Hattiesburg… is the bond broken?

November 2004

Eagle View by Robert J. Thompson '82, Founder of GoldenEagles.net

The recent Southern Miss bond issue was the chance to strengthen the bond between the city of Hattiesburg and the University of Southern Mississippi that has existed since 1910. With the defeat of the bond issue, you have to wonder has that bond been broken. Why have the citizens of Hattiesburg turned its back on its largest economic partner?

If Southern Miss is not a huge economic impact for Hattiesburg, maybe the university should reduce the number of home games for our athletic programs. How about a football game (or two) in Mobile, more basketball games in on the Coast (men’s & women’s)…it could easily be done. It is amazing how quickly the city of Hattiesburg has forgotten that in 2003, Southern Miss was offered 1.5M to relocate the Nebraska game to Kansas City. Mr. Giannini declined multiple offers determined to have the game played in Hattiesburg. The economic impact of that game alone was estimated at 1.7M.

For nearly 100 years, Hattiesburg has benefited from the continuous growth of the university. In the very near future, Southern Miss will be the largest university in the state. You would think that the citizens of Hattiesburg would take great pride in being the future home to the state’s largest college and support it 100%. Apparently, the city elders have never been to Lincoln, NE, College Station, TX or State College, PA. These are college towns…they know it and they embrace it!

Suddenly the thought of spending the night in Hattiesburg or eating in one of its restaurants…leaves a bad taste in my mouth!

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