5.6 KiB
5.6 KiB
Contact List: Ole Miss / Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Entertainment District
Project: 25-acre mixed-use condotel + athletics/entertainment district around Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Status: ACTIVE RFP issued Dec 10, 2025 RFP Responses Due: February 5, 2026 (⚠️ PASSED — check if extended or awarded) Award Date: April 23, 2026 (per Clarion Ledger) Advisor: Brailsford & Dunlavey (B&D) — university real estate/P3 advisory firm Updated: 2026-02-01
⚠️ CRITICAL NOTE
RFP responses were due Feb 5, 2026. We're past that date. Next steps:
- Contact B&D or Ole Miss to ask if the RFP was extended or if responses are still being evaluated
- If awarded April 23 — there may be sub-partnership or vendor opportunities with the winning team
- Even if RFP closed, expressing interest positions you for future phases or complementary roles
UNIVERSITY DECISION-MAKERS
Keith Carter
- Title: Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics
- Organization: University of Mississippi
- Why: Primary champion of the stadium renovation and surrounding development. Extended through 2029. Driving force behind the RFP.
- LinkedIn: Search "Keith Carter Ole Miss"
- Contact: olemisssports.com/staff-directory/keith-carter/187
- Notes: Gave interviews about stadium plans to Clarion Ledger. Approachable on development topics.
Dr. Glenn F. Boyce
- Title: Chancellor (18th Chancellor)
- Organization: University of Mississippi
- Why: Ultimate university authority. Any major development partnership needs chancellor-level buy-in.
- LinkedIn: Search "Glenn Boyce University of Mississippi"
- Website: olemiss.edu/departments/chancellor/
- Notes: Background in education administration, not real estate — approach through athletics/economic impact angle
IHL Board of Trustees (Mississippi)
- Organization: Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning
- Why: State board that must approve major university real estate transactions and P3 deals
- Website: mississippi.edu
- Notes: Board approval required for final deal — important to understand their process
RFP ADVISORY FIRM
Brailsford & Dunlavey (B&D)
- Role: University's advisor for the RFP process
- Website: bdconnect.com
- Why: B&D is managing the RFP evaluation. They're the gatekeeper. If you can't respond to the RFP directly, B&D can tell you the timeline and whether there are sub-partnership opportunities.
- Key People to Find:
- Project lead assigned to Ole Miss engagement
- Check bdconnect.com/people/ for Southeast region leads
- Notes: B&D specializes in university P3 deals — they've done similar projects at many major universities. They published a blog post about this RFP on their site.
CITY OF OXFORD, MS
Mayor Robyn Tannehill
- Title: Mayor
- Organization: City of Oxford, MS
- Why: Vocal about Oxford's growth opportunities. Quoted: "When your greatest challenges are the result of tremendous growth, you say 'thank you' and get busy being proactive."
- Contact: oxfordms.net/departments/mayor-s-office
- Cell: 662-816-0038 (listed on city website for aldermen — verify for mayor)
- Notes: Pro-development stance. Oxford setting records in monthly sales tax collections.
Mary Martha Crowe
- Title: Alderman At-Large
- Organization: City of Oxford Board of Aldermen
- Contact: oxfordms.net/board-of-aldermen
- Why: At-large position means city-wide perspective on major development
City Planning Department
- Organization: City of Oxford
- Website: oxfordms.net/government
- Why: Any development adjacent to the university will need city coordination on infrastructure, zoning, traffic
POTENTIAL COMPETING/SIMILAR DEVELOPERS
These firms are known for university-adjacent entertainment districts and may be bidding:
Collegiate Development Group
- Why: Specializes in university-adjacent mixed-use
- Track Record: Multiple university entertainment districts
Fairmount Properties
- Why: Mixed-use entertainment district experience
- Track Record: Similar projects near major venues
The Cordish Companies
- Why: Entertainment district specialists (Live! Districts)
- Track Record: Maryland Live, Kansas City Power & Light, Ballpark Village STL
- Key People: David Cordish (Chairman), Blake Cordish, Reed Cordish
Campus Crest / Landmark Properties
- Why: University-adjacent development specialists
- Notes: More residential-focused but relevant experience
ARCHITECTURE/DESIGN FIRMS (Likely Involved)
Populous
- Why: Premier sports venue + entertainment district architects
- Track Record: Most major stadium entertainment districts in the US
- Notes: Often hired by developers bidding on university stadium projects
HOK / Gensler
- Why: Major mixed-use entertainment design firms
- Notes: Check if either has existing Ole Miss relationships
OUTREACH STRATEGY
- Immediate: Contact Brailsford & Dunlavey to ask about RFP status (was it extended? who responded? is there a shortlist?)
- Week 1: Reach out to Keith Carter's office expressing interest in the project and offering capital partnership capabilities
- Week 1: Contact Mayor Tannehill's office to understand city's role and any additional development opportunities
- Week 2: If RFP was awarded, contact the winning developer team about sub-partnership or capital contributions
- Ongoing: Monitor Oxford Eagle and Clarion Ledger for award announcement (expected April 23, 2026)