route, with the construction of a new bridge over the Coldwater River. The road is currently closed at that point as a replacement to an aging bridge left unsafe after flooding in March 2016 left a four-inch crack is being constructed. Tagert said it is an expensive effort brought about more quickly than expected because of the damage to the bridge. “We will open the Coldwater River Bridge next year, in the summer of 2018,” Tagert said. “It is moving forward, just as planned. The low bid on the bridge, which was put up for competitive bid, was $23 million, so it's a very expensive component. Most of our bridges are very expensive.” Tagert pointed out a bridge project had already been planned for that location, but the damage caused those plans to be moved up ahead of what the Commission had hoped. In speaking to the Olive Branch Rotarians, Tagert said the signalization of State Highway 302, commonly known as Goodman Road, was about halfway to completion. Synchronization of the traffic signals is being done countywide to allow traffic to flow more smoothly on the busy roadway. What won’t be seen on Goodman Road anytime soon is the placement of medians to replace what are commonly called “suicide lanes.” The plan had been floated by MDOT to replace the middle turning lanes due to safety concerns, but Tagert said it is not a “doable” option because too many businesses along the highway would be adversely affected. Given the current network of roads in Mississippi and a tight budget, the Northern District Commissioner said MDOT has been forced to become more of a “Department of Maintenance,” doing its best to maintain current roads and bridges in the state. Thus, the current construction in DeSoto County may be the last new construction Mississippi will see for awhile. “The agency as a whole is extremely proud of the I-269 project,” Tagert said. “We're just not able to build a lot of new roads nowadays, as you might imagine. That project is one of the last active, new capacity projects in the entire state. It's going to make things much safer for our local roads in DeSoto County.” Bob Bakken
http://www.desototimes.com/news/desoto-road-projects-moving-forward/article_33f683a2-e8d9-11e6-ba37-0bebc3364060.html
Ikea Memphis announces opening date
November 8th, 2016Mid-South shoppers can now breathe a sigh of relief – Memphis Ikea has announced an opening date. The Global Swedish retailer will open its new 271,000-square-foot store on a 35-acre parcel near Interstate 40 and Germantown Parkway Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 9 a.m. “We are thrilled by the excellent construction progress made to date, and believe we can complete the remaining milestones and interior build-out by mid-December,” said Trisha Bevering, store manager for Ikea Memphis, in a release. Besides home goods and furniture, the store will also have a children’s play area, 250-seat restaurant, an 800-space parking lot and the largest rooftop solar array system in Tennessee. More than 500 jobs were created during construction and roughly 225 jobs will be created once the store opens. Memphis-based Linkous Construction was the general contractor on the development. Ikea Memphis will mark store No. 43 in the U.S. for the retailer. In total, there are more than 380 Ikea stores across 48 countries. Customers can start lining up two days prior to the Memphis store’s opening on Monday, Dec. 12.
http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2016/10/26/ikea-memphis-announces-opening-date.html
Done Deal: East Memphis office building sells on Quail Hollow
October 24th, 2016An East Memphis office building just sold for nearly $2 million. Located at 6409 N. Quail Hollow Road, the 13,600-square-foot building went for $1.957 million. Barry D. Maynard and Frank Dyer with Loeb Realty Group represented the seller — Quail’s Nest LLC — and Matt Weathersby and Dave Curran with Cushman & Wakefield/Commercial Advisors represented the buyer, Keenland Downs Properties LLC. “This Class A office transaction continues to show real estate investors strong desire to park their money in Memphis-area income-producing properties, as Memphis often lends better returns on investment than other major markets across the U.S.,” Maynard said. “That being said, the supply and demand is upside down for good, Class A commercial properties. A lot more money chasing many fewer deals is making it a tough market to find good asset plays, and therefore investors are having to think outside of their typical comfort zone of investment. That is leading to some alternative commercial investment income-producing assets.” The Quail Hollow building is 100 percent occupied thanks to its single tenant — Comprehensive Pharmacy Services. Maynard and Dyer also helped complete a new, five-year lease agreement with the tenant. Don Bourland of Bourland, Heflin, Alvarez, Minor & Mathews PLC took care of the closing for the seller, and M. Neal Hanna, attorney with Saddle Creek Title, handled the closing on the buyer side. “Frank [Dyer] and I are seeing some very exciting and new income-alternate properties come to market, and we have some big plans to take to market several Arkansas income-producing properties in the next few months, as well as other investment properties in Tennessee and Mississippi,” Maynard said.
http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2016/10/20/done-deal-east-memphis-office-building-sells-on.html
Construction: $53 million permit filed for U of M rec center
September 20th, 2016A building permit with a lot of zeros was just filed for the new University of Memphis student recreation center. The permit to “construct student recreation center” at 3798 Southern Ave. was submitted Monday, Sept. 19. The permit to build the more than 192,000-square-foot center was valued at $53 million. Hoar Construction LLC was listed as the contractor, HNA Engineering LLC the engineer, the Crump Firm the architect, the Tennessee Board of Regents as the owner and the University of Memphis as the tenant. According to the University of Memphis website, construction of the new rec center is expected to begin this fall with completion in late summer/early fall of 2018. A few of the features in the new facility will be a climbing wall, recreational pool and lane pool, quarter-mile indoor track, juice bar, an outdoor leisure pool and outdoor turf fields. The total project cost is expected to reach $62 million. The current rec center will stay open during construction.
http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2016/09/20/construction-53-million-permit-filed-for-u-of-m.html?ana=twt
Mississippi on track for fall 2018 completion of I-269
August 25th, 2016Dirt and bridge work for the entire Mississippi portion of Interstate 269 is finished, and the project remains on track for a fall 2018 completion, the Mississippi Department of Transportation said in an update Wednesday. MDOT said the next phase of work involves two paving projects, the largest of which has begun. "The second paving project is scheduled to be let in September," the update said. "MDOT expects (the) interstate to be ready for traffic in the fall of 2018." I-269, the largest active MDOT construction project, eventually will form a horseshoe of nearly 60 miles from Hernando to Millington in Shelby County. It will be part of a bypass around Memphis as part of the planned Interstate 69 route from Canada to Mexico. The first I-269 section, a 4.5-mile segment between Tenn. 385 in Collierville and Miss. 302 near Byhalia in Marshall County, opened last October. Jason Scott, MDOT public information officer, said earlier the eight Mississippi segments will cost about $665 million. When complete, I-269 is expected to transform areas along its largely undeveloped North Mississippi route that will run westward from Marshall County to near Hernando, where it will connect with Interstate 55/69. In addition to I-269, the MDOT project update said reconstruction of the Coldwater River Bridge on U.S. 51 in Tate County should be finished by the spring of 2018. MDOT opted to replace the 1,100-foot bridge with a 2,000-foot bridge and raised road to prevent flooding. The road will be raised 4 feet. Flooding in March damaged the span and forced MDOT to close it and move up a planned November replacement project. "After the flooding event, our bridge inspection crews assessed the damage," MDOT District Two Engineer Mitch Turner said. "Because of the damage sustained, MDOT made the decision to close the bridge and move the replacement project forward in order to keep the traveling public safe." During construction, traffic is being detoured onto Interstate 55 between Hernando and Coldwater. "We realize that the detour route around this project is inconvenient to many motorists," Transportation Commissioner Mike Tagert said, adding, however, that safety over the bridge was enough of a concern to merit the inconvenience during construction. Also as part of the U.S. 51 bridge contract, MDOT is rehabilitating bridges over the Coldwater River along I-55. That portion of the contract is expected to be complete in early fall. By Ron Maxey of The Commercial Appeal
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/suburbs/desoto/mississippi-on-track-for-fall-2018-completion-of-i-269-3ad8a87d-0df3-4700-e053-0100007faef7-391217221.html
Downtown Malco aims to open in time for next ‘Star Wars’ sequel
August 17th, 2016Malco's new Downtown theater could be open in time for the next "Star Wars" sequel. Wednesday, Aug. 17, Downtown Memphis Commission's affiliate board, Center City Development Corp. (CCDC), approved a matching, reimbursable Storefront Improvement Grant of up to $125,000 to help with Malco Theatres Inc.'s $9 million undertaking to retrofit the Powerhouse at Central Station into an eight-screen movie theater. Antonio “Tony” Bologna of Bologna Consultants LLC attended the meeting on behalf of Malco and said the theater chain wants to start construction as soon as possible in order to open in time for next year’s expected holiday-season blockbusters, such as "Star Wars, Episode VIII," which is scheduled for release on Dec. 15, 2017. The Malco theater will take about 10 months to complete, with a projected opening date of summer 2017. Malco vice president Jimmy Tashie originally applied for a $200,000 grant that would have paid for half the $400,000 soft costs associated with renovating the Powerhouse. Since the Storefront Improvement Grant is intended to be applied only to exterior work that can be seen from the public right of way, $125,000 was approved to assist with brick tuckpointing and window repair/modification. The approval is the CCDC’s largest storefront improvement grant, trumping Ghost River Brewing Corp.’s $66,455 grant in May. CCDC board member Carl Person said as long as CCDC has the funding, he doesn’t mind supporting the board’s largest approval to date. “We don’t typically have a petitioner asking to build a $9 million movie theater,” Person said. The Central Station theater will incorporate a new concept for Malco, with balconies and an outdoor rooftop screen and lounge. Malco is renovating the Powerhouse for ticket sales, concessions and a small restaurant. “Being a Downtown architect, I’ve always wanted to see the Powerhouse renovated, and by including food operations for the movie theater, it has a viable chance,” Bologna said.
http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2016/08/17/downtown-malco-aims-to-open-in-time-for-next-star.html
Demolition starts on Sears, makes room for Nordstrom Rack, retail center
August 17th, 2016Demolition has started in East Memphis on the old Sears department store and On The Border restaurant building nearby to make room for the Poplar Commons shopping center to be anchored by a Nordstrom Rack. By Saturday, demo crews had reduced to rubble most of the restaurant structure and the canopy for the walkway connecting Poplar to Sears' front door. A third building, the Sears automotive service center, also will be removed. The northwest corner of Poplar and Perkins Extended will be transformed into a 135,200-square-foot retail center comprising five buildings and 600 parking spaces. Owner Seritage Growth Properties filed documents for a building permit in late spring to construct the first three buildings at an estimated cost of $15.5 million. They include the biggest -- toward the back of the property where the Sears building now stands -- that will house the 33,000-square-foot Nordstrom Rack as well as three other retailers. An Ulta Beauty store is to be built on the west side of the property just behind where On The Border stood. Representatives of Seritage Growth Properties, a real estate investment trust affiliated with Sears, have said total cost to build Poplar Commons will be $25.2 million once all five buildings are erected. By Thomas Bailey Jr. of The Commercial Appeal
http://www.commercialappeal.com/business/Demolition-starts-on-Sears-to-make-room-for-Nordstrom-Rack-retail-center-390077922.html
Conn’s comes to Southaven
August 10th, 2016The effort to revitalize the original Main Street of Southaven has received a big boost with the opening Friday of a new Conn’s HomePlus store at 570 Stateline Road West, adjacent to the shopping area that includes a Burlington Coat Factory and is just off the Stateline Road exit of I-55. The Texas-based furniture and specialty home goods retailer last year purchased the Stateline Square Shopping Center with plans to add to the area what will become the third Memphis-area Conn’s HomePlus store and second location in Mississippi, said Jamie Pierce, the company’s Chief Marketing Officer. ”We are incredibly excited,” Pierce said. “This will actually be our 110th store. Southaven is just a great community that we’re looking forward to joining and really bringing to the Southaven community the great things that Conn’s has to offer, so we’re very, very excited.” The Jackson location is on East County Line Road off I-55. The other Memphis stores are at 3525 Riverdale Road off Bill Morris Parkway and 3260 Austin Peay Highway in Raleigh. At 45,672 square feet of floor space, the Southaven store will be a little larger than your average Conn’s HomePlus store, Pierce said. “That’s a pretty typical size,” Pierce said. “Our stores range from an average 40,000 to 45,000 square feet, but we have a few that are over 50,000 square feet. The Southaven store is really ranked in our average size, but slightly bigger.” Pierce said customers will find a wide range of furniture, appliances and electronics, but she said the company’s financing program sets it apart from others. “What really makes us unique is our in-house consumer financing program, or what we call ‘Yes Money,’” Pierce said. “It allows customers who may have been turned down for credit at other retailers a means to provide them a program they can afford on quality products for their home. It’s a very unique model but we’re not a regular retailer, we’re very different from other retailers.” Another item unique to Conn’s, Pierce said, is the store’s policy on quick delivery of furniture items. “When you think of furniture, one of the main sticking points for customers is that typically furniture can take weeks to deliver to the customer, so if you go to other retailers, it can be four-to-six weeks to get furniture for your home,” Pierce said. “Everything you see on the floor from Conn’s is next-day delivery, which is a really tremendous thing and separates us from other retailers.” The store did not make a major “splash” in its opening of the Southaven store, but Pierce said it will hold a Grand Opening Event on July 2. “We call this a ‘soft’ opening when we’ll be opening to customers but at our big Grand Opening event, we’ll be giving away $100 gift cards to the first 100 customers and we’ll have a number of different promotions going on,” Pierce said. A total of 25 local jobs will be filled in Southaven and they will be working for one of the nation’s growing companies. Benjamin Campbell serves as the store manager. Conn’s HomePlus was included in Fortune magazine’s 2015 list of the fastest-growing companies and was named a 2015 Hot Retailer by the National Retail Federation. Conn's HomePlus stores are now located in 12 states, including Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. In Southaven, Pierce said Conn’s will fit right in with DeSoto County’s fast-growing community. “When you talk about the customers of Conn’s being the middle-class, hard-working customer, we see the demographic of Southaven being a strong customer base coming to Conn’s,” Pierce said. “Our other stores have done incredibly well in the Memphis area, so this is just a natural extension for Conn’s to come to Southaven.” By BOB BAKKEN Staff Writer of the DeSoto Times-Tribune
http://www.desototimes.com/business/conn-s-comes-to-southaven/article_c9a3cc90-2451-11e6-be23-47cc187012a1.html
First Tennessee real estate moves will send Downtown workers to airport area
July 11th, 2016First Tennessee’s big real estate move later this year will shift hundreds of employees from one struggling office market to another, from Downtown to the airport area. It remains to be seen how the shift affects either commercial real estate submarket. The office vacancy rates for Downtown is 19.8 percent and 22.8 percent for the airport area, according to the latest CBRE Markeview report. Nothing’s happening to the well-known First Tennessee Building at Main and Third except a continuing, $3.5 million renovation and the addition of 200 employees for the 25-story headquarters. But three blocks away, the bank’s less known back-office building — no First Tennessee sign, logo or branding is easily visible from the streets — will be vacated and put up for sale. Five hundred to 700 people work there. First Tennessee built the eight-level (counting the basement), 228,000-square-foot Court-Thomas Building in 1971 and has owned and used it for such non-retail functions as loan operations and enterprise technology. Many of the bank workers there will be moved to another back-office building near the airport; the bank calls the 181,000-square-foot structure at 3451 Prescott Road the “First Ops West’’ building. Built in 1995 and expanded in 1999, First Ops West will see the number of its employees climb from the 400 now to nearly 1,000. The bank is renovating and updating the building for office use. Still, the growth will not necessarily radiate across the airport office district, indicated commercial real estate broker Joe Steffner. “The fact they are moving people to the airport means they are putting them in less expensive space,’’ said Steffner, regional managing director for Newmark Grubb Frank Knight. He’s also president of the Memphis Area Association of Realtors. “It’s always good for that market to receive tenants like this, but frankly this is more people going into warehouse space that’s been converted to office.’’ First Tennessee will not be filling available space in the airport district. “Unless they have taken a half-million square feet it’s not going to make a difference because there’s so much vacancy down there,'' Steffner said. First Tennessee is reducing its real estate footprint and consolidating employees across the state. But no adjustment involves more people than the Court-Thomas/First Ops West buildings. Since one of the functions at First Ops West is to process checks, more and more of its space has emptied as Internet banking shrinks the demand for checks. “We had a building out there that had a lot of vacant space,’’ said Steve Bieber, real estate director for First Tennessee. The Prescott Road building will continue to process checks, but also house account maintenance and a large portion of the bank’s information technology operation. It’s difficult to gauge the impact on the airport area’s real estate simply by adding employees to a building First Tennessee already owns, Bieber said. But he added, “There won’t be a negative impact to it.’’ Downtown, some of the Court-Thomas Building employees will make the short move to the First Tennessee Building. The Dallas-based commercial real estate firm Fischer & Company, which has a long history representing FedEx in real estate, will represent First Tennessee in the sale of the Court-Thomas Building. “We feel we can market it and hopefully somebody will be able to re-tenant the building,’’ Bieber said. Even though the structure is 45 years old and classified as Class B or B-minus, selling it should be “no more challenging than any building in the Downtown area,’’ he said. The effect on the Downtown office market would be “a wash’’ if a company buys and inhabits Court-Thomas, Steffner said. But if it becomes vacant and for lease “it will have the impact of putting space on the market. “... It’s a building that hasn’t seen the market in a long time,’’ Steffner said. “I’m really not familiar with it. It’s got a good location on Thomas. (But) most people who want to be Downtown want to see the river. “It would be a good back-office building for somebody at a cheap price,’’ he said. One alternative would be to convert the building into residential space. “That would be a far better use of it,’’ Steffner said. “A lot of office buildings have been converted.’’ By Thomas Bailey Jr. of The Commercial Appeal
http://www.commercialappeal.com/business/real-estate/Districts-await-effects-of-First-Tennessee-real-estate-movves-386048231.html
Done Deal: More tenants announced for Bartlett shopping center
July 11th, 2016The Bartlett Station shopping center on Stage Road is getting two new tenants. Bartlett-based American Properties Co. announced it leased 1,500 square feet of space to Discount Trophies at 5724 Stage Road and 900 square feet to BeYouTiful Salon Studio at 5728 Stage Road. “I believe these tenants recognize the dynamic merchandise/service mix at the property and wanted to be a part of a centrally located property with easy ingress and egress on Stage Road with over 31,000 cars [per] day,” said Clayton Watson with American Properties. “Our company is excited to have them as tenants and look forward to a long term relationship.” The main existing tenants in the nearly 86,000-square-foot retail center are Planet Fitness, Dollar General, Stems Florist and Marco’s Pizza.
http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2016/07/11/done-deal-more-tenants-announced-for-bartlett.html
Memphis and Germantown claim top five residential sales
July 11th, 2016Germantown and Memphis claimed all five top home sales in the latest round of purchases. The first big sale was a 1.2-acre property on 8968 Hollybrook Lane North in the Forestbrook subdivision that went for $1.135 million. Located in the Germantown 38139 ZIP code, the parcel is still listed as vacant residential land by the Shelby County Assessor of Property. Second on the list was a house in the 38120 Memphis ZIP on River Oaks Road. The nearly 7,000-square-foot house with six bedrooms and five-and-a-half bathrooms sold for $998,000. The house was built in 1996. The third mega sale was a residence in the Memphis 38117 ZIP code on Gwynne Road. The circa 1942 house that measures in at 5,200 square feet has six bedrooms and four baths. The purchase price was $880,760. Germantown claimed the final two sales with fourth place going to a house in the 38139 ZIP. Constructed in 1990, the five-bed, four-and-a-half bath house sold for $865,000. The 6,100-square-foot abode is situated on Dove Meadow Cove. Finally, Germantown’s 38138 ZIP ends the sales with a $754,000 transaction on Inspiration Drive. Built in 2014, the 5,300-square-foot home includes five beds and four-and-a-half baths.
http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2016/07/08/memphis-and-germantown-claim-top-five-residential.html
Nike buys Frayser land for expansion
February 2nd, 2013Nike Inc. is moving forward with expansion plans for its North Memphis facility with a 200-acre, $2.2 million land purchase from Belz Investco GP, Memphis Daily News reports. The Beaverton, Ore.-based company bought the land located north of its 1.1 million-square-foot facility in Belz's Northridge Industrial Park. The sale closed Jan. 24, according to the report. Nike (NYSE: NKE) is expanding its Memphis distribution operation and in October received a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes incentive from the Memphis and Shelby County Economic Development Growth Engine for the project. The sports retail giant will add 250 jobs and about 1.8 million square feet to its existing operation in Frayser.
http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/blog/morning_call/2013/02/nike-buys-frayser-land-for-expansion.html
New Viking Range owner cuts 140 workers, will close Memphis cooking school
February 2nd, 2013GREENWOOD, Miss. — Viking Range Corp.'s new owner is laying off one-fifth of the company's workers. Middleby Corp, based near Chicago, said it laid off about 140 of Viking's 700 employees Thursday. Also, Viking founder and Chief Executive Officer Fred Carl Jr. announced his retirement. Carl had earlier said that he probably would lead the company for several more years and cited Middleby's pattern of leaving managers in place after buying companies. Layoffs are effective immediately, with a majority in Viking's hometown of Greenwood. Spokeswoman Darcy Bretz said she doesn't know if fired workers are receiving severance pay. Viking also said it will close cooking schools in Memphis and Ridgeland, Miss. The Memphis school, located at 1215 Ridgeway, opened in 2006. It's still offering classes through March. Middleby announced Dec. 31 that it was buying Viking for $380 million from shareholders including Carl and Arkansas' Stephens family. Bretz said the layoffs were spread across the company but were heavier in some departments. She offered no explanation for Carl's resignation. Carl and Viking have worked to revitalize Greenwood's downtown, including the Alluvian Hotel and a cooking school there. Those operations will stay open.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/photos/2013/feb/01/377735/
Building permits show major increase
February 2nd, 2013The number of building permits issued in DeSoto County in 2012 grew by more than 60 percent over the previous year, and that's good news for growth in the year ahead, DeSoto County Director of Planning Ted Garrod told DeSoto County Supervisors on Tuesday. "We project it will be a banner year," Garrod said. "We're looking forward to a continuation of that trend in 2013." Garrod said there were a total of 730 single family residential permits issued in 2012 compared to 456 in 2011. Garrod said there were 48 issued in the month of December alone. Unincorporated DeSoto County recorded the most building permits with 229. Southaven led all cities with a total of 214 permits, followed by Olive Branch with 138 and Hernando with 122. Horn Lake recorded 21 and Walls issued six building permits for single family home construction. DeSoto County Planning officials said it's unlikely DeSoto will ever see again the flurry of building activity which the region saw during the boom years of home construction. The high watermark for home construction was in 2005 when there were a total of 2,802 building permits issued. In 2008, after the effects of the Great Recession, building permits dropped off significantly and have only recently begun to rebound. Board of Supervisors President Mark Gardner welcomed the good news. "I think that's a very encouraging sign," Gardner said. "People are still definitely wanting to come to DeSoto County." DeSoto County Administrator Vanessa Lynchard agreed. "There are so many contributing factors," Lynchard said. "It's our economy, our good schools, our overall quality of life."
http://desototimes.com/articles/2013/02/01/news/doc5101bed9f38f7628931619.txt
Malco moves forward with 12-screen theater
November 8th, 2012Malco Theatres said Monday it will build a 12-screen theater in Olive Branch. Initial site work at Goodman Road and West Hamilton Circle was completed several years ago, but the project was put on hold when the recession hit. Economic conditions have improved to the point where Malco is resuming the project, with plans to complete it by mid-2013, the company said. The cinema will anchor a planned development by Michael Lightman, which will include a couple of restaurants that want to open next to the Malco theater location. "Malco is very excited about bringing a state-of-the-art, all-digital cinema with 3D capability to the Olive Branch community," said Jimmy Tashie, executive vice president of theater operations for Malco. "We know it took a long time to happen, but the end product will be something the community will be very proud to have and enjoy for many years to come." In 2007, Ambarish Keshani announced plans to open a cinema in Olive Branch, competing with Malco, which already had a cinema in Southaven and planned its own in Olive Branch. In 2008, Malco acquired Keshani's property, but put the project on hold as the recession deepened. Olive Branch Mayor Sam Rikard applauded the news. "I look forward to their beginning construction and the opening of the cinema," he said. "One of the most common questions asked of me recently has been, 'When is Malco going to build?' Now we know." Malco also had projects in Louisiana and Arkansas that were put on hold, but are now set to resume. Malco recently completed the renovation of the Ridgeway Four Cinema in Memphis, and will complete the renovation of the Forest Hill Cinema in Germantown bymonth's end.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/nov/08/malco-theatres-moves-forward-with-12-screen-in/
Southaven Proposes “Multi-Use” Lanes
November 6th, 2012(Southaven, MS) Lots of communities have new bike lanes on lots of streets but Southaven leaders say they’d like to take that idea one step further. That idea, is to introduce not just bike lanes, but “multi-use” lanes, that officials here say residents have asked about for years, ”Over the past ten years that I’ve been here, we’ve had numerous complaints every year from people that say you just can’t get from point A to point B without a vehicle, and it is a problem” said Southaven Planning Director Whitney Choat-Cook. Lots of neighborhoods have sidewalks, but there’s almost no safe path connecting those neighborhoods. Choat-Cook, an avid runner, came up with the idea ”It’s not just one way of transportation or two ways of transportation. I mean you can ride a bike, you can run, you can walk, you can drive an automobile”. So far, initial reaction from aldermen and the public has been encouraging ”I’d like to see the whole city covered. I’d like 42 square miles of multi-use trails but we’ll be starting on existing roadways that are extra wide”. Choat-Cook hopes to get construction started on the trails sometime this coming spring.
http://wreg.com/2012/11/06/southaven-proposes-multi-use-lanes/