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- A new business called Jackson Rising has opened on Capital Street in Downtown Jackson.
- Jackson Rising is a public-private partnership aimed at spurring business development in the city’s central district.
- The initiative was launched in Fall 2025 following a call to action by Jackson Mayor John Horhn.
- Other investors and state leaders, including Gov. Tate Reeves, have also expressed support for revitalizing Downtown Jackson.
Jackson Rising is the newest member of the Downtown Jackson community.
While the organization is occupying a space in a building on Capital Street that needed a tenant, the organization’s goal is seeing a rebirth in the business development of the central business district.
Travis McManus of Jackson Rising said moving into the building is the perfect signal to others who have any inkling of wanting to help Jackson grow.
“This is the perfect spot at the perfect time,” McManus told the Clarion Ledger. “This location is just a block from the Old Capitol and there is no reason all of these buildings shouldn’t be full.”
Launched in response to a call to action by Jackson Mayor John Horhn in the fall of 2025, Jackson Rising was initiated as a collaborative public-private leadership framework designed to move investable ideas into action.
Over the past several months, more than 30 working groups, including 300 participants have convened to bridge gaps across sectors, identify shared priorities and accelerate coordination around Jackson’s future.
Many of the people working with Jackson Rising have worked on other projects in other places such as Chattanooga and Detroit that have been successful.
“This is a great opportunity and a great place to work,” McManus said.
Downtown already on the grow
Jackson Rising won’t be working by itself.
There are already investors making things happen in Downtown Jackson.
The New Jersey real estate developer Kumar Bhavanasi has stepped in.
With the purchase of the Regions Building, the Pinnacle Building and the Deposit Guaranty Building, Bhavanasi owns much of the most important block of the business district of Downtown Jackson.
Bhavanasi wants to do more and has said on multiple occasions how much he believes in the process.
Gov. Tate Reeves has also made mention on multiple occasions of his wish to see Downtown Jackson thrive again.
At a press conference in early December, Reeves commented on downtown once again.
“Look, we need for this to work,” Reeves said. “And I have said this before and I will say this again. Somebody is going to make a lot of money investing in Downtown Jackson. Everything is there to make it happen, and with the Capitol Police working hand in hand with the Jackson Police Department, everything is set up right. Mayor John Horhn has a great vision, and we are working together. Now, we don’t agree on everything, but we agree on this.”
Jackson Rising making statement
McManus sees moving into the prime location in Jackson as an opportunity.
“This is the right place,” McManus said. “We have already been in place and working with the community for a couple of months and people are excited. I see great things in our future.”
Ross Reily is a writer for the Clarion Ledger, part of the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached at rreily@gannett.com or 601-573-2952. You can follow him on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter @GreenOkra1.
