The Mississippi Main Street Blog

Introducing Destination Downtown Blog

Mississippi Main Street Association is hosting the annual Destination Downtown conference October 6-8, 2008 in Bay St. Louis, Miss. The conference will be held at Hollywood Casino.

We will be joined by the Main Street programs from Louisiana and Arkansas. Make plans to attend this conference! You do not want to miss the excellent line-up of speakers and educational sessions, as well as the fun events that will take place along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Click here to go to the Destination Downtown blog.

Natchez to Open Hotel

The town of Natchez will soon celebrate the opening of the new 119 room Country Inn and Suites. Nineteen of the rooms will be luxury suites with balconies overlooking the Mississippi River and downtown Natchez. The new hotel will be associated with the Carlson Group, owners of hotel chains Radisson, Park Inns and Regent Hotels.

Natchez has recently wrapped up their Spring Pilgrimage Antebellum Home Tours. Natchez has been named a Distinctive Destination by the National Trust for Historic Preservaton, one of only two Mississippi towns given this honor. Natchez has been a member of Mississippi Main Street since 1997. Visit Natchez at http://www.natchez.ms.us/default.cfm.  (Picture at top: Room at Country Inn and Suites, Picture at bottom: Longwood Mansion)

Logo Sign Program on Highways

At many of the intersections throughout the state, there are logo signs providing direction for food, gas or lodging. This program was put into place to cut down on the number of billboards in the nation. MDOT contracts with Interstate Logos, LLC to place these signs in our state. The cost to the business is about $1600 per year to cover signs for one year on highways with less than 30,000 vehicle count. This rate covers two signs from both directions. The rates are higher on higher traffic count roads.

 

Their Mississippi website is www.mississippi.interstatelogos.com. The site covers what types of business can place signs and the criteria required for each.