City native picked to find ‘bigger projects’|[06/03/08]

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, June 3, 2008

A Vicksburg native whose career has been in New Orleans was tapped Monday by city officials to court developers who can bring “bigger projects” to the city and boost the city’s economic development efforts, said Mayor Laurence Leyens.

Larry Hennessey, 72, signed a 90-day contract with the city to “make things happen,” he said after officials formally agreed in a Monday meeting to the deal.

“Basically, I’m going to bring people here from all walks of industry – hotels, oil and gas, housing, amusement park developers,” he said. “I’ll bring them here and give them a good look at the city and the opportunities that present themselves.”

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Hennessey had a career in insurance before beginning work on promotions in New Orleans. While there, he was an account executive for Blanchard and Associates of Metairie, where he acted as a broker, and headed his own consulting company, Hennessey & Associates.

Vicksburg “has come a long way in 10 years, and it’s because of the leadership,” he said.

So far, Hennessey has brought seven groups to the city to look at potentially bringing new developments. They include:

Building a hotel development to complement the Vicksburg Convention Center, a plan that has been in discussions since it was built in 1997.

Building an 18-hole golf course that overlooks the Mississippi River.

Building a hotel that overlooks the river.

Building a water and amusement park.

Finding restaurants to come to Vicksburg.

Bringing in developers who could bring a movie theater.

“This is a passion I have,” Hennessey said. “It’s time to have fun. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime. I’ve always wanted to come back” and make a difference here.

Hennessey will be paid $50 an hour and will receive a maximum of $4,000 a month or $12,000 over the contract period, Leyens said. The city will not pay any other expenses, he added.

“He’s been in New Orleans a long time. I think he’s excited about coming here. He wants to seize the opportunity and bring the contacts he made down there up here,” Leyens said. “Compensation is secondary to him.”

The short-term position does not interfere with economic development efforts already being made in Vicksburg and Warren County, Leyens said.

Currently, the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce concentrates on retail development, while the Warren County Economic Development Foundation promotes industrial development.

“He’s everything else, in my opinion,” Leyens said of Hennessey’s role.