Two years after the last retail store at the MetroCenter Mall in Jackson, Miss., closed its doors, visual artist and film producer Curtis Nichouls has a new vision for the location: a studio to produce films and TV shows.
“It’s a good investment, I believe,” Nichouls told the Mississippi Free Press on April 11. He bid $360,000 for the property, which comprises the area that was formerly a Dillard’s department store. The Jackson City Council approved the sale of the building to Nichouls in a unanimous vote during its April 9 meeting.
“There’s going to be a police department, houses, kitchens, jails,” Nichouls said. “With this building, we’re positioned to have at least two films going at the same time.”
After overcoming the hurdle of acquiring the location, Nichouls said he is now focused on two new challenges: securing the building from copper thieves and navigating opinions Jacksonians have about the latest promise to re-imagine what was once the largest mall in the state.
“I’ve enjoyed reading a lot of the comments on social media about me acquiring the building,” he said. “It’s typical to have some negative comments, but overwhelmingly we’re getting tons of well wishes and people wanting to see this happen. I know any negative comment isn’t about me.”
Curtis Nichouls started his production company Sweet Unknown South in 2020 and has worked on productions like the Bruce Willis film ‘A Day To Die,’ filmed in Jackson in 2022. The Louisiana native first moved to the Magnolia State in 1999 to teach as the artist in residence at Mississippi State University.
He said on April 9 that he wants to expand the ecosystem of Mississippi’s film community, instead of outsourcing construction crews and on-screen talent for his productions. He described the economic benefits as endless, particularly for Jackson’s youth.
“These kids have all this talent and no outlet,” Nichouls said. “When we did the movie ‘A Day To Die,’ we hired students from Jackson State, Tougaloo. We hired high-school students (as well).”
Despite the negative chatter he has seen, Nichols said he hopes to have the studio open for business by October but that it will take at least two years and $20 million for his full vision to materialize.
“One of the biggest things that Jackson needs is a resurgence of people moving here,” Nichouls said. “With a thriving film studio, you’d have money circulating throughout the community and (it would) give people pride. That would be huge.”
