Tampa attributes Threefoot success to thriving business community

Thomas Howard, The Meridian Star, Miss.
·2 min read

Dec. 3—East Mississippi Business and Development Corporation members heard Thursday from Ascent Hospitality's John Tampa that the business community in Meridian is strong.

Tampa, who emigrated from Romania in 1996 and went on to found Ascent Hospitality, which operates more than 30 hotels in five states, recently completed renovations on the historic Threefoot building. He was recognized Thursday as the keynote speaker at EMBDC's annual meeting.

"This is a great community," he said. "Stability is key. Long-term, you're always going to win with this type of community."

Meridian's business community is robust, and business owners are supportive of each other's efforts, Tampa said. That cooperation and support not only adds value to the local economy but provides a safety net for local businesses during economic downturns.

"If you look at even during recessions, Meridian is doing extremely well compared with the other cities," he said. "The local economy has been very strong. People are engaged, and they invest. It's a great community."

Restoration of the Threefoot building and developing it into a boutique hotel was a challenging project, Tampa said. And while people congratulate him on the success, he said it was a community effort to revitalize downtown and make the project possible.

"Everybody says we did a great job with Threefoot from the standpoint of my company, and we did, but this is the result of a lot of work you all have done as well," he said. "If the Riley Center was not here, if the MAX museum was not here, the children's museum, the chance for us to do the project and be where we are was extremely limited."

The Threefoot, Tampa said, was a result of handwork by the community. He described it as a "collective effort."

"And that's what Meridian is," he said.

Investment in the community, cooperation and community support could put Meridian above Jackson, Tupelo and Gulfport, Tampa said. With community support, he said, Meridian has the potential to be the number one location in the state for businesses.