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Well, it looks like Meridian is fixing to drop the ball … again. I know times are hard and money is scarce. There are lots of problems around town that need fixing, but it looks like we have a one time chance to save our most recognizable landmark and that is a deserving project also.

So what are we doing? Beating around the bush just as Meridian is known for. If the Threefoot Building was in Tupelo, it would already be renovated and in operation. How many people out there remember the old Union Station? If you don’t, trust me, it was a gem. Its owners offered it to the City of Meridian for nothing and guess what? We turned it down and it was bulldozed. Then later, we spent millions to rebuild a replica on the original location. How smart was that?

Our choices are clear:

1. Cancel the project and demolish the building. Cost $3-7 million. Result: a hole in our skyline. Benefit to City: negative.

2. Stabilize the building and let it sit empty, quite possibly forever. Cost $4-12 million. Result: a continuing liability to the city. Benefit to City: Negative.

3. Go forward with the project and have an asset any city in Mississippi would be proud to have. Cost $14 million. Result: an asset that will compliment the Riley Center and draw thousands of people to downtown Meridian. Benefit to the City: Positive in tax revenues and reputation.

Think about it City Council and all the dedicated nay-sayers around Meridian. This is an opportunity to do something that will benefit Meridian for years to come. It’s about time we did something right for a change.



Michael Ware

Meridian