Almost every week since January, Natchez has hosted conventions and conferences of all shapes and sizes. It’s been a busy year. Thousands of people have packed the Natchez Convention Center, from firefighters to soldiers, from kindergarten teachers to the heads of our state’s community colleges, we’ve seen them all. And one of the most rewarding parts of my job as mayor has been the opportunity to welcome them all to Natchez!

We are fortunate to have a convention center that is always well attended. Opened in 2002 and located in the heart of our historic downtown, steps from restaurants, shops, historical sites and our beautiful bluff overlooking the mighty Mississippi River, this state-of-the-art facility has become one of our region’s greatest assets. Every week, visitors are drawn to our beautiful Natchez for conferences. They stay overnight. They eat. They shop. They revel in our history and our Southern charm and hospitality. One might call our city’s focus on hosting these conferences “conventional wisdom.” This means millions of dollars in financial impact for our local economy – JOBS – and lots of money for Natchez. And it’s about to get even better – and busier!

One of the challenges of running such a great facility that is constantly hosting events is finding time to renovate – and we have been waiting all year to get started. After a planned shutdown in August, the time has finally come and the first phase of a multi-million dollar renovation has begun. The changes we are about to witness are going to be amazing, to say the least!

The first phase of the renovation, the largest and most significant, will be completed by fall. The 18,000 square-foot exhibit hall, the largest part of the 32,000 square-foot facility, will be renovated from the ground up: freshly painted, new carpet, exquisite moldings and wall coverings will completely enhance the convention experience. The peeling paint on the cinder block ceiling and walls will be gone. A completely remodeled convention space is on the way!

Once the exhibit hall is completed, work will begin on phase two – a beautiful renovation of the long hall and entry foyers on Main Street, as well as a complete restoration of the lower level bathrooms of the convention center. Inspired by the magnificent conference rooms of other great historic venues such as the Homestead in West Virginia and the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Alabama, beautiful architectural details including arched cabinet openings, elegantly ornate doors, wood floors and exquisite lighting fixtures will enhance the interiors of this beautiful facility, making it sure to be the most famous facility of its kind in Mississippi. Phase three, improvements to technology and audiovisual systems, as well as further improvements on the second level, will take place next year – and the result will fundamentally change convention traffic in Natchez.

Words cannot express our gratitude to local architect Johnny Waycaster, who designed this beautiful facility that has been a downtown landmark for over twenty years and is now leading the renovation. We are also indebted to Marjorie Feltus Hawkins of Feltus-Hawkins Designs for her inspired work in developing the design plans for this renovation. We did not want our convention center to look like any other. We wanted a unique, Natchez feel, and Marjorie’s genius achieved that. James Johnston, our city’s Director of Community Development, with the support of our City Council, has invested a great deal of time and energy into this endeavor – and we are doing it all without raising taxes.

Lastly, we must thank Mr. Warren Reuther and his great team at the Natchez Convention Center. They do an outstanding job managing this great facility. With the Natchez Grand, our convention hotel right across the street, and renovations to the Civic Center, our City Auditorium, and the soon-to-open River Room at the Historic Natchez Depot on Broadway, the future of Natchez as a convention destination for years to come has never been brighter.

Just like the beautiful view from our highest bluff overlooking the mightiest river, great things are on the horizon. Because Natchez deserves more.

Dan Gibson is mayor of Natchez.