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Montgomery to pilot downtown attraction during HBCU weekend; hotels and corporate tenants coming, mayor says
Summary
On his podcast, Mayor Steven L. Reed said the city will test a riverfront attraction (a Ferris-wheel-style installation) during HBCU weekend and described new hotels, corporate jobs at the RSA building and interest from live-music and dining entrepreneurs.
Mayor Steven L. Reed said on the Season 2 podcast that the city plans a trial run of a downtown riverfront attraction this summer and that other private and corporate investments are coming to Montgomery's downtown.
"It's a little test run. It's not the only thing that we're talking about doing, but it is something that we're gonna try out, see how popular it is, see whether or not people like it," Reed said of the attraction, which he described as similar to installations seen in other cities. He said the trial is timed to coincide with HBCU weekend, when dozens of alumni and visitors attend college events downtown.
Reed described recent downtown development: corporate jobs in the RSA building on High Street, two new hotels adjacent to the Equal Justice Initiative Legacy Museum and another hotel on Goldthwaite (Goldway) Street, and renewed interest from live-music venues and restaurant entrepreneurs. He said those developments respond to feedback that downtown needs more evening and weekend destinations.
Reed encouraged residents to support local restaurants and venues and urged operators to maintain consistent quality: "Y'all better keep that good quality of service from the time y'all open to the time you close," he said.
Nut graf: The mayor framed the pilot attraction and private investment as part of a broader downtown strategy to capture tourist visits (including visitors from out of state) while creating local jobs and more evening activity.
The mayor did not announce formal city incentives, zoning changes or binding contracts during the podcast. He described private interest and early-stage conversations and said the city will rely on residents'response to the pilot when deciding whether to extend or make the attraction permanent.
Ending: Reed said the pilot and the coming HBCU weekend will be an early test of downtown demand and that details about timing and operations will be announced by the mayor's office and partner organizations.
