Jackson Jambalaya

Suck it to all you haters who say Mississippi can’t compete with TN and FL when it comes to attracting high tech industry!
And also, I’m sure getting rid of that traitorous flag also help us a lot!

Data centers going in everywhere.
https://www.ksl.com/article/50855355/colorado-based-company-acquires-land-for-another-data-center-in-eagle-mountain-

What a splendid opportunity for Madison County/Central MS, which can spawn impetus for support and complimentary businesses. It's very informative to read all the attending details here.

Corporate welfare. Just about any company will move here if you incentivize the deal with enough of that free money so generously provided by the taxpayers with the help of a RINO governor.

Waiting for a breakdown of these 1,000 tech jobs. Data centers do not employ that many people and I laugh when people argue. I work in IT.

So, 4:58, are you suggesting that we not incentivize the deal to the extent that we make it happen. Are you suggesting that TN and other states don't do the same thing we are doing. How did that auto manufacturing plant work out in Canton. Please stop blaming the republicans.

I recently decommissioned both of my Alexa devices and deposited them into file thirteen. This Amazon thing is way creepy. Over and out.

the leading growth industry in this state , is , and always will be...........government.

Good for us!

Just tell Amazon they better bring their workers with them, because these people around here do not work on Mondays, Fridays, weekends or holidays.

They'll sue the shit out of you if you look at them wrong, use every excuse in the book to f--k off and overall suck in the workplace. Damn near zero efficiency. Oh and constantly talk about when they're going on break. lunch or anything other than what they should be talking about.

I was in Trustmark at Castlewoods last week and some teller was literally shouting across the room to a co-worker (with a customer) telling her about some kind of bullshit reward points he had. This really happened.

Other than that. we're good to go.

Good gosh, look at all the people taking credit. Kinda of like when a town got a post office back in the 1800s. I guess it’s a big deal when you get one. Just keep in mind they have hundreds of data centers and are spending $85 billion in Northern Virginia.

But this will be great for the business technology repair programs at the juco’s Congrats Missip!

Wow. This news sure brought the haters out.

Good for Amazon, good for Mississippi, and good for the metro. I’m one of the first Tater haters but he’s done well so far in his 2nd term.

Microsoft azure > Amazon aws

yes 6:15, saw the very same thing @ that Trustmark Branch!!!

6:15 I employ around 145 Mississippi folks, pay them a good living, have every available benefit and they show up every day. From reading your post I bet you are a joy (prick) to work with or for. Please just shut the hell up and let those that live, work and enjoy Mississippi celebrate a win

I think the two announcements this week are great for Mississippi. We need all the business and industry that we can get but let’s put it in perspective. One Memphis hospital is getting ready to expand its campus and will spend more on it than these two projects combined. It’s good news but far from changing life in Mississippi.

There will be some major palm grea$ing in this deal.

but what will it really be?

It's good to see that the nattering nabobs of negativity are out and about, and doing well. This is great news for everyone, even you. What is wrong with you people?

Amazon gets to be here tax free:
The legislation approved Thursday commits the state to provide $44 million through appropriations, plus multiple tax breaks. Those tax incentives include a permanent exemption of sales and use taxes on equipment purchases, other temporary sales and use tax exemptions, a 10-year exemption of corporate income taxes and a rebate of 3.15% of some construction costs. In addition, for 30 years the tax breaks will continue if Amazon makes an annual investment of $500 million and adds an additional 50 jobs a year.

Must be nice to be rich and get richer while citizens pay the highest sales tax on groceries in the nation.

@6:15pm - If you’re dumb enough to think that the workers you’re describing and bank tellers are going to be even remotely qualified for these data centers, well, I don’t know what to tell you bubba.

4:58, I laugh when some ass clown uses the term RINO. People who use that term are usually foaming-at-the-mouth ultra right wing brown shirt nut jobs referring to anyone not as conservative as them. They are generally not Republican themselves, but fascists. I’m not a fan of Tater, but he is a Republican.

Some interesting quotes from some interesting people. With those, things become a lot less murky even if the "announcements" are not more clear. Anyone interested might wish to research any unfamiliar names. Might lead to some interesting information. If I had to guess, based upon who is saying what, I'd guess that no one in the AMZN c-suite cares one where this or that couple of data centers are as long as it gets the job done and doesn't cause problems for the c-suite. In other words: "handle these trivial things without telling any lies we have to deal with later or writing any checks with your mouth that our asses will have to cover, and you'll do well with this firm. And if you can do it under-budget, there might be a little something extra come Christmas. There's a good lad, now run aong and make us some money, son."

Here's my take: It's real enough but it isn't what many or most will be allowed to assume. No one that can really piss in the punch bowl will likely do so by bothering to check anything out, asking too many questions, or holding anyone to strict read of previous statements, at least not publicly. Will this be a bad thing for Mississippi or its citizens and taxpayers? Almost certainly not. Will many plain ol' citizens get much if anything at all out of it? Nope. Will anyone be disabused of any overly-grand or optimistic assumptions? Nope. Will a favored few "locals" get a little extra slop in the trough for the next few years? Yep. Will the usual media suspects go poking around the edges. Probably. Will it amount to anything? Probably not.

Where could it get interesting? If anyone on the "supply side" tries to get too greedy (hey, it's da 'sip). If I had to guess again, given that it's Amazon/AWS it won't take too much bullshit to piss off the wrong people there. How much is too much? There is no handbook. Fuck around and find out, if I had to guess on that, too.

Why does Tate Reeves have anything to do with this?

Grifting is easy when the grifters are dealing with country bumpkins like Tater.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidjeans/2021/08/19/data-in-the-dark-how-big-tech-secretly-secured-800-million-in-tax-breaks-for-data-centers/?sh=60d066b26b43

I wish this had been located in Issaquena County.

I’ve got me this big business that I want to locate in your state and not have to pay any taxes like your voters do. Can you make that happen for me?

Right, 6:10 -Issaquena County has everything an industrial prospect demands: A skilled or trainable workforce, highway/rail/electrical infrastructure, social amenities attractive to spouses and families, educational facilities, arts and entertainment for incoming management employees and family, restaurants, access to various religious and social institutions...

I’m not a fan of Tater, but he is a Republican.

Yes he is but Hosemann is not.

Geez, guys, give @ 6:15 a break..everyone on this site knows what he is talking about. No matter where you go around here you are met with rude, ignorant, entitled “employees “ that don’t give a shit about you , just how much fun they had last night! I just hope Amazon does a better job in training their employees because Kroger sucks at it!

I am excited for this! Good job Governor! I am glad they are being built in the metro Jackson area.

8:39 you might need to go back to 7th grade and learn how legislation, expenses, tax, infrastructure and branches of government work. Let’s just say without big guy ( Tate) signing off and probably helping draft legislation it would not have gotten done. 7th grad must have been hard

I see a nice hunting lodge in the future and maybe some beach homes. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

You just know that Chowke wishes he could get a piece of the mega-grift.

9:06am

The 7th grade? ROFL. Was that your last year of school? Do you think you got the all the details then or just a simplistic understanding of government?

Some of us went to graduate school in business when it wasn't a 1 year give away diploma. And, IF someone actually got an MBA, they didn't say they went to the name of the college or university business related classroom building but proudly could produce their diploma and certainly would be glad to have that college or university share their actual class standing.

Once upon a time (a mere 40 years ago), businesses start- ups were financed by investors, not taxpayers. Businesses actually bragged about being " good corporate citizens".

Sadly, economic history and ethics were scrapped.

And, some of us actually served in government...emphasis on the word SERVED. It was NOT how we earned a living!

Interesting that the City of Ridgeland rezoned the Costas Lake property and some adjoining parcels to Technical Industrial Park in early November of last year.

I think the legislature should have sought AOC,s opinion about this proposed project before just giving Tate what he wants.

"...And, IF someone actually got an MBA, they didn't say they went to the name of the college ..."

Hmm - you must never have had to deal with any Wharton grads, did you? ;-)

Great for Amazon & Trifecta of green energy users are locating in Ms. But hate to see most of the billion dollars in the bank spent on supporting these businesses & nothing on Medicaid expansion, summer food program and expansion of trade-school scholarships. Amazon jobs will be mostly remote & battery production continues to be quite competitive.

And, FWIW, Tate had very LITTLE with helping land this deal other than he agreed to
give them $.

Those of you arguing over giving state tax breaks to get new businesses to locate here have no clue. Yall must want Mississippi to remain a 3rd world country where everyone sits on their porch living off the gubmint including yalls precious Medicaid. Y’all are effing stupid and prove it w every post.

@ 4:35 - Jan 25th. Yes, maybe so, but the center that just chose to locate in Madison County MS is the second largest in terms of investment yet to be put in place. The largest is the AWS center in Northern Virginia, that after several expansions now represents over $150 Billion investment.

The so-called $10 billion for Madison County is the second largest, and is actually expected (based on AWS's other projects) to end up over $18 billion. But, I'll settle for the $10 claimed.

And - 1:53 on Jan 26th - just what 'money' did the state 'give' this company? The only costs to the state is $42 million, with most of that going to workforce training. The expected payback of that massive state investment is predicted to be 10 months. Not a bad investment.

Yes, Tate individually probably had little to do with this deal - but without having an administration capable and willing to do this kind of deal; an administration that could have 'announced' this deal last October in the middle of a campaign but didn't because he was more interested in seeing it come to fruition; and that was willing to let the company that was investing its money in the project make the critical decisions and not impose political interests (location, who gets the contracts, etc) as some politicians think appropriate --- yes, Tate as Governor and his staff/agencies had a fair amount to do with this deal. As did Entergy and its ability to meet the electric needs, as did Madison County Economic Development and its having appropriate site that could accommodate the company's needs.

Just curious - what's the carbon footprint of these facilities estimated to be? I'm guessing we'll have to wait until they're operating to know for sure. Carbon emissions are something the state doesn't worry about, as far as I can tell. I'd just like to know if the question was ever asked, given the EV battery factory approved for Marshall County.

5:15PM wrote:

"...the center that just chose to locate in Madison County MS is the second largest in terms of investment yet to be put in place. The largest is the AWS center in Northern Virginia, that after several expansions now represents over $150 Billion investment.

The so-called $10 billion for Madison County is the second largest, and is actually expected (based on AWS's other projects) to end up over $18 billion. But, I'll settle for the $10 claimed.

And - 1:53 on Jan 26th - just what 'money' did the state 'give' this company? The only costs to the state is $42 million, with most of that going to workforce training. The expected payback of that massive state investment is predicted to be 10 months. Not a bad investment."

Please cite, other than public statements by those involved, anything to substantiate the following (and if it is based upon personal knowledge or experience, just state it as such):

1. The $150 billion you state AWS has invested in northern VA thus far.

2. a). The "over $18 billion" you state "for Madison County" is "actually expected" to be, b). Who is "actually expect(ing)" that amount, and, c). Where the money - whether $10 billion or over $18 billion - will be going. I'm not asking for anything remotely close to a full accounting of every dollar, just a few broad categories and the rough amounts you assign to each. As one large-dollar example, I think all reasonable people would agree that the construction of the physical facilities will bring actual money into the Madison County and Mississippi economies, the precise amount being determined by the contracting process as it progresses. I understand a lot of those details are unknown at this point so just assign what you believe to be a general dollar amount of that expected expenditure and if you can, provide whatever support for that amount. As a second example, provide a general dollar amount for the other fixed assets/"guts" of the facilities, such as server hardware, network gear, and related equipment, and what rough percentage, if any, you assign as being produced entirely or partially, or even assembled from outside-sourced parts, in Madison County or Mississippi. That isn't a trick question - the point is that buying $9.5 billion in fixed assets outside of Mississippi and installing it in a $500 million facility in Mississippi is not really a "$10 billion investment in Mississippi" and does nothing for the, ahem, "burgeoning tech sector across the state" (Roger Wehner, AWS, quoted above). However, a Mississippi company or division which buys $8.5 billion in components from outside the state and assembles them into $9.5 billion in market-value servers which are purchased by AWS does result in an economic event for the state (ala Nissan, HII/Ingalls, etc.). But that still isn't $10 billion "going to" Madison County or Mississippi.

3. a). The 10-month payback of the $42 (or $44) million for workforce training, and, b). Support your assertion that it will be "the only costs to the state." I am not saying you are wrong but you've really lost me on with that assertion. I have not seen anything remotely close, even wildly optimistic projections, that support such (and just because I have not seen such doesn't mean they have not been made or are wrong, but...).

Note to KF - my request is sincere, I think at least some others would be interested in the answers, and so if you allow this and the OP responses I'd ask that you allow it, too. It's your benevolent dictatorship but I'd suggest that some amount of actual discussion isn't a terrible thing. And I say that as one of the frequent class clown wise-asses.

@801 - you got your facts wrong, I assume purposefully just to make your claim sound better.

No, AWS does not get a permanent sales/use tax exemption -it gets it for the period of construction and one year after completion, on equipment purchased for the project. It gets the 3 1/2% rebate of some construction costs because the contractor will have to pay sales tax on the contract cost.

It does get a ten year exemption on corporate income taxes - which of course they would not be paying if they never located, so this did not cost the state anything. And they can extend this exemption for every year they invest a minimum of an addtional $500 million and add 50 more employees.

The only money the state is spending for this project is the $40 million of which $35 million is going to be spent training the workforce required (not being given to Amazon, but generally to Mississippi schools, jucos and universities. And, the state will recoup that money within the first ten months of opertion.

Madison County is going to spend $250 million on infrastructure - roads, water, sewer and a new fire station. The payments for that expenditure will be paid to Madison County within the first 18 months of operation through the 'in lieu' taxes that the company will be paying.

As an aside - Canton Public Schools, with their 1100 student population - will be receiving approximately $30 MILLION every year from the in lieu taxes paid by AWS, and Ridgeland schools will be receiving almost $11 million per year. (City of Canton receives nothing, just the school district, which already has the nicest facilities of any school in the state from the in lieu taxes it receives due to Nissan.)

So - back off of your bullshit claims until you decide to actually read the specifics of the deal. This is the cheapest economic development project this state -- or any --- has ever seen.

1012 am - 40 years ago crap! Ever heard of the BAWI program that started in Mississippi in the late 40's? Damn near every manufacturing plant in the state built in the 50's through your time frame of mid-80's was funded with BAWI or some similar program.

How about Ingalls - started in the 70's with massive support from the state and remains the state's largest employer.

Chevron's refinery in Jackson County started many decades (more than 40) ago with substantial assistance and tax breaks offered, and many more given over the years since for expansion (as has also been done with Ingalls BTW)

Have there been some done without any state assistance? Yes - this AWS project will be one. There is not a dollar of state money going into this project - other than to provide the things that government provides: Water, sewer, roads, basic infrastructure. And training for the workforce - something our juco system has supposed to have been providing for more decades than your four. The deal with this project is that it will require the education system to greatly expand its programs to meet the needs of this new employer (just like the jucos do today for ANY business within their service area; hospitals through construction through manufacturing companies)

 

Just here to say y'all would b**** about anything announced.
Me thinks some of you who seem to be so ignorant need to participate the STEM programs to be offered and with MS funding assistance.
Use your brains if you can.
This did not happen overnight, this conversation started in 2018 or so.
If you would really pay attention, ask questions you would know what you know as facts. Yes most is confidential as it should be.
For the record, Amazon fully paid for the first 3 lane road into this area of the County Megasite and did not ask for a $ in repayment.
They knew exactly what their goals were.
NOW we have it~ The added AWS site.
YES the state makes a deal. Yes there are perks. IE: certain taxes not paid for xx # of years.
Happens in almost every large Economic Development "deal" state line to state line.

Who wants to complain about that?