Mississippi lawmakers attempted to allocate $2 million in state funds for a private hotel project in Tupelo linked to a family of a public official. The funding was part of the Legislature’s $253 million ‘Christmas tree’ bill, which funds various local projects across the state. Gov. Tate Reeves vetoed the line item, citing concerns over the project’s transparency.
The hotel development, called the Blue Suede hotel, is owned by Joshua Brown, the son of Northern District Public Service Commissioner Chris Brown. Authorities in Tupelo said they did not request or support the funding and were unaware of the project’s inclusion in the bill until after its passage, according to Tupelo Mayor Todd Jordan.
Jordan told Mississippi Today that neither the city nor its leaders asked for the funds. The bill’s language included allocations for other local projects, such as fire station upgrades and law enforcement training center improvements, but the hotel project was not among the city’s requests.
Chris Brown stressed he did not stand to financially benefit from the project, saying he loaned money to his son and daughter-in-law but was not involved in the hotel’s development. The project’s plans involve converting a historic building, the former Jefferson Davis Hotel, into an Elvis Presley-themed boutique hotel, a nod to Tupelo’s heritage as Elvis’s birthplace.
After the city purchased the building from its former owner, it sold the property to Brown’s company in April 2023. The city had previously considered demolishing the structure due to safety and code violations, but the new plans aimed to restore it. With the state funding now vetoed, Jordan said the city might buy back the property and possibly turn the site into a green space.
Lawmakers and local officials expressed concerns over the process, which often involves earmarking funds for pet projects without clear oversight. Critics noted that such practices can exclude local input and transparency. Aguirre, the Tupelo representative, said he supported the project to boost local development but was unaware of the funding’s routing through the city’s account.
Reeves’s veto highlights ongoing debates over legislative earmarks, especially when projects are connected to public officials’ families. The issue raises questions about transparency and the appropriate use of taxpayer dollars in local development efforts.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
