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Originally posted by: U-Go
"If attracting industry is solely political, as some here seem to be suggesting, then what's all of this nonsense about an academic program in economic develpment? We'd be better off pushing for a law school so down the road we'd have sufficient legislative support for the next Yugo facory."

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Nooooo, attracting industry isn't "solely political."  If the other elements such as population, property, and economics aren't there, then no amount of political arm-twisting would cause a  successful corporation like Nissan to come on down to Mississippi.  Politics is the great facilitator, but not the only determinant. You're right on the mark with your assessment of the USM quasi-academic ED program, and the long term advantages of a law school.  By the way, where are our expert board contributors from the COB?  Rather than sniping at each other, I'd like to hear their take on this question.

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Originally posted by: Anthony Adverse
"In your previous post you claimed that Nissan located near Jackson because of the proximity to MSU in "Starkeville." 

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That's not what I said. What I said is that being in close proximity to a relatively large city (Jackson) and a major university (MS State) helps provide the social and cultural advantages desired when a major industry locates. Note that the emphasis is on "major." Small industry doing only routine piece work will locate most anywhere there is cheap labor. Those executives from corporations like Nissan demand a little more.

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Originally posted by: Polymer Palace
"What happened to Hattiesburg's Sunbeam Corporation and Chainsaw Al? "

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The old Sunbeam plant? All 725,938 sq. ft. can be yours for a mere $17.5-20 million. Move in today.

www.theadp.com/economic%20development/construction/Sunbeam%20Hattiesburg%20Profile.pdf

http://www.southerncompany.com/mspower/ecodev/sunbeam.asp

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Originally posted by: Don't forget us
"This advertising site lists two or three dozen things about the old Sunbeam facility, evidently mentioned to attract a new industry. Nowhere do I see anything about its proximity to USM."

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They must be waiting until we reach 20,000 before adding it to their list of desirable features.

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Originally posted by: blender
"None of us in COB are smart enough to comment on these complicated issues.  You'll have to ask the experts in ED."

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As faithful readers will recall, Mlle de Guerre chose to remove herself from the "line of fire" so to speak, where COB posters are concerned, and prefers not to comment on issues which involve them. Except, of course, she would really, really like to be friends with a good accountant who can fix and drive cars, but he doesn't have to be in the COB necessarily. Of course we have our own concerns about the economic development program, especially since watching "Jean-Claude" our former chauffer, struggle with his dissertation. It took him days and days. Mlle de Guerre has serious reservations on this entire topic. She feels that teaching people to write well, think critically, do research (as in going to the library on foot) and developing skills in a chosen profession can enable students do their own economic developing. I am not doing justice to her ideas, but you get the drift.

Sincerely,

Hermione Angleterre, Social Secretary to Monique de Guerre

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Originally posted by: ram
" The advantages may be there, but is it likely to happen?  We already have two law schools in a small, poor state.  Jackson State has been lobbying hard for years to get a second, public law school in the urban center.   I don't what USM could bring to the table that JSU hasn't already tried."

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I agree with your appraisal of the situation.  I wasn't suggesting that it was likely to happen, but rather expressing some wishful thinking.  I do think JSU has the disadvantage of having the Mississippi College law school right there in downtown Jackson, even though it isn't public.  Interestingly, Texas A&M attempted to take over the South Texas College of Law several years ago, in fact going so far as to close the deal before having it vetoed by the Texas legislature.  It seems the U. of Texas power brokers couldn't deal with the thought of an Aggie law school, even though South Texas had been in operation for decades. 

Now you do:

School of Law (University of Mississippi, Oxford)