Perrin Likes Plan For Downtown Jonesboro

The Jonesboro Sun, September 11, 2009
By Ray Whiteside

JONESBORO — Mayor Harold Perrin is onboard with the idea of turning downtown Jonesboro into a hub of entertainment, as long as everyone involved is onboard with the plan.

Proposed is allowing musicians, painters, and other artists to perform in downtown Jonesboro in an effort to spur growth and commerce within the city's central entertainment district.

"I think it would be great for Jonesboro, and it would be great for local artists," Perrin said.  "I think this could bring more entertainment and attraction to the area."

Officials will meet today to hammer out the specifics of a plan that could allow for the closing of Main Street for artists on certain nights, but the mayor wants to make sure all aspects of the proposal are covered.

Perrin and Phyillis Burkett, president of the Downtown Jonesboro Association, said Memphis, Little Rock, and other cities have similar entertainment available to patrons.

"I've been to Honolulu, and they do a lot of this in the streets, and they have a lot of performers," Perrin said. "We just have to make sure we cross our T's and dot the I's."

Perrin said if everyone is not onboard, this effort would probably not come to fruition.

Expected in attendance for the meeting are the mayor, Jonesboro Police Chief Mike Yates, businessman Kent Arnold, Burkett and other members of Burkett's committee.

"Arnold and I brainstormed on how great it would be if we had a lot of artists to come downtown to create awareness of their craft," Burkett said in a written statement. "I realized how much I enjoyed seeing the artists drawing and painting around Jackson Square in New Orleans."

She said Arkansas State University artists could benefit from the exposure this proposal could create.

"We thought it would be great to first contact ASU because of their students who might be looking for places to play music," Burkett said. "Downtown [Jonesboro] has park benches and wide sidewalks, and we thought it would increase foot traffic in the late afternoons and evenings, but we want to encourage development of talent throughout our community."

Burkett said a poster to encourage musicians and artists to come downtown is in development.  She also said that Perrin and Yates said artists putting out a tip jar would not be considered panhandling, and that musicians would not need a privilege licence for providing entertainment without charge.