Race cars, zip lines, and trampolines could soon fill the space that used to house the Northeast Jackson Best Buy.
On Monday, the Jackson City Council approved a use permit for UA Jackson MS, which plans to transform the former big box retailer into Urban Air, an indoor entertainment center for families and kids.
“We go all over the country looking for big box retailers and fill them up with fun things for kids to do,” said David Contreras, an architect for Urban Air. “It’s a destination spot for families and kids to go play on the weekends.”
Contreras said construction is expected to get underway as soon as UA obtains the needed permits. If all goes according to plan, doors should open before Christmas.
“That’s the goal and we’d like to do that, if possible,” he said. “The owners are very proactive about getting things done. The contractor on board is one of the best.”
The use permit was approved on a unanimous vote.
The property is located at 6370 Ridgewood Court Dr. which is currently zoned C-3 commercial.
Indoor recreational centers are allowed in C-3 areas as long as use permits are granted, according to the city’s Zoning Ordinance.
Ward 1 Councilman Ashby Foote is glad to see the tenant coming in.
“Jackson’s got great bones from the standpoint of real estate,” he said. “There’s lots of space available and it needs to be reinvented or repurposed.”
Several major retailers along East County Line have closed in recent years. Best Buy shut its doors in 2015. Academy Sports closed several years later. According to the Northside Sun, the council approved a conditional use permit for Spinners Family Entertainment to open a location at that site last October.
“It’s encouraging to see investors coming in to take time and effort to repurpose or reinvent the space to serve the local community,” Foote said. “It may not be what it once was, but we can find new uses that might be a fun addition to Jackson.”
Urban Air will include everything from indoor trampolines and bouncing structures to miniature racing and a zip line.
It also will feature a tech bar and numerous TVs to allow parents to enjoy sports while their children are playing, as well as a cafe offering snacks like pizzas, wings, nachos, and desserts.
“There will be party rooms, so you can have birthday parties there,” Contreras said. “There’s about ten of them total. You can open them up to have one big party or just individuals.”
“It’s a place to go to get outside of the heat, outside of the elements… A fun place to be for your birthday parties or to hang out as a family.”
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