JACKSON, Miss. ( WJTV ) – Jackson leaders and a concert promoter are concerned about the future of Thalia Mara Hall after “early microbial activity” was discovered in the facility.

Thalia Mara Hall has been temporarily closed due to the issue of possible mold. The discovery came after a recent malfunction with the HVAC controller at Thalia Mara Hall.

“How long has it been an issue exactly when it comes to the titration? What we’ve heard was around 10 years,” said Jackson City Councilman Aaron Banks, Ward 6.

Arden Barnett, the owner of Ardenland, blamed the issue on lack of leadership within the city. Ardenland handles the box office tickets for Thalia Mara Hall. Barnett said the issue affects his livelihood and upcoming events.

“We will have more information coming out on Monday. We have several shows scheduled there; Joe Bonamassa. We’ve got two dates with Kevin Hart,” he said.

Some are fearful businesses will begin overlooking the City of Jackson when it comes to hosting events if the situation is not remedied.

“We are about to go into budget season. We have not had our audit completed since ’22. And so, we’re going to be asking a lot of tough questions,” said Banks.

Barnett said he’s hosted shows in Thalia Mara Hall for more than 30 years and wants to be part of the solution.

“I think we could do a far better job in managing the building than a city can. I know for a fact that we can bring in at least 20, 30% more business to the building just with our connections,” he said.

Leaders with the City of Jackson said they’ll provide updates on the progress of the removal of the issue and any impact on scheduled events.

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