Jackson’s major concert hall has been cleared to reopen, but a couple of checklist items remain before the venue is fully up to speed.
On his final day in office, now-former Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba held a press conference Monday in front of Thalia Mara Hall and had good news to share about the status of the facility. The site, which has recently been approved to reopen after the presence of mold forced officials to shut the doors a little under one year ago, only requires a little fine-tuning before it is entirely operational without additional oversight.
After inspecting the venue in early June, the State Fire Marshal’s Office ruled that events can be held as long as a third-party fire watch is in place until the fire curtain is installed and passes inspection. A fire watch involves having someone monitor the building during events for fire hazards and to alert occupants and emergency services if a fire breaks out.
In the meantime, Emad Al Turk, the engineer contracted to remedy issues within Thalia Mara, confirmed that the last two remaining operations include installing the new fire curtain and another chiller — both of which have already been ordered. The curtain is expected to arrive in August. Al Turk believes it will take around a week to install it. The chiller is slated to make its way to the capital city sometime in the fall.
The beam that will support the fire curtain is riddled with asbestos. Al Turk noted that it will take “another week or so” to remediate once the curtain is installed. All-in-all, the final finish line is in sight, though.
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“Thalia Mara has always been more than a venue. It has been a gathering place for people in the city of Jackson,” Lumumba said. “From its first-class ballet performances to gospel concerts, Thalia Mara Hall has been the backdrop of our city’s rich cultural history.”
As things stand, officials will need to consult with the city’s department of human and cultural services before holding any events.
Thalia Mara Hall closed in August after the city’s indoor air quality assessment confirmed that microbial activity was present, likely due to a faulty heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system and roof leaks. Human waste was also found in the balcony area. Among other troubling discoveries were an outdated fire curtain riddled with asbestos and a major pipe in need of repair.
The building’s closure caused area residents to miss out on Kevin Hart shows, performances from the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, and other events.
In late January, Lumumba boasted of remediation efforts to bring the historic facility up to speed, with a stamp of approval by the State Fire Marshal’s Office being the final piece of the puzzle to begin the process of bringing concerts and shows back to Thalia Mara.
Fire Marshal Mike Chaney’s team, at the time, was not quite as gung-ho as Lumumba about the facility’s readiness to reopen. But now, Thalia Mara Hall has reached the reopening finish line. And once the two cosmetic tune-ups are completed, the facility will be fully operational.
“We’re not only excited to have overcome many of the challenges that led to it being shuttered for a period of time, but we are hopeful for the future of this auditorium that it may be able to provide a more up-to-date experience for residents, inviting shows that people are able to see across the world, bringing them here to Jackson,” Lumumba said. “This is an investment in the future.”
At this time, no events have been scheduled at Thalia Mara Hall since it was given the green light to reopen.
