Starkville Summer Business Thread

[The Cooterpoot]

We can't even get Morgan Wallen**
Seriously, the school is failing the students and area by not having concerts. Used have them fairly regularly. Plenty of varying sized venues.

 

[Perd Hapley]

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[Perd Hapley]

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[Perd Hapley]

Not easy, or practical to expect the same in Starkville, where outside of the student populace, the population is 70% African American in the surrounding 15 mile radius. Not many in that core seeking out Grace Potter tickets or the next coming of Sturgill Simpson.

Yeah, I question that math a little bit. Starkville’s permanent resident population is 55% white. MSU is 61% white, and its quite foolish to exclude them just as it would be to exclude OM or USM students when comparing to Oxford or H-Burg. Really not sure where that 70% number is coming from. But that make no mistake, that % of AA populace, whatever it is, needs some good live music options too.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Yeah, I question that math a little bit.

Not a bad idea to make that challenge.

1. If Oktibbeha County has almost a 52,000 population and is 35 percent African-American based on the 2020 census… and

2. Mississippi State had roughly 22,600 students in 2022. 73 percent (16500) Caucasian and 3800 (17%) African-American…

3. That means the non-student resident population in Oktibbeha County is really close to 55 percent African-American.

 

[Perd Hapley]

Not a bad idea to make that challenge.

1. If Oktibbeha County has almost a 52,000 population and is 35 percent African-American based on the 2020 census… and

2. Mississippi State had roughly 22,600 students in 2022. 73 percent (16500) Caucasian and 3800 (17%) African-American…

3. That means the non-student resident population in Oktibbeha County is really close to 55 percent African-American.

I am not sure if you are counting students as Oktibbeha County residents….but I believe in most cases they are not counted officially. Its always been a huge gray area though. Most all are still claimed by their parents as dependents, and thus for census purposes should only be counted as residents of their original city of origin. Of course, there are exceptions. Students originally from Starkville / Oktibbeha County of course would count. Older students / grad students who establish permanent residence in Starkville year round would also count. But for the most part they don’t count at all towards the official population of Starkville or Oktibbeha County.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

I am not sure if you are counting students as Oktibbeha County residents….but I believe in most cases they are not counted officially. Its always been a huge gray area though.

I am counting them as Oktibbeha County residents because that’s what I was told to do when I was a Census worker back in the day.

And that’s what you’re supposed to do.

Click the link for details.

https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2020/01/student-housing-off-campus-with-parents-college-students-count-2020-census.html#:~:text=Where%20Is%20'Home'%20for%20College,back%20home%20with%20their%20parents.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

I am counting them as Oktibbeha County residents because that’s what I was told to do when I was a Census worker back in the day.

And that’s what you’re supposed to do.

Click the link for details.

https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2020/01/student-housing-off-campus-with-parents-college-students-count-2020-census.html#:~:text=Where%20Is%20'Home'%20for%20College,back%20home%20with%20their%20parents.

I lived in Starkville from 1994-2007, and I'm still hearing many of the same problems the town had then. Most aren't easy to fix because the most significant need is money invested and the guaranteed ROI needed for that money.

 

[maroonfriday]

Anyone know what's going in at the old Pizza Hut? There is some re-modeling going on there.

It’s another Mexican restaurant. They’ve been open a few months but are just now getting around to putting a sign out front

 

[Clay Lyle]

I’d also add as possibilities:

1. Go for wedding receptions during the summer.

2. If you have a huge enough space— why not banquets or business functions during the day too? Geez… The Riley Center does that.

Maybe catch a touring comedian every now and then too. That may be an area where Starkville could grow over Oxford. Seems like comedy is blowing up.

 

[Theconnormead]

Well for starters, you need at least one high end venue (State Theater), and you need owners of said venue who actually give a crap and are willing and financially able to commit to it.

This means taking a risk. It means carving out a salaried / benefits position for a legit promoter and booking agent to bring quality acts to the venue. And not just someone who graduated from MSU with a Communications degree and loves the Dawgs and Starkville….talking about legit experienced person who went to school for a degree in the music business, and/or has relevant experience and connections from a big music town like Austin, Nashville, etc.

It means front end capital to get some big performers in early to get the ball rolling. Perhaps more capital to renovate the building and improve its infrastructure.

Also means creativity. Bread and butter should be local / regional bands….but bigger acts are welcome. Go after every kind of act / genre. Rock, Americana, Country, Indie, DJ’s, hip-hop and R&B. Book stuff like dueling piano’s, good cover bands like Blackjacket Symphony and others. And so forth.

Most of all, owners have to take the approach of make it succeed as a live music mecca, or die trying. If its just another “yeah we’ll book some bands and stuff but if that’s too hard its OK we’ll just do club stuff on the off nights….IDK”. That śhit will fail just like it has 10 times before.

All good points and you revealed the issues....Capital and willingness to part / lose it.

 

[Perd Hapley]

I am counting them as Oktibbeha County residents because that’s what I was told to do when I was a Census worker back in the day.

And that’s what you’re supposed to do.

Click the link for details.

https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2020/01/student-housing-off-campus-with-parents-college-students-count-2020-census.html#:~:text=Where%20Is%20'Home'%20for%20College,back%20home%20with%20their%20parents.

That is interesting, because the listed population of Starkville has not really changed very much at all, in spite of the listed enrollement of MSU almost doubling over the past 20 years or so. So it seems students aren’t being counted at the clip that they should.

In general, seems there would have to be a reconciliation process of sorts also if both parents claim their kid and kid claims his own residence wherever he is. Can’t count both, so you’d have to figure it out after the fact which is correct.

I also would be interested to know how many people on here have regularly responded to a census survey online or by mail. I know I never received a 2020 survey (far as I know), don’t think I got one in 2010 either. Simple fact is that very much of the census data is based on educated estimates (from tax returns, etc.) instead of hard counts, because its a certainty that hard counts from door-to-door, mail reply, or online reply aren’t completed anywhere close to 100%, and in fact I’d be surprised if its even 50% these days.

 

[BrunswickDawg]

If this is the case how dose one implement in Starkville (honest question)? My personal belief is, it's good in theory but much more difficult to execute, and not as many students "go out" in Starkville as in Oxford.
Along the same lines....anyone remember Beanland (sp?) that played in Starkville often in the early 90's?

I still have a Beanland CD somewhere. Early 90s had some interesting band roll thru Starkville. Beanland, Blue Mountain, Better than Ezra (before they hit), Jack Ingram. There was the Blind Melon show in Columbus before they hit. On campus you had Garth, Hank Jr., WSP, Boyz 2 Men, Black Crowes, Blue Traveller, ABB, Indigo Girls, Jesus Jones.

I've always thought that the music scene was better when the university committed to bringing in strong acts 2-3 times a year. It set a tone, and drew in students from Oxford, Tuscaloosa, and Hattie.

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

To everyone bįtching about the Starkville Music seen... Check out Rick's calendar for August 18th.




They look like 3 post menopausal women and one of their kids on a girls weekend in Nashville... "Pour some splenda on me... because I now have type 2 diabetes"

17... I am going to be an old soon.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

So it seems students aren’t being counted at the clip that they should.

Unfortunately, not unusual.

Look at the populations of the small town jucos here in Mississippi and knowing that there is funding that they qualify for that is based on population.

Those mayors and aldermen want the students who live in the residence halls counted and they’re generally within the city limits.

(See Page 3 below)

https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/2020/program-management/memo-series/2020-memo-2018_04-appendix.pdf

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

I was a Census worker back in the day.

 

[Theconnormead]

I still have a Beanland CD somewhere. Early 90s had some interesting band roll thru Starkville. Beanland, Blue Mountain, Better than Ezra (before they hit), Jack Ingram. There was the Blind Melon show in Columbus before they hit. On campus you had Garth, Hank Jr., WSP, Boyz 2 Men, Black Crowes, Blue Traveller, ABB, Indigo Girls, Jesus Jones.

I've always thought that the music scene was better when the university committed to bringing in strong acts 2-3 times a year. It set a tone, and drew in students from Oxford, Tuscaloosa, and Hattie.

Allan Brothers, Driving N Cryin, David Allen Coe, Zac Brown (10-15 years ago), agree they had some really great bands in the amphitheater / Hump.