Hal & Mal's wants resort status

The city of Jackson will seek resort status for the new Cathead Vodka distillery location on South Farish Street, but longtime downtown staple Hal & Mal's restaurant and other businesses will have to wait for the designation.

Hal & Mal's owner Malcolm White said Wednesday he favors the resort status designation for Cathead Vodka. However, he said he doesn't want the city to leave his restaurant out of the resort status designation if it is approved for other businesses.

White said no one from Mayor Tony Yarber's administration had discussed the resort designation with him. However, he said two City Council members had contacted him.

City Council President Melvin Priester Jr. said an item will be placed on the council's next meeting agenda to discuss a resort status designation for Hal & Mal's and other existing businesses in downtown.

White posted a message to his Facebook feed Tuesday night in which he suggested that if the city creates a resort status for downtown that doesn't include Hal & Mal's, the restaurant may move.

"I feel certain we can find a place to do business where we would be appreciated and included in a progressive plan for the future," White said in the Facebook post. "You are welcome for 30 years of carrying the weight!"

White said Wednesday he was ranting in the Facebook post and had no plans to move, but he said that in the future if the city doesn't include Hal & Mal's in the resort designation and if it is cost prohibitive to buy the restaurant building from the state and renovate it, his family would consider moving somewhere else.

"We would have to consider whether we would be better off in Fondren, Midtown or somewhere else," White said.

Mike Davis, with the city economic development office, said Hal & Mal's and recently opened Johnny T's Bistro & Blues on North Farish Street could be included in the next phase of a resolution asking the Mississippi Department of Revenue to declare a parcel of property as a resort status area.

Davis said officials of Hal & Mal's and Johnny T's would have to submit a letter from churches near the establishments that they don't object to the resort status designation.

The Mississippi Department of Revenue ultimately is responsible for approving resort status. The process begins with a local governing body issuing a resolution of support.

The city had proposed  an entertainment district and resort area known as the Pascagoula Entertainment District. It would begin at the intersection of Pearl and Mill streets and extend 200 feet to the northeast of South Lamar Street. From there, it would run southeast to Pascagoula Street, then northwest to Roach Street, southwest to Court Street and follow the curve of the road southeast toward Lamar Street. From Lamar Street to South Street, it would then run southwest and toward the viaduct and back toward the intersection of of Pearl and Mill streets.

Creating a district, supporters say, could increase mixed-use and residential housing and improve pedestrian usage and transit provisions.

While resort status would allow businesses to operate 24 hours a day and sell alcoholic beverages, the city would still regulate actual hours of operation under its ordinances.

Yarber said the goal was to do resort designation in phases to provide the city some leverage in controlling what type businesses that would go in the areas.

However, Yarber said there has been some opposition from residents who live downtown.

City Council members have been critical of the plan to include only certain parcels of land in the resort status proposal. Council Tyrone Hendrix said he prefers a comprehensive plan for downtown.

White said he also doesn't support the parcels or phase-in approach.

The City Council approved Tuesday asking for resort status for Cathead Vodka, which is moving from Madison to South Farish Street in downtown. The council also approved the other area sought by the mayor's office as an entertainment district without the resort status designation.

Contact Jimmie E. Gates at (601) 961-7212 or jgates@jackson.gannett.com. Follow @jgatesnews on Twitter.