Photo: The view of the Landers Center with land cleared and trees brought down in preparation for the construction of the hotel and convention center expansion. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
If you’ve been around the Landers Center recently, you’ve noticed a sharply different look than before. Trees have been taken, land has been cleared, and most noticeably, the theater that housed the DeSoto Family Theatre is no longer standing.
it’s the first move in the construction of a convention center and connecting five-star hotel on the complex.
The Embassy Suites, a seven-story, 240-room hotel will be located on six acres and include a resort-style pool with a lazy river, plus a high-end restaurant with plenty of dining space.
The convention center expansion, connected to the hotel with a skywalk, will have a 275,000 square foot expansion.
At Tuesday’s Southaven Board of Aldermen meeting, Mayor Darren Musselwhite said it was exciting to see dirt move on the project.
“It’s a very exciting time for our city and for the county,” Musselwhite said. “I’ve said it many times, but this is the number one most positive influential project for the future of DeSoto County.”
Musselwhite describes the influence of the project in these terms because of potential attraction of conventions and visitors to come to Southaven and DeSoto County in the future. The hotel and expanded convention center will put the area in the same competitive level as facilities in other parts of the state and region.
“This thing is expected to go vertical, the hotel and the convention center at the same time. It’s expected to be vertical in May or June of 2025 with a projected completion date of March in 2027.
SIGNALS NOW OPERATING: Musselwhite also reported that three new traffic signals are now operating. It was reported in September that new signals were being installed at these intersections: The three intersections are at Church and Tchulahoma, Stateline and Swinnea, and at Guthrie and Airways Blvd.
The Stateline/Swinnea intersection had not been activated initially due to a faulty part, but had since been placed into service.
