In Natchez, there is no shortage of people with strong opinions. My guess is that it has been that way for many years.

In fact, my guess is that there is something in the DNA of our Southwest Mississippi town that creates an environment that fosters strong-willed, assertive, some might call aggressive, personalities.

At first glance, those character traits are normally admired in our society.

We elect leaders, locally and nationally, who reveal a bit of ego, and aren’t afraid to tell people who is boss. We want somebody to stand up and fight for what we think is right.

The challenge with a community filled with strong opinions is getting people to listen. All too often, the conversation is nothing more than one ego trying to outdo another. What you are left with is nothing but noise.

Such a conversation is rarely healthy and, more often than not, leads to hardened feelings and schism.

The current state of tourism in Natchez feels a little like multiple groups of people talking to each other with bullhorns with nobody listening.

In no way does this mean the parties involved in the current debate about the future of the Natchez Convention Promotion Commission, the Natchez Convention and Visitors Bureau and the city’s office of tourism do not have valid and well-considered opinions.

They do.

The challenge is that few of the strong wills in the debate refuse to stop talking and take the opportunity to listen to those with opposing viewpoints from there own.

Part of my Monday evening was spent at Rolling River Bistro listening to a presentation by former Natchez Convention Promotion Commission member Virginia Benoist. The education session sponsored by The Natchez Hotel, B&B and Dining Group focused on the current organization of the Natchez CVB and the tourism operations in Natchez. The informative session highlighted the importance of the $2 heads-on-bed taxes, 3 percent lodging taxes and 1.5 percent restaurant taxes that are collected to support Natchez’s tourism industry.

As much as the conversation was informative, educational and free of political propaganda, I couldn’t help but wonder if the presentation was a bit like preaching to the choir.

As best as I could tell in the dark room, Ward 3 Alderwoman Sarah Smith was the only representative from the city’s leadership Monday. Of course, the mayor and any of the other aldermen could have attended the earlier presentation given Saturday morning.

The week before, the Natchez, Hotel, B&B and Dining Group presented their concerns to the Chamber of Commerce’s tourism council with a press release, but left the meeting almost immediately afterward, giving little opportunity for constructive conversation.

A few days later, Mayor Butch Brown, who has never been accused of holding back his opinions, bullied Patricia Lozon in an effort to squash her presentation of concerns to the board of aldermen.

In effect, we are left with each party trying to monopolize the tourism debate.

At this point, no one seems very interested in sitting down and having the conversation with each other to have the difficult conversation necessary to determine what the next steps are for tourism in Natchez.

Until then, I am afraid we are left with a lot of noise and drama and little direction.

 

Ben Hillyer is the news editor of The Natchez Democrat. He can be reached at 601-445-3540 or by email at ben.hillyer@natchezdemocrat.com.