CAPITAL CITY CONVENTION CENTER COMMISSION ANNOUNCES INDEPENDENT OPERATIONS FOR THE JACKSON CONVENTION COMPLEX

The Capital City Convention Center Commission (CCCCC) announces that on May 16, 2023, it began independent operations of the Jackson Convention Complex (JCC). The move follows a mutual agreement to relinquish the responsibility from Oak View Group 360 (OVG).

“OVG stabilized the center after the COVID-19 pandemic and we are thankful for their partnership,” said Fred Banks, Commissioner Chair. “But now, we are excited to move into a new chapter with Cherre Miller as General Manager. Her experience and expertise in running facilities, specifically the JCC, is unmatched.”

Like many other businesses, the JCC has not fully recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic. After carefully evaluating the potential benefits and reduction in financial restraints, the CCCCC, with cooperation from city leadership, moved towards independent operations.

Similarly sized cities have provided a road map for implementing this strategy, including Birmingham, Memphis, Baton Rouge, and Little Rock, along with Natchez, Hattiesburg and Vicksburg here in Mississippi.

“This is an important milestone in our journey as a convention complex,” said General Manager Cherre Miller. “We have been working tirelessly to lay the groundwork by establishing strong partnerships and implementing robust processes to ensure a smooth and successful transition. We are ready to take charge of our destiny as an independent entity.”

Visit Jackson, the city’s Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), will align strategic resources and support the CCCCC & JCC, especially in sales and marketing.

As in most communities across the country, the responsibility of marketing a city falls to DMOs. Visit Jackson is not only charged with marketing Jackson’s leisure assets but also is committed to promoting the area as a convention destination for meeting planners.

“Visit Jackson brings valuable human capital to the center,” said (Miller). “They are no stranger to convention center marketing as we worked together in 2006 to operate and sell the Telcom Center when it first opened.”

DMOs have evolved through the post-pandemic world into an essential resource for event planners to connect with different vendors, address supply chain and pricing issues, and even help find other options to hold successful events.

“We have a great relationship with the JCC staff,” said Dr. Rickey Thigpen, President & CEO of Visit Jackson. “You know I stand on Collective Ambition, and we consider ourselves as an extension of their staff to be an invaluable resource to leverage the center as a key asset in attracting conventions and events to create a seamless marketing approach showcasing the center as a flagship venue for events and leverage it as a selling point. Additionally, we will apply our knowledge and experience to enhance the overall service quality provided to event organizers and attendees, focus on maximizing the economic benefits of hosting conventions and events and leverage our networks and partnerships to facilitate collaborations and partnerships. We are confident this methodology will attract a wider range of events to enhance the overall attractiveness of the destination as a convention hub.”