Paula Merritt / The Meridian StarJeremiah Trawick dances with his grandmother, Virginia Brimble, during Friday's gala at the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience in Meridian.

About 20 years ago, when Greg Snowden became a representative in the Mississippi House, the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience seemed like a fantasy.

“I get kind of nostalgic here because when I got in the legislature (about) 20 years ago this was all a dream,” Snowden said. “Any number of places around the state wanted it and we decided that we wanted it in Meridian.”

The center, just past its first anniversary, may not be as large as other facilities around the country but remains just as impressive, Snowden said during the museum’s celebration Friday night. 

“Anybody who comes and sees this can’t believe they’re in Meridian, or even Mississippi,” Snowden said. “It’s something I am continually proud to be associated with.”

Snowden said he believed Meridian was on the cusp of something new and The Max played a role in that.

“Of course, it’s not just the facility. It’s these Mississippians on display here,” Snowden said, naming the musicians, writers and entertainers in The Max’s Hall of Fame. “It’s incredibly that one state of this size has produced this level of talent… We need to show the world what we’ve got and that’s what we’re doing here.”

For Dede Mogollon, the director of tourism at Visit Meridian/ Lauderdale County, The Max shows the potential of downtown.

“It’s very, very exciting and it’s really a sense of pride to have something so nice in our community,” Mogollon said. 

The Max played a role in tourism’s major hurdle in Meridian: attracting people from the interstate.

“So many of the problems we have is just getting people off of the interstate because the Meridian you see on the interstate is not the Meridian you see in downtown,” Mogollon said. “And The Max gets people off of the interstate so they can see that.”

Coordinating with tourism directors throughout the state, Mogollon said Meridian serve as a jumping off point to exploring all the state has to offer. 

“You hear so many negative things about our state, but we really excel in the arts,” Mogollon said. “This gives you a good overview of the state.”

About two weeks ago, Meridian hosted the Mississippi Tourism annual conference and Mogollon said several tourism directors were amazed at the changes they’d seen in Meridian over the years.

“Several (tourism directors) across the state hadn’t ever been to Meridian or hadn’t been in ten years,” Mogollon said. “They were amazed at the difference they saw in our city.”

Mogollon said that as the Mississippi Children’s Museum-Meridian breaks ground and the Jimmie Rodgers Museum gets settled, Meridian’s tourism industry will have plenty of highlights.

“If you’re interacting with anyone outside of your community, you have a choice to speak positively or negatively about our community,” Mogollon said. “It’s very important (to highlight the good things) and I think The Max makes it easier… every town has politics, police and potholes, but visitors don’t see that. They see the positives. We need to focus on the positive things too.”

Though not a native of Meridian, LaFondra Kenney has lived in Meridian for more than two decades.

“My husband and I moved here in ’97. And I loved that everyone knew everyone and that we could let our children go to the ballpark but what I missed was having some place to go and dress up,” Kenney said. “I came here last year with my husband and it was just so impressive.”

Kenney, who serves on the Boys & Girls Club of East Mississippi’s Board of Directors, immediately said children need to come and see what Mississippians can achieve.

“The kids need to come so they can see people who look like them; people who they didn’t even know came from Mississippi; people they see on TV every day,” Kenney said. “People who can inspire them and encourage them to keep striving for positive things.”