Residents and business owners say abandoned Hotel O is hurting their community

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Residents and business owners near Hotel O along I-55 are hoping to get the Jackson Police Department’s attention to keep their community from falling victim to violence.

Less than a mile from McWillie Elementary School and half a mile from Chastain Middle School sits the abandoned Hotel O and nearly empty Hotel Oyo along I-55.

“Young kids are getting out of school, and they’re walking around. Then you have individuals here that are loitering, that are also addicted to heavy drugs,” neighborhood resident Lisa Foster explained.

“There are children that have to walk down to that apartment complex down there. So this is becoming to be a concern,” Vivian Jones said.

James and Vivian Jones own the strip mall between the middle school and the hotels. They say those in the area are falling victim to criminal activities.

“We actually bought this property about four years ago as an investment. We know Jackson is on its way up. The hotel, as well as the area, you know, it’s kind of deteriorating, Jones explained. “Last time I saw a Waffle House closed down was in South Jackson, and that area is now gone. So I just don’t want this to happen where we’ve saved that money. You know, invested our generational wealth.”

Residents say because of the homeless population, drug trafficking, and more illicit activities in the area, it’s pushing people away, creating an even bigger problem.

“I have two children, six and four. I want to bring them here to show them where Mommy goes to school, and I can’t. I’m so scared to bring them here and I shouldn’t,” Sandra Caldwell, who attends Jackson State University, said.

Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes says he believes giving Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade a contract could help get more vagrants away from businesses and help improve the standard of life in the community.

“You can’t tell me that he cannot get people who are just trespassing in hotels and other places in this community. He does not know what to do. But if we give him a contract, like some of you have a contract, he can’t be fired,” Stokes explained.

“It’s not nothing that the system that we have in place should already be doing. We are trying to figure out why the system is clogged,” neighborhood resident Bennie Foster said.

Councilman Stokes says he will bring his proposed contract to the next city council meeting.

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