Ideas for MS tourism via civil rights history......

I saw where MS population growth was the slowest among the Southern states, and it got me thinking. What does MS have to do to improve economically? We know all the usual factors: education, bring a factory in, etc. We know we've got casinos, agriculture, the outdoors and the Coast (and all it offers). But the state needs another economic engine. I'm thinking something along the lines of a civil right museum trail.

This country is obsessed with civil rights. We love to talk about how we can 'correct the wrongs'. Well, why doesn't MS go to the forefront. Let's quit trying to hide our past, instead embrace it. It happened. Let's show the world (and while we're at it, charge $30 a pop for it). I could see northerners absolutely FLOCKING down here for that.

I'm thinking a huge museum and trail for the civil rights workers in Philadelphia. Emmett Til museum in the Delta (they may already have that). How about an Oprah Winfrey museum in Kosciusko? Tours of old slave-owning plantations, showing how it used to be. So much history in the state that needs to be charged money for, instead of covered up. Is your old farming town dying (see any Delta town)? Let's have recreations of a typical day of a white Mississippian and a black Mississippian in 1940. I mean all these things that we run from everyday, we should use it. Ole Miss should have James Meredith stuff everywhere (think bigger here than Egg Bowl shit-throwing).

I mean, it's not going away. People still think we don't have air conditioning down here. The state's image has not improved in that regard. So let's try something else, and make money doing it.

Thoughts?

Probably a good idea. As long as it's well done and not a cheesy attempt for the state to "cash in", it would probably work. I've been to the Civil Rights museum in Memphis a few times. Really cool. I always get an uneasy feeling when I see the hotel room where MLK was assassinated.

I am fairly certain we could secure federal grants out the ass to help with something like this. Tea party folks may say it's a waste of money, but let's take a red pill here. Congress is ABSOLUTELY going to waste money.....so it may as well be wasted in Mississippi, IMO.

We've got the Blues Trail... how's that working?

Won't work. You need to provide an entertainment draw for people to come visit. Something unique. Since we don't have a big city, or a New Orleans or a Memphis, or very nice beaches like Al and Fl does, it's very very difficult. Ark has the Ozarks, Tenn has Mem, Nash and the Smokey Mountains, La has N.O., Al has awesome beaches and RTJ golf trail. Many states have nice casino resorts now and frankly, unless it's Vegas, people don't get excited. Personally, I think Mississippi should do more with it's music heritage, and do something big.

Actually, MS does have some very nice beaches, they just happen to be on the south side of the barrier islands but I get your point. The coast is the most happening touristy are in MS so perhaps it could go down there. You already have casinos, beach, fishing, minor league baseball (coming soon), and great restaurants.

I agree the MS coast has tourism and some nice things. There's excellant seafood , a few Vegas style casinos, live music, downtown Ocean Springs, Ship Island, etc. I guess I meant coastal water, in that it's not the same as in AL/FL. Proximity to the river mouth messes it up for us, but the barrier islands are nicer and great fishing there too.

Blow up the barrier islands.

Provide hotels and entertainment alongside all these things. Maybe even golf courses or hunting tours. 'Old Mississippi' tours. I swear yankees would eat that shit up. And once they got here and ate our food and actually saw what MS was, they'd come back, maybe even stay. Yeah I know some people will say that's bad but if we ever won't to escape being lil ole MS we have to welcome new people and ideas in.

Somebody needs to make something work, instead of just throwing their hands up (similar to your post). And similar to what we've let happen to Jackson.

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Originally Posted by FlabLoser

Blow up the barrier islands.

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if not for hurricanes, I'd agree.

They could combine the Blues trail, civil war parks/etc..., and a civil rights tour. it all fits together nicely and would be a pretty damn interesting tour. Would definitely need entertainment along the way. Get a riverboat involved. Start at tunica and end on the gulf coast. Casino to casino. Use the river boat... see no need to go east of Jackson, which could be bused from Vicksburg. I'm sure we can find an interesting bus story for the ride over, right?

There are some things east of Jackson that should be included. Like I said in the first paragraph, an Oprah Winfrey museum in Kosciusko might do really well. A place dedicated to the civil rights workers in Philly too. And hey, there's a casino there, let's just link them up. Put a golf course near every site.

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Originally Posted by Goat Holder

There are some things east of Jackson that should be included. Like I said in the first paragraph, an Oprah Winfrey museum in Kosciusko might do really well. A place dedicated to the civil rights workers in Philly too. And hey, there's a casino there, let's just link them up. Put a golf course near every site.

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Dancing Rabbit

I'm sure there's plenty in east MS, but using the river as the transportation for the tour would make it like a cruise.