The Tupelo Fairpark project in Tupelo, Mississippi transformed a former fairgrounds site and dry cleaning facility into an open green space called Fairpark over 10 years through a collaborative redevelopment effort. Visioning sessions defined goals to guide multi-phased redevelopment with environmental cleanup securing liability protection. The dry cleaner was demolished in 2004 and the site became Fairpark with an amphitheater, water fountain, and playground. The redeveloped area now includes offices, shops, restaurants, and attractions bringing activity to downtown Tupelo.

1. Key Project Lesson
Tupelo Fairpark “Begin With an End Use In Mind”
The City of Tupelo, Tupelo Redevelopment Agency and
Tupelo, Mississippi Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association conducted joint
visioning sessions in order to define the goal of their
2008 Region 4 Winner redevelopment efforts over 10 years ago. The end result of
those sessions was a multi-phased approach with specific
milestones set in a Project Guidance Document. This document
has provided the framework for their current success.
To the right are two pages taken from the Project Guidance.
Featured Partners: “TUPELO FAIRPARK”
•Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association Approach to Addressing Environmental Issues
•Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Former “Longs Laundry” Dry Cleaning Facility
•City of Tupelo/ Tupelo Redevelopment Agency The citizen-run Tupelo Redevelopment Agency (TRA) has worked
hard to drive the transformation of the underused Fairgrounds
•Community Development Foundation area, addressing environmental issues, planning street
improvements, and negotiating complex land sales. As part of this
•Tennessee Valley Authority effort, in 2000, the city acquired a former dry cleaner property;
site investigations revealed the presence of chlorinated solvents in
•Appalachian Regional Commission shallow groundwater on the property.
In 2003, the Downtown Tupelo Main Street
•Environmental Protection Agency Region 4 Association requested assistance from the
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
The Bancorp
(MDEQ) through the State Brownfields Program. South Arena and
MDEQ was able to develop a strategy for the Convention
environmental assessment to be completed, for Center provide
What is “Fairpark”? liability protection to be secured, and for the site to
be redeveloped in a manner that was protective of
Before After
Demolition of Long’s Laundry Was conducted in 2004. The site was
modern facilities
for conferences
When Elvis Presley returned to his hometown of human health and the environment. Using site- then redeveloped into the greenspace known as “Tupelo Fairpark” which and conventions
Tupelo in 1956 and 1957 for concerts at the Fairgrounds, features an interactive water fountain, small amphitheatre and a held in the
specific assessment funding from its 128(a) region. Pairing
thousands of loyal North Mississippi fans got all shook playground to be enjoyed by the citizens of Tupelo.
Brownfield Grant, MDEQ was also able to complete with the
up. The proceeds of those concerts were used to the environmental assessment, saving TRA and the adjacent Hilton
purchase his family’s Tupelo home and convert into a local museum. City close to $87,000. In 2004, Tupelo demolished Garden Inn
Today, 50 years later, the Fairgrounds are still shaking – not from Elvis, the dry cleaner and adjacent properties to begin the creates an
but from rocks rolling and jack hammers swaying as construction continues efficient,
transformation of the properties into the new comfortable and
around this historic site, in what is the most “Fairpark”, a green space with an amphitheater and economical
ambitious downtown redevelopment project interactive water park. Redevelopment was further combination.
Tupelo has ever undertaken. Downtown Tupelo bolstered by the liability protection secured for TRA
is a concentration of commercial, business, through the Mississippi Commission on Environmental
government, financial and religious buildings Quality (MCEQ) in August, 2006.
dating from 1870 to the present.
In the early 90’s the City of Tupelo purchased
a declining downtown mall property and
converted it into a $16 million arena. This, in
turn, led to interest in the old fairgrounds, a
city owned, 50-acre parcel of land south of Tupelo Fairpark plays host to several
the new arena. festivals and gatherings throughout the
year including the annual “Elvis Festival”.
Development plans provided for
The citizen-led Tupelo Redevelopment Authority spearheaded mixed use of the property to include
the cleanup and re-use of this site, which had also included a government offices, commercial
spaces and residential properties.
former dry cleaner, into new open space, the “Tupelo Fairpark,”
Businesses now include accounting,
adjoining the central business district. A mix of federal, state, dentistry, realty and legal offices
and private regulatory and investment partners proved key to as well as restaurants and retail shops. The Tupelo Automobile Museum features
the success of this effort. over 100 classic era vehicles and
Aerial Photo of Fairgrounds Project during redevelopment provides an additional tourist attraction
for the area.