NATCHEZ, Miss. — Mayor Dan Gibson is heralding major economic and civic progress made in Natchez since he took office two years ago and is putting forth extensive goals and promises that include spending more than $12 million to improve city properties and streets.
“Let’s celebrate our success and now look forward,” Gibson said Thursday in his annual State of the City speech.
Gibson said he and city aldermen are planning to devote $6 million for street projects that should be completed in 2023. Morgantown Road and Silver Street top the list of thoroughfares to be improved. Others are to be identified later.
City officials will also be drawing up a $3 million upgrade of the Natchez Convention Center to help lure more conferences to Natchez. Another $2 million, Gibson said, is to be allocated to renovate City Auditorium, where the mayor delivered his State of the City address Thursday.
He also envisions more than $1 million to refurbish Natchez fire stations, move the city-county E911 operations to the Natchez police station and improve other city properties.
Gibson said this can be done without raising taxes, which the mayor noted have generated about $300,000 more so far than last year for city coffers from the increase in sales alone.
The mayor’s one-hour address included announcements that American Cruise Lines will make Natchez the homeport for its newest riverboat. The American Symphony will be an addition to seven other ships that regularly visit here and another that plans to with hundreds of passengers a week to see Natchez.
ACL’s newly built ship will be christened in Natchez on Aug. 30, Gibson said.
ACL is partnering with Southern Airways and the renovation-delayed Eola Hotel to fly riverboat passengers and give them overnight accommodations as they come in and out of Natchez for their river voyages, according to the mayor. The Eola has been closed since 2014, and Natchez has been without a passenger airline for more than 20 years.
“Yes — the Eola is happening, and yes – commercial flights are returning to Natchez,” Gibson declared.
The mayor’s lofty ambitions even include eventually developing a medical school in Natchez that would be part of a “health care hub” with more medical doctors.
“Watch for more details to be forthcoming” said Gibson, who released a medical economic development report Thursday that entails enhancements for a medical district around Merit Health Natchez hospital. A task force has been created to set strategies for this.
See the city’s website or Facebook page for the MED Natchez plan.
Noting National Public Radio recently reported Natchez is “America’s most affordable city,” Gibson said he’ll continue to promote the city as a place for tourists to visit and newcomers to move to. The city is the “most affordable place to play and the most affordable place to stay,” he said.
The nation’s financial travails fueled by COVID and inflation have brought “economic challenges like what we’ve not had in a generation,” but Gibson expressed optimism that “We will conquer this.”
While Gibson’s plans are grand, supporters have confidence the mayor can fulfill them. “I’m glad to have a mayor who’s a go-getter,” said Robbie Cade-Furdge. “He’s going to go get it.”
The mayor’s State of the City address can be viewed on the city of Natchez’ Facebook page.
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