Mississippi Discussion Thread

[CoastalRocketReb]

2nd time poster - long time lurker here.

I don't recall ever seeing a Mississippi thread on this board so I thought I'd start one. If there is already a thread, please let me know so I'm not duplicating efforts.

Development in Mississippi isn't near to the level it is in AL, GA, SC, NC, LA, FL, etc. But both the coast and north Mississippi are experiencing relatively tremendous growth. A lot of good things have started happening in recent years under the leadership of a well-connected and business savy governor in Haley Barbour.

I'll try to keep the thread updated as much as possible. I hope to see others contribute as well. I'm sure Tennreb will chime in.

[10101000]

Glad to have ya!

[| BRAVO |]

I'm looking forward to it :yes:

[DruidCity]

I'm looking forward to it, too.

As best I can tell, judging from the stock price, the Myriad mega-project in Tunica isn't happening.

However, as far as I know, the big casino-related projects in Biloxi like Margaritaville are still a "go."

Of smaller towns in the state that I've driven through the last couple years, Tupelo and Hattiesburg both appear to have some good things going on.

[Muskavon]

There's a small group of posters who keep a running thread under "Projects & Construction" / "City Compilations" for the Miss. Gulf Coast:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=132354

I tried to encourage them once to post some of their stuff in this "South" group where they might get more interested readers/participants, but I don't guess they were very interested.

So please do keep it going in here. I forget to look in that City thread for months at a time and I think you'd get more contributors to news in this group considering many of us have a tied relationship to Mississippi.

[SlidellWx]

Sounds good to me. The coast is literally 30 minutes away, and it will be nice to hear about developments going on from Pascagoula to Waveland. I know Hattiesburg is having a nice boom right now...and would be interested in what's going on up there. Heck...we actually looked at houses in Diamondhead, but settled on Slidell after the wife got a job in New Orleans. 25 miles vs. 50 miles is a big deal...especially now. Just too far of a commute for her. I'm still good...my job is literally 2 miles away. :tup:

[TimCity2000]

I'm definitely interested to hear what's going on in the Magnolia State. I went to school at MSU and spent my final year in Jackson. I've only been back once, though.

[sandebr00]

Yes, please update us on MS's progress. I went to college in Jackson and graduate school in Oxford, but don't get much MS news now. I'm looking forward to it!

[HSVTiger]

Mississippi is a wonderful state that is unexplored by many. The potential
is tremendous. The Tupelo area is experiencing some good growth so it will be interesting to see what happens, especially when Toyota finishes their plant.

[CoastalRocketReb]

Since Oxford was the first place I ever lived in Mississippi (and the reason I ended up becoming an adopted Mississippian), I'll start with some big news that was announced there this week in relation to the Toyota plant coming to the area.

New Academic Center to Focus on Manufacturing Excellence
University of Mississippi Newsdesk
Written by Jennifer Farish
06/23/2008


http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii108/carrmckay/cme1_600.jpg
Artist's rendering of the Center for Manufacuring Excellence

JACKSON, Miss. - A new partnership at the University of Mississippi aims to keep jobs at home by educating the nation's future manufacturing professionals.

The university, the state of Mississippi and Toyota Motor Corp. are joining together to create the Center for Manufacturing Excellence, which will be unique in the nation in its undergraduate curriculum. The center is to offer students not only degrees in engineering with an emphasis in manufacturing but also strong cross-disciplinary studies that reflect other skills needed in engineering and the sciences, such as business, management, accounting, leadership and human resources.

The $22 million center is being funded through part of a state incentive package that helped attract Toyota to Blue Springs, where the company is building a $1.3 billion automotive manufacturing plant. When production begins in 2010, the plant is expected to employ about 2,000 workers to build the popular Highlander sport utility vehicle.

"This center will be a perfect blend of the academic and real-world focus so essential today for success in the multifaceted global manufacturing sector," Gov. Haley Barbour said at a news conference announcing the center. "Under terms of the enabling legislation, the center will work closely with the state's manufacturing companies to improve their competitiveness in all areas of manufacturing. My expectation is that students who complete this intensive program will become industry leaders in every phase of many different businesses."

One floor of the planned 47,000-square-foot center is to house a small factory floor complete with different process lines, said James Vaughan, F.A.P. Barnard Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering and associate dean of the School of Engineering. Besides classrooms, laboratories and student workspaces, the building is to have office space for the center's new faculty members, as well as room for visiting faculty and the visiting Toyota executive-in-residence.

As a component of the center, the university is developing an emphasis program of instruction in manufacturing, slanted toward lean manufacturing applicable to all Mississippi manufacturing industries. The School of Engineering plans to offer a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering with an emphasis in manufacturing. To provide students with fundamental lean manufacturing and production techniques, the School of Business Administration and the School of Accountancy plan to offer a minor in engineering.

"The manufacturing landscape has changed dramatically in recent years, and the university is adjusting its academic offerings to reflect that," Chancellor Robert Khayat said. "By offering these programs related to manufacturing, we are giving our students the skills they need to keep Mississippi attractive to businesses and are preparing our students to help us meet the challenges of a global marketplace."

The CME is thought to be one of only a few of its kind, said Dennis Cuneo, a former Toyota senior vice president and current Toyota consultant who led the team that selected the Blue Springs site.

"It will help enhance and further manufacturing excellence in Mississippi and beyond," Cuneo said. "Automotive and nonautomotive companies will benefit from the center. I salute Governor Barbour and Chancellor Khayat for taking such a positive step to help manufacturing thrive.

"We are happy to see the state so committed to advancing manufacturing. Some people assume that the manufacturing sector is in decline and is destined to move offshore. The creation of the center shows that the manufacturing sector is vibrant and growing in Mississippi and will play an important role in the state's economy."

Two locally based foundations have joined the effort to prepare Mississippi students to become industry leaders. Toward the center's creation, the Robert M. Hearin Support Foundation in Jackson has pledged $750,000 over the next three years, and the Mississippi Power Education Foundation has given $500,000. The Hearin Support Foundation is named for the late Jackson business leader and philanthropist. Mississippi Power is a Southern Company subsidiary that provides electricity to 190,000 customers in 23 counties in south Mississippi.

"With nearly 3,000 manufacturing firms employing 172,000 Mississippians, it's vital that we prepare our young people for leadership careers in this sector of the economy," said Anthony Topazi, president and chief executive officer of Mississippi Power. "From industries like automotive, chemicals and electric utilities such as Mississippi Power, there are many exciting manufacturing companies locating and growing in Mississippi, and they represent $12.9 billion of the state's gross domestic product.

"The Center for Manufacturing Excellence fills a need for manufacturers who are seeking qualified candidates to hire. Thus, its mission will improve the lives of the people of Mississippi."

Supporting the CME also furthers the Hearin Foundation's mission of supporting university programs in Mississippi that prepare students for successful careers, thereby improving the state's economy.

The Hearin gift will fund a Manufacturing Internship Program to link the university, the CME and state manufacturing firms. It is anticipated that the program will provide a gateway for the development of further relationships between the CME and the state manufacturing industry. In turn, these relationships will provide lasting benefits by helping to retain the state's best and brightest students to contribute to Mississippi's economic development.

A major goal of the center is to produce and connect a continuous pool of highly qualified graduates likely to be hired by manufacturers as engineers, accountants, business managers and other professionals.

"The Center for Manufacturing Excellence will be a genuinely unique institution that generates engineering graduates who understand advanced manufacturing from a process/engineering perspective and from the business, management and leadership points of view," Vaughan said.

In addition to expanded academic opportunities, CME students are to participate in an internship or co-op work-study program to gain hands-on industrial experience.

"By the beginning of their junior year, our students will be heavily involved in responding to real manufacturing design problems," Vaughan said. "By the end of their senior year, they should have mastered all of the skills which would make them attractive to industry both inside and outside of Mississippi."

Though definite plans have not been finalized, university officials hope to begin enrolling students as early as fall 2009, Vaughan said. Current students as well as students who enroll this fall also will benefit from the CME.

Other goals of the center are for it to serve as a resource for research and programs related to manufacturing, to train the state's manufacturing community and to collaborate with north Mississippi K-12 schools and community colleges.

"At the University of Mississippi, we understand that for our students to succeed in the ultra-competitive global economy, we must be deliberate about developing and aligning resources," UM Interim Provost Morris Stocks said. "The Center for Manufacturing Excellence is a wonderful example of coordinating the resources of the university, the state and the manufacturing industry as well as generous donors such as the Hearin Foundation and Mississippi Power. Together, we can brighten the economic and academic future of our extended community."

For more information on the Center for Manufacturing Excellence, go to http://www.olemiss.edu/cme or contact Vaughan at 662-915-2631 or cme@olemiss.edu.

Center for Manufacturing Exellence Website (http://www.olemiss.edu/cme)

More Images from University of Mississippi Newsdesk:

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii108/carrmckay/CME1-hr-1.jpg
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii108/carrmckay/CME2-hr-1.jpg
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii108/carrmckay/siteplan-1.jpg

[DruidCity]

Center for Manufacuring Excellence ?

Wow, that reminds me so much of the "Center for Manufacturing Excellence" at Bama (yes, even the same name). I hope Mississippi makes better use of its, because the building in Tuscaloosa mostly sits empty, thanks to the dimwitted turd in the engineering dean's office. Because of the idiocy of the university leadership in Tuscaloosa, its "manufacturing excellence" facility that was created ostensibly to take advantage of the nearby auto manufacturing has never done so, and in fact it is Auburn all the way across the state that decided to add automotive engineering instruction (since Bama leadership is too retarded, vain, cheap, and shortsighted to do so).

/rant

Anyway, back on topic, it looks like from the article that Mississippi is "doing it right," and has Toyota on board from the outset, and real plans for using their new space.

[Electrical Porpoise]

Isn't Ole Miss getting an enormous new scoreboard and basketball practice facility?

[CoastalRocketReb]

Isn't Ole Miss getting an enormous new scoreboard and basketball practice facility?

Yes.

Basketball Practice Facility Campaign Website (http://www.olemiss.edu/news2/practicefacility/bpf.htm)



Yates Construction Awarded Contract To Build Ole Miss Basketball Practice Facility
University Release
June 20, 2008

OXFORD, Miss. ­ The UMAA Foundation announced that Yates Construction has been awarded the contract to build a 51,000 square-foot basketball practice facility on the Ole Miss campus.

Yates Construction submitted a low bid of $10,644,000, followed by Worsham Brothers at $11,038,000, White Construction at $11,100,000 and Harrell Contracting Group at $11,297,000.

“We are in the process of coordinating a pre-construction meeting next week with Yates Construction,” said Ole Miss Senior Associate Athletics Director for Facility Operations Blake Barnes. “Hopefully, construction will begin within two weeks of that meeting, and we anticipate moving into the practice facility in the fall of 2009.”

Plans call for the practice facility to be constructed on the corner of Coliseum Drive and Hill Drive, across from the Gillom Sports Center. With its red brick and white columns matching the campus architecture, the structure will be a cornerstone in the impressive complex of athletics facilities on the southwest corner of the campus.

“We really appreciate the commitment that Bill Yates and his company have made to Ole Miss athletics,” said Ole Miss Athletics Director Pete Boone. “We look forward to our partnership with such a quality company.”

The facility will include four distinct spaces ­ public, staff (coaches), team and individual practice courts for both men's and women's teams.

Spaces for the public include an attractive main rotunda/lobby to receive visitors and display men’s and women’s basketball memorabilia and a multimedia/entertainment meeting room that can be used for Media Days as well as for video presentations and team functions.

The staff/coaches spaces are adjacent to the rotunda/lobby, where receptionists will direct visitors to their destinations. A separate entrance for coaches is provided. Coaches' offices, a conference room, a copy center, and staff locker and dressing facilities complete the suites. The head coaches' offices provide direct access to and view of their respective practice courts.

The team spaces are specialized with shared weight and training rooms, and separate men's and women's film rooms, including computer terminals and video access. Separate team lounges also include computer access, game area and a kitchenette. Finally, there are spacious locker and dressing facilities, with a central laundry, video editing rooms, small guest viewing space of the courts, storage and equipment storage.

Individual practice courts for the men's and women's teams eliminate the scheduling conflicts that occur regularly when both teams are sharing one court for all practices and games. Practice courts for each team will allow both the men and women to maximize their practice time and achieve their full potential as players. Additional space was included to provide for individual practice of three point shooting without interrupting others practicing.

The design team includes Mills & Mills Architects, PC (Architect), CGM Group (Mechanical), The Power Source (Electrical), Williams Engineering (Site) and Springer Engineering (Structural).

[CoastalRocketReb]

Before and after photo/rendering of video board (http://www.olemisssports.com/PhotoAlbum.dbml?SPSID=12792&SPID=737&DB_OEM_ID=2600&PALBID=20760)

*The rendering of the video board that was released this week was actually used to demonstrate dimensions for ad space to corporate sponsors. I'm not sure why they released this to the public as the rendering looks horrible in my humble opinion.

University of Mississippi Contracts with Industry-Leading Daktronics for High Definition Video Display Custom Sound System and Additional Video Elements Incorporated Into Integrated System
Official Daktronics release
BROOKINGS, S.D. – June 24, 2008 – The University of Mississippi has chosen to partner with Daktronics Inc. (Nasdaq-DAKT) of Brookings, S.D., to design, manufacture and install a $6 million integrated system featuring a large high definition video display at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field, home of Rebel football.

“We are very pleased to have teamed with an industry-leader in Daktronics,” said Ole Miss Athletics Director Pete Boone. “With their experience and state-of-the-art technology, the company has shown their ability to handle large projects, particularly in our time sensitive situation.

“What we’re most excited about is how this board will enhance the game-day experience and entertainment for our fans. Longevity was also a major key, and Daktronics has proven the board’s clarity will maintain for the next 10 years,” Boone said.

The video display will be the largest true high definition display in the Southeastern Conference. Scheduled to be installed and operational for the home opener on August 30, 2008, the display incorporates the latest high definition technology from Daktronics.

Daktronics HD-X technology and its control system allows for complete flexibility in programming. The video board can serve as a single giant display or be divided into multiple zones (windows) to show a wide variety of statistics, information, graphics, animation and live and recorded video.

The seamless display of scoring, timing, statistics, out-of-town game scores, public service messages, in-game promotions, graphics, animation, video replays and live video, delivered through a truly integrated system, provides fans with a more entertaining game-day experience.

Daktronics PS-X video display technology will also be featured in the stadium, both on the front of the display and greeting visitors on the back of the display. Light emitting diode (LED) video displays from Daktronics use the latest in red, green and blue (RGB) LED technology to present live and recorded video images, colorful animation and vivid graphics with incredible brightness and wide-angle visibility.

A complete sound system from Daktronics Sportsound® division completes the integrated system. The sound system speakers will be based in a cabinet above the video display.

The video, scoring, timing and sound components will be integrated through Daktronics proven control system.

“Daktronics is excited to bring the largest true high definition video display in the SEC to the University of Mississippi,” said Brent Stevens, Daktronics regional sales manager. “Ole Miss has been a strong supporter of Daktronics over the years and we look forward to continuing our successful partnership with them.”

The University of Mississippi joins a number of Southeastern Conference universities that have chosen Daktronics for integrated video and scoring systems including Auburn, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana State, Georgia, Vanderbilt and South Carolina.
About Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field
Historic Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, which is located on the southeast side of the University of Mississippi campus, increased its capacity to 60,580 in 2002 with the bowling in of the south end zone, making it the largest facility in the state.

With the additional seating, the Rebels have set record-breaking attendance figures over the last five years, drawing all 10 of the largest single-game crowds in school history. The momentous Ole Miss-LSU encounter in 2003 attracted a crowd of 62,552, the largest ever to watch a football game on campus in Mississippi. The Rebels’ matchup with Tennessee in 2004 gathered 62,028 fans, and the incredible upset of No. 6 Florida in 2002 drew 61,140.

The stadium, known as Hemingway Stadium for much of its existence, began its long historic life in 1915 when students at the University helped in the construction of the first football grandstand at the site of the present field. The construction of the stadium and its permanent foundation was a three-year, federally-sponsored project. Stadium capacity was originally listed at 24,000.

The stadium is named for the late Judge William Hemingway (1869-1937), professor of law and longtime chairman of the University’s Committee on Athletics. On Oct. 16, 1982, John Howard Vaught saw his name added to the stadium. Vaught compiled a 190-61-12 record as head football coach at Ole Miss and brought the Rebels National Championships in 1959, 1960 and 1962. At the 1998 season opener vs. Memphis, the field was named in honor of Dr. Jerry Hollingsworth for his continuing generous support to Ole Miss athletics.
About Daktronics
Daktronics is recognized as the world’s leading provider of full-color LED video displays. Daktronics began manufacturing large screen, full-color, LED video displays in 1997. Since then, over 4,600 large screen video displays have been sold and installed in sporting and commercial facilities around the world. Since 2001, independent market research conducted by iSuppli Corp. lists Daktronics as the world’s leading provider of large screen LED video displays.

Daktronics has strong leadership positions in, and is the world’s largest supplier of, large screen video displays, electronic scoreboards, computer-programmable displays, digital billboards, and control systems. The company excels in the control of large display systems, including those that require integration of multiple complex displays showing real-time information, graphics, animation and video. Daktronics designs, manufactures, markets and services display systems for customers around the world, in sport, business and transportation applications. For more information, visit the company’s World Wide Web site at: http://www.daktronics.com, e-mail the company at sales@daktronics.com, call (605) 697-4300 or toll-free (800) 325-8766 in the United States or write to the company at 331 32nd Ave. PO Box 5128 Brookings, S.D. 57006-5128.
Cautionary Notice: In addition to statements of historical fact, this news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is intended to enjoy the protection of that Act. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s expectations or beliefs concerning future events. The Company cautions that these and similar statements involve risk and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectation, including, but not limited to, changes in economic and market conditions, management of growth, timing and magnitude of future contracts, and other risks noted in the Company’s SEC filings, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for its 2007 fiscal year. Forward-looking statements are made in the context of information available as of the date stated. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise such statements to reflect new circumstances or unanticipated events as they occur.

- END –

For more information contact:
MEDIA RELATIONS:
Mark Steinkamp
Marketing & Sales Support Mgr.
tel (605) 697-4300
email msteink@daktronics.com

OLE MISS ATHLETICS
Kyle Campbell
Associate Media Relations Director
tel (662) 915-7544
email ekcampbe@olemiss.edu

news release: DD1386759

[Alxx611]

Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi Mississippi, currently under construction:

Designed by the famous Frank Gehry.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b375/Alxx611/Random/100_1365.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b375/Alxx611/Random/100_1363.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b375/Alxx611/Random/100_1368.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b375/Alxx611/Random/100_1372.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b375/Alxx611/Random/100_1366.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b375/Alxx611/Random/100_1370.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b375/Alxx611/Random/100_1364.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b375/Alxx611/Random/100_1362.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b375/Alxx611/Random/100_1371.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b375/Alxx611/Random/100_1361.jpg

[j.c.johnson86]

OK I know this is a Skyscraper page, but we are talking about mississippi here haha so please dont hate on this first time poster. Below is an article about the new Delta Music Institute in Cleveland, MS. At this time I don't have pictures, but I have been around this thing since it was an old gymnasium and am truly amazed at what they have done with it, I hope to have pictures soon.

Grand opening
Crowds pass through doors to new hi-tech music laboratory


By Keith Wood
The Cleveland Current Senior Writer


Way back when, at the crossroads, on the stroke of midnight, Robert Johnson supposedly sold his soul for the ability to play the blues. If only someone had been there to record it. With the new Delta Music Institute at Delta State University, such alleged first moments of musical greatness will never be seen as missed opportunities again.

This weekend marked the grand opening of the Delta Music Institute. The official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony will take place today at 2 p.m. at Whitfield Gymnasium on DSUs campus, followed by an open house at the facility.
Director Tricia Walker said, This is an exciting time for the DMI program. What we have here is something we are very proud of both academically and technically. I think the program and studios will give our students an edge.

Festivities kicked off on Saturday with a live broadcast of The Thacker Mountain Radio Show from Studio A, followed by a Songwriters In The Round session featuring award winners Mac McAnally and Fred Knobloch. Walker, a recording artist, also performed. In the latter part of the evening, professionals and beginners alike jammed to bouts of high intensity boogie with hot blues and funk.
The history of the DMI program began in 2002, when Fred Carl, Greenwood native and founder of the Viking Range Corporation, was approached for funding by Delta State University.

I was approached about giving scholarship money to attract students into a new blues and jazz music program, but I suggested that a recording studio be built instead, feeling it would be a stronger draw for such prospective students, said Carl. After more consideration between Carl and DSU, Carl called his friend Norbert Putnam for input.

Putnam, famous for being part of the original Muscle Shoals Sound, as well as a well-renowned, award-winning Nashville producer and engineer, made the trip to DSU to look at the location and lay out plans for designing the studio.

We were looking at some office space in the Whitfield Gym and I asked if we could incorporate the gymnasium as well. It reminded me of Studio 1 at Abbey Road Studios in England. I proposed that we could build two studios in the space, one for acoustical music such as choirs and orchestral groups and one for modern music.

Putnam worked closely with Skip Wyatt of Foil-Wyatt Architects in Jackson to finalize the design. Dick David was the day-to-day architect on the project.

Dr. John Hilpert, president of DSU, explained how the DMI was funded. The total project cost was $1,622,000, with the first $150,000 coming from a HUD grant, and the remaining $1,472,000 from university repair and replacement funds. Friends of the university and the DMI donated $500,000. The private funds were used to fund the initial planning and for ongoing staff and operational costs.

Once things were finalized, the project was off and running. The first DMI classes began in the fall of 2004, groundbreaking for the institute took place in August of 2007, and the studios were completed late in the summer of 2008. An independent center under the College of Arts & Sciences, the DMI offers music and entertainment industry courses that can lead to a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies or a Bachelor of Arts in Music with an emphasis in Music Production.

The DMI curriculum was shaped by researching other music industry programs throughout the country. Consultations with representatives in the national arena were also conducted to ensure the curriculum met music and entertainment industry needs. Assessments were made based on the facultys experiences in the industry, and how that best fit into the interdisciplinary studies program, allowing students to prepare for careers requiring functional knowledge of multiple disciplines.

The facility itself is a marvel and is composed of several sites. Studio A is designed to accommodate large-scale recording such as symphony orchestras, wind ensembles and mass choirs and features a Neve V3 analog console. Studio B, which features a Digi ICON and Pro Tools system, will accommodate multiple types of recording and will be structured to mix in surround sound. Studio C serves as a small project studio, and the transfer room will provide digitization conversion for older forms of media. In addition, the Delta Music Institute also houses a state of the art digital audio lab that has 15 stations, featuring Mac Dual G5 computers, audio interfaces and multiple software platforms.

Currently, there are approximately 50 students enrolled in DMI courses. Now that the facility is fully operational, an enrollment of over 200 DMI students is expected in the next three to five years.

In 2006, after a nationwide search, Walker was brought in as the director. Before moving to Nashville in the 1980s, she earned a degree in Music Education from Delta State and completed her graduate work in theory and composition at Mississippi College. Tricia has had her songs recorded on Grammy-nominated discs. She has also worked as a backing musician for Grand Ole Opry stars Connie Smith, Paul Overstreet, Russ Taff and mega-star Shania Twain.

Walker was one of the forming members of the original "Women in The Round," a songwriter group which includes Pam Tillis, Ashley Cleveland and Karen Staley. The foursome ranks as one of the most celebrated ever at Nashville's prestigious Bluebird Caf. I think this program is unique in the sense that it will help students understand the importance of having a wide and varied skill set in the music business. The wider their scope, the better chances they have at working in the recording business. Besides performing, there are many other jobs ranging from marketing of artists to artist management or audio engineering and production. These courses will also be of great use to them if they decide to go into business for themselves, said Walker.

Collier Parker, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at DSU added, This program has so much potential for growth. Plus, it is such a unique idea and popular concept with young people that it will aid in recruiting students. We hope to someday incorporate some video engineering and production courses into our curriculum. This could lend itself to attendance of another set of prospective students. Another plus would be the attraction of artists to the DMI as a recording studio itself. Thelonious Monk Jr. was amazed at the state-of-the-art equipment and the studio design, when he saw it. I think approval from visiting recording artists as well as native Mississippians who have succeeded in the music industry will help spread the word that we have a world-class facility here at Delta State. It also carries weight that the studio was designed by someone with a proven track record in the music field like Norbert Putnam. The Delta has always provided an atmosphere and feeling that was conducive to the music. Now we have modern technology to add to that.
Hilpert feels that the DMI program will benefit the school, the city of Cleveland and the Delta.

The Delta Music Institute benefits the university, the community, and the entire region at several levels. It extends the institutions commitment to the unique culture of the Delta. Students from many different programs find value in the institutes opportunities to learn about recording technology and the music industry. Our faculty is experienced and knowledgeable. In other words, the Delta Music Institute brings together relevant academic courses, a state-of-the-art facility, and outstanding faculty and students. Thats a winning formula!

Mac McAnally, singer and producer, thinks this is a boon for the whole state. Being from Northeast Mississippi, I was very fortunate realizing my dream to make a living performing and writing. But, statistically, in general, the odds are against an artist. Being able to get your idea understood and accepted from concept to finished product is sometimes a stumbling block for artists. History has shown that Mississippis pool of talent is not lacking. Now, with the ability to approach not only the music, but some of the business acumen, more of our artists will be able to get out of the starting block in a wiser position.

And as Fred Carl points out, Lets face it, theres also sort of a cool factor and bragging rights involved here. How many colleges and universities have a world class recording studio like ours on their campus?

The Delta Music Institute has come quite a ways, starting as one idea, shared with others, then spun into another, bigger idea, culminating in a creative vehicle and then finally achieving full form. Much like songs. One note or passage is started, added to by other instruments and musicians, reaching complete arrangement and becoming a song. Maybe the next great musician will come out of the DMI program and wont have to allegedly sell their soul for their music. And, this time, the DMI will be there to document those first magical notes.

[tennreb]

Chef John Currence won for the James Beard award (the culinary Oscars) for Best Chef-South. He has several restaurants in Oxford, including his flagship City Grocery.