Gov. Reeves highlights more than $100M for economic development. See where it is going

Gov. Tate Reeves announced Wednesday more than $110 million toward economic development upgrades to make sites more shovel ready so communities can recruit projects for the future.

The largest of the grants from the state is going to the Mississippi River Inland Port Complex Megasite. There, more than $10 million will be used to conduct wetlands mitigation as required by the site's U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit.  The majority of grant approvals, however, totaling over $97 million, will be invested into projects that will further strengthen Mississippi’s economy through site development, infrastructure improvements, and workforce training support.

The massive investment, according to a statement from the governor's office, will help expand infrastructure capabilities at sites across the state and better position Mississippi to secure even more record-breaking private sector investment. Funding for the projects is available through the Mississippi Development Authority, Appalachian Regional Commission, Delta Regional Authority, RESTORE Act, GOMESA, and Southeast Crescent Regional Commission.

For the Jackson area, more than $2 million was earmarked for the East Metro Center Industrial Park in Rankin County to extend water and sewer lines. Also, in Rankin County, $250,000 was set aside for the Bailey-Morrison Site to clear and grub, forestry mow, construct a preliminary access road and complete a geotechnical investigation.

In Hinds County, $150,000 has been earmarked for the Northwest Industrial Park to conduct site due diligence and clear and grub.

One of Reeves' favorite projects, he said, is the Eagle One Mega Site in Forrest and Lamar counties.

"This project shows what people can do when they come together and work together," Reeves said of the boards of supervisors of both counties to cooperated to buy land and market for economic development.

More than $2 million will go to Eagle One, near Hattiesburg to conduct the necessary engineering to pursue a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit for the site. “This is an exciting day," Reeves said during a press conference from the Walter Sillers Building in Jackson. "It is an exciting day for Mississippi. We are very blessed to garner the resources Mississippi needs to give us a competitive advantage when going after new economic development projects." Through its Site Development Grant Program, which provides funding in three categories, MDA is committing $29,358,784 in site development grant funding.

Created in 2021, the Select Sites program, which is invitation-only, was designed to increase the number of highly competitive industrial sites available to meet the needs of prospective companies.

The Premier Sites program is designed for properties that have a minimum of 100 acres and have distinguishing site location attributes, such as being in high-demand locations and offering intermodal and/or port access. The Ready Sites program is designed for properties that have a minimum of 20 highly developable acres that are site-work ready within six months or can have utilities on site within 12 months. 

Here are the projects that were highlighted today as part of the $110 million in resources for economic development.

Site Development Grant Program — Select Site Grants

• East Metro Center Industrial Park – Rankin County – $2,360,803 to extend water and sewer lines.
• MS River Energy Complex – Adams County – $3,292,000 to clear and level 140 acres.
• MS River Inland Port Complex Megasite – Warren County – $10,483,796 to conduct wetlands mitigation as required by the site's U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit. 
• Springs Industrial Park – Marshall County – $486,000 to conduct a transmission line scoping study to determine the necessary route for running power to the site.
• Gateway Industrial Park – Pike County – $1,114,875 to clear trees, conduct grading to improve ingress, add signage and complete site due diligence.
• Stennis Technology Park – Hancock County – $3,000,000 to grub, grade and construct two building pads, design and construct access roads, extend water and sewer lines and make drainage improvements.
• Martintown North Industrial Park – Union County – $1,711,000 to construct a 300,000-square-foot building pad in Martintown North Industrial Park.
• I-59 South Industrial Site – Jones County – $828,500 to extend water lines into the site, rehabilitate an existing 1,000,000-gallon water tank and improve an access road.
• Eagle One Mega Site – Forrest and Lamar Counties – $2,430,000 to conduct the necessary engineering to pursue a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit for the site.
• Pearl River County Industrial Park – Pearl River County – $1,438,650 to construct a water tank and relocate power lines.                                             

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Site Development Grant Program — Premier Site Grants

• Harry A. Martin North Lee Industrial Complex – Lee County – $250,000 to construct a 100,000-square-foot expandable building pad.
• Bailey-Morrison Site – Rankin County – $250,000 to clear and grub, forestry mow, construct a preliminary access road and complete a geotechnical investigation.
• Northwest Industrial Park – Hinds County – $150,000 to conduct site due diligence and clear and grub.
• Coldwater Site – Tate County – $212,560 to conduct a water and wastewater capacity study and pre-engineering for water and wastewater improvements, relocate a fiber line and clear, grub, grade and fill selected areas of the site.
• Greene County Rail Site – Greene County – $250,000 to clear and grub 125 acres.
• North Ripley Industrial Park – Tippah County – $250,000 to purchase an access road right of way, conduct roadway surveying and design and engineering and conduct a geotechnical investigation.
• Leake County Business Park – Leake County – $250,000 to grade the site.
• Greenwood-Leflore Industrial Park – Leflore County – $200,600 to develop a master plan for the park and conduct site due diligence.
• Wynndale Industrial Center – Hinds County – up to $250,000 to conduct pre-engineering for a rail spur and concept mapping, as well as site due diligence.

Site Development Grant Program – R—eady Site Grants

• Cleveland Municipal Airport – Bolivar County – $50,000 to construct a building pad.
• Lamar County Industrial Park – Lamar County – $50,000 to conduct a geotechnical investigation and an ALTA survey, as well as clear and grub.
• Highway 45 Weyerhaeuser Site – Kemper County – $50,000 to conduct site due diligence and concept mapping, clear and grub and construct a building pad.

ARC funding recommendations

• Kemper County Site Development – Kemper County – $400,000 for site development on a 40-acre industrial site off Highway 45.
• East Bank Port Rail Extension – Lowndes County – $500,000 to extend current rail by 6,700 linear feet to the end of the East Bank Port property.
• Starkville Road Wastewater Improvements – Oktibbeha County – $750,000 to update the wastewater system and replace the sewer force main that serves North Star Industrial Park.
• MSU Research Technology Building Construction – Oktibbeha County – $1,500,000 to construct a building adjacent to Thad Cochran Research Park.
• Corinth Parkway Access Road – Alcorn County – $600,000 to improve and expand South Parkway Road.
• Martintown North Industrial Park – Union County – $1,711,000 to install a water well to complement the forthcoming elevated water tower in the Martintown North Industrial Park.
• MSU Advanced Composite Institute Stitching Equipment – Oktibbeha County – $600,000 to support the build out and tech transferability of blended wing technology in the aerospace industry.
• Noxubee School CTE – Noxubee County – $800,000 to build out an industrial maintenance training program.
• Kemper County School HVAC – Kemper County – $32,795 for HVAC equipment at the John C. Stennis CTE Center to provide training to students on HVAC repair, installation and maintenance.
• Chickasaw CTE Expansion – Chickasaw County – $921,860 to expand CTE in Houston by constructing a 2,850-square-foot facility, adding classroom space for 10 welding stations.

DRA funding

• Cleveland Airport Drainage Improvements – Bolivar County – $408,000 to improve the drainage in Northwest Cleveland, specifically at the Cleveland Municipal Airport, and to allow for the development of the North Airport Industrial Site.
• Cemetery Road Improvements – Carroll County – $339,024 for the rehabilitation of Cemetery Road and Mary Street, which provides access to North Carrollton Industrial Park.
• Mize Sewer Lagoon Improvements – Smith County – $281,750 to complete necessary improvements to the sewer lagoon.
• Montrose Water Improvements – Jasper County – $343,784 to replace approximately 4,700 feet of small diameter pipe in the water system with new 6-inch PE and PVC pipes, connect the existing customers to the new piping, and abandon the old pipes.
• Highway 51 Intersection Improvements – Pike County – $607,603 to reconstruct the intersection of Pearl River Avenue and Locust Street (Highway 44).
• AC Waterline Replacement Phase III – Smith County – $239,976 to replace approximately 2,500 linear feet of asbestos cement water line with PVC pipe on County Road 528 in the vicinity of County Roads 139, 538E, and 150A; to connect the existing customers to the new piping; and to abandon the old asbestos cement pipe.
• County Road 430 Improvements – Carroll County – $500,000 to rehabilitate County Road 430, include leveling and overlaying approximately 1.5 miles of the road.
• Town of Tunica Water System Repair – Tunica County – $509,000 for water system improvements.
• Simulator for Employment Reentry – Bolivar, Carroll, Holmes, Issaquena, Washington, and Yazoo Counties – $450,420 to MAGCOR to provide one fully equipped DRA Simulators Integrated Mobile Unit to teach NCCER Core, NCCER Welding Level 1, NCCER Heavy Equipment Operator, and DOT-approved Commercial Driver's License training classes at six regional correctional facilities.

RESTORE Act funding

• Project Seaway Rail Truck (SRT) Bulkhead – Harrison County – $2,750,000 for construction of an intermodal transload site.
• Kapalama Road Sewer Infrastructure – Hancock County – $1,650,000 for improvements to meet current and future sewer needs.
• Highway 63/Escatawpa Gas Pipeline Installation – Jackson County – $1,650,000 for installation of a new natural gas line.
• Port of Gulfport Expansion East Pier – Harrison County – $1,210,000 for engineering and design of the east pier expansion containment.
• Trent Lott Airport – Jackson County – $1,100,000 for apron and taxiway improvements.
• MS Cyber Center – Harrison County – $6,600,000 to support the construction of the Mississippi Cyber and Technology Center.
• Pearl River Community College (PRCC) Hydrographic Technicians – Hancock and Pearl River Counties – $1,925,000 to provide a career development pathway from Hancock County Career and Technical Center to PRCC for hydrographic science instruction.
• Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network (MAIN) Program – Coahoma, Copiah, Newton, Kemper, Hinds, Holmes, Itawamba, Jones, Lauderdale, Pearl River, Pike, Prentiss, Sunflower, Stone, & Tate Counties – $7,141,244 to develop a workforce training program to support the growing AI and technology fields.
• Jackson County Port Authority Bulkhead Expansion – Jackson County – $4,400,000 to support a 500-foot-long renovation of outfitting bulkhead and associated dredging to support increased capacity.

SCRC funding

• Nicholson Water & Sewer Expansion and Upgrade – Pearl River County – $446,888 to the Nicholson Water and Sewer Association to extend water and sewer infrastructure along the I-59 corridor.
• Intersection Improvements and Turn Lane/Signalization Installation – Clarke County – $500,000 for infrastructure improvements in Clarke County.
• I-59/Sycamore Intersection Improvements and Frontage Road – Pearl River County –$500,000 to Pearl River County for the Sycamore Road Intersection and Frontage Road project.
• Poplarville-Pearl River County Airport Advancement Plan – Pearl River County – $50,000 to Pearl River County for the development of a strategic advancement plan for the Poplarville/Pearl River County Airport.
• Highway 489 Pump Station Rehabilitation – Newton & Scott Counties – $175,428 for the rehabilitation of the Highway 489 pump station.
• Ole Miss Coastal Business Growth Accelerator – George, Harrison, Stone, Hancock, Jackson and Pearl River Counties – $312,000 to the Mississippi Small Business Development Center (MS-SBDC) for a two-year initiative to support small businesses in Stone, George, Harrison, Pearl River, Hancock, and Jackson Counties.

GOMESA funding

• Center City Infrastructure Improvements – Hancock County – $4,000,000 to extend sewer and water systems to Waveland’s “City Center” district.
• Working Waterfront Marina Expansion Phase II – Harrison County – $2,500,000 to the City of D’Iberville for engineering, design and partial construction of the city's marina expansion along the Back Bay of Biloxi.
• Washington Avenue and Front Beach Utility Improvements – Jackson County – $1,200,000 to the City of Ocean Springs to improve water and sewer infrastructure and to elevate the roadway between Front Beach Drive and Lafontaine.
• Martin Bluff and Hickory Hills Sewer Improvements (Gautier) – Jackson County – $2,701,150 to expand the sewer system.
• Poticaw Road Sewer Extension – Jackson County – $1,200,000 to the Jackson County Utility Authority for installing approximately 6,000 linear feet of infrastructure and placing a lift station at the Highway 57/Poticaw Road Intersection to Paige Bayou Road.
• Sewer System Improvements Phase III (Diamondhead Water/Sewer District) – Hancock County – $1,000,000 for the rehabilitation and repair of approximately six miles of sewer main as well as the attached services located in Sewer Basin 3.
• Asbestos Water Pipe Replacement (Hancock County Water/Sewer District) – Hancock County – $1,000,000 to replace five miles of 12" and 8" asbestos cement pipe with 12" PVC.
• Highway 603 Sewer Expansion (Kiln Utility and Fire District) – Hancock County – $2,452,575 to enhance existing sewer infrastructure by expanding the sewer service from Highway 43 to Cuevas Town Road.
• Front Beach Bulkhead (Ocean Springs) – Jackson County – $1,600,000 to the City of Ocean Springs to complete design and permitting for the Front Beach Bulkhead project, with the bulkhead and living shoreline components to be the first phase of construction.
• Mitigation of Hurricane Impacts on Mississippi Gulf Coast Municipal Harbors – Hancock, Harrison, Jackson Counties – $2,370,376 to Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson Counties to map harbors and update maps over five years.
• Marine Aquaculture Demonstration Center for Economic Development – Jackson County – $3,163,823 to help foster business in South Mississippi by operating aquaculture businesses in different seafood industries.
• Gulfport Wastewater Treatment Plan Upgrades – Harrison County – $1,725,000 for wastewater system improvements.
• MS Coastal Map Revision Project – Hancock, Harrison, Jackson Counties – $800,000 to assist with finishing the project.

Additional grants

SCRC: Saving Wechsler School, 1951 Addition (Meridian) – Lauderdale County – $95,587 to renovate the 1951 addition of the Wechsler School.

ARC: MS School for Math and Science Lab – Lowndes County – $300,000 to update the chemistry lab at MSMS.

GOMESA: Riverfront Coastal River Protection (Moss Point) – Jackson County – $3,750,000 to help provide coastal protection, conservation, restoration, hurricane protection and infrastructure for coastal wetlands.

GOMESA: Storm Water Park (Moss Point) – Jackson County – $118,500 to enhance stormwater parks, mitigate flooding, and reduce non-point source (NPS) pollution into Bayou Casotte.

GOMESA: Fixed Lab Equipment (Mississippi State University) – Jackson County – $865,000 to support the purchase of fixed equipment to complete the analytical and biosafety laboratory capabilities.

GOMESA: Using Brood Stock Reefs to Enhance Oyster Production (The Nature Conservancy) – Hancock, Harrison, Jackson Counties – $1,000,000 to build a high vertical relief oyster reef on a commercially leased water bottom.

GOMESA: Dolphin & Sea Turtle Hospital and Enhancement of Rehabilitation Facilities at Institute of Marine Mammal Studies (IMMS) – Harrison County – $1,000,000 to construct a permanent and enhanced dolphin and sea turtle hospital.

RESTORE: Mississippi Sound Estuary Program (MSEP) – Coastwide – $1,100,000 to inform the development and implementation of a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP).

RESTORE: Living Shoreline Technical Assistance – Coastwide – $1,100,000 to provide expertise and resources encouraging waterfront property owners to conserve and restore intertidal habitat within their riparian rights zone.

RESTORE: Addition of Interactive Exhibit – Harrison County – $1,100,000 to the Mississippi Aquarium for education and tourism.

RESTORE: Speckled Trout Enhancement Program – Harrison County – $1,100,000 to support the restoration and long-term sustainability of the Spotted Seatrout.

RESTORE: Downtown ADA Boardwalk (Bay St. Louis) – Hancock County – $1,100,000 for construction of an ADA-compliant boardwalk connecting the municipal harbor, beach access, and downtown businesses.

SCRC: Sue Ellen Recreation Center Rehabilitation (Moss Point) – Jackson County – $252,500 for the rehabilitation of the Sue Ellen Recreation Center.

SCRC: Burnside Park Improvements – Neshoba County – $312,000 to Neshoba County for the construction of public restrooms in Burnside Park.

Ross Reily is a writer for the Clarion Ledger, part of the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached at [email protected] or 601-573-2952. You can follow him on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter @GreenOkra1.