A developer finalized a deal to buy the former Marriott building in downtown Jackson on Jan. 2 after initially purchasing it at an online auction last month.
During the initial auction on December 8-10, there were believed to be around 15 bidders for the property, with the reserve price reduced from $2 million to $1.5 million. The winner received a $1.55 million prize but not the property.
That’s when Kumar Bhavanasi stepped in and bought the property for $1.6 million. The New Jersey real estate developer had been interested in the Marriott hotel, but said he was pleased there were others interested in the building when he realized there were 15 or more entities bidding.
When the winning bidder failed to win, Bavanasi stepped in and completed the purchase for the winning bid plus $45,000.
Bavanasi had a busy last week, completing the sale of the Electrical Building at 308 E. Pearl Street in downtown Jackson on Dec. 31 for an undisclosed price.
The 10-story electrical building was built in 1930 and houses offices, luxury apartments and retail stores.
By purchasing the District Building, the Pinnacle Building, the Deposit Guarantee Building in downtown Jackson, and now the Marriott Hotel, Bavanasi owns virtually all of the most important blocks in Jackson’s downtown business district.
The property was previously owned by LW Jackson IX, LLC of Delray Beach, Florida.
Located in downtown Jackson
Located in downtown Jackson for 40 years, the 119,459-square-foot, 303-room hotel at 200 East Amite Street has 35,000 square feet of meeting space and has hosted many of the most important business and social events over the past several decades.
Completed in 1975, the hotel also has a five-level parking garage with 386 parking spaces.
The 15-story building, which has been vacant since the pandemic, fell into disrepair when a major water pipe burst, flooding much of the first floor and underground, destroying many of the building’s mechanical systems.
The second and third floors above the conference area have been demolished, making the two floors easier to renovate. It is estimated that it could cost up to $60 million to completely renovate the facility, whether it be apartments, apartments or its original hotel use.
However, Bavanasi said his intention is to retain the property as a hotel. That said, he did not provide details about a timeline for renovations or which hotel providers might be used to help manage the property.
It is thought that in order for the hotel to continue to operate as a hotel, the number of rooms may need to be reduced to accommodate larger rooms, something that many travelers now expect.
In 2015, a fire reportedly broke out in the kitchen of a downtown Marriott hotel, prompting an evacuation.
Other potential uses for the Marriott Hotel Downtown
In recent years, Jackson State University, under former president Marcus Thompson, viewed the hotel as a potential solution to its student housing shortage.
Thompson even offered to buy the property for $5 million.
This was never really an option because of how much it would cost to renovate the property to make it habitable for students or anyone else.
Friday, December 5, 2025 at the Jackson Downtown Conference Center Hotel located at the corner of North Lamar Street and East Amite Street in Jackson, Mississippi.
Ross Riley He is a staff writer for USA TODAY NETWORK’s Clarion Ledger. You can contact him at rreily@gannett.com or 601-573-2952. You can follow him on the X platform (formerly Twitter @GreenOkra1).
This article originally appeared in Clarion Ledger, Mississippi: Surprise winner becomes owner of Marriott hotel in downtown Jackson, Mississippi