By By William F. West / community editor
Oct. 2, 2002
PHILADELPHIA The executive director of the Main Street program here is upbeat following the community's annual banquet.
Stacy K. Pair said nearly 500 people attended the event, held Monday evening at the Neshoba County Coliseum.
Asked about the bottom line for the future of Philadelphia and Neshoba County, she said: "Growth and it's happening fast."
Philadelphia and the central part of the county have been sprawling with new businesses and hotels ever since 1994, when the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians opened the Silver Star Hotel and Casino.
The Choctaws added to their enterprises with the Dancing Rabbit Golf Club and this year's openings of the Geyser Falls Water Theme Park and the Golden Moon Hotel and Casino.
Pair said the Choctaws' success is also perfect timing for the development of downtown Philadelphia, home of the community's economic development partnership.
The partnership is a consolidation of the community's industrial development authority, chamber, tourism council and Main Street program, the latter created about a year-and-a-half ago to spur downtown revitalization.
The partnership, headed by David Vowell, is located at 410 Poplar Ave. and near the courthouse square.
The partnership has been quite busy, as evidenced by a four-page list of accomplishments.
Pair also said the city purchased the old Gulf, Mobile and Ohio train depot, located between Beacon and Main streets.
On Monday the community development partnership also presented its service award to Charles Mars, a Philadelphia activist whose projects included helping develop the community's airport.
The banquet's featured speaker was Orley Hood, a senior editor at The Clarion-Ledger newspaper.