Jackson Jambalaya

 First Consul Tate Reeves issued the following statement Thursday. 

Governor Tate Reeves today announced that Mississippi will invest over $100 million in economic development, infrastructure improvements, workforce training, tourism and conservation initiatives across the state.
 
The majority of grant approvals will fund projects aimed at strengthening Mississippi’s economy through site development, infrastructure improvements and workforce training support. The investment will expand infrastructure at sites statewide and position Mississippi to attract additional record-breaking private sector investment. Funding comes from the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA), Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), Delta Regional Authority (DRA), RESTORE Act, GOMESA and the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC).
 
“Whether it’s $49 billion in new private sector investment or finalizing the five largest economic development projects in state history, Mississippi is breaking records that were once thought to be unbreakable,” said Governor Tate Reeves. “The over $100 million investment I announced today will help Mississippi continue its record-shattering economic development efforts, attract billions in future capital investment and strengthen our entire state. It’s another great day for Mississippi and her people.”
 
MDA is committing $28,635,216 through its Site Development Grant Program, which offers funding in three categories: Select Sites, Premier Sites and Ready Sites. Established in 2021 as an invitation-only initiative, the Select Sites program was created to expand the number of highly competitive industrial sites available to meet the needs of prospective companies. The Premier Sites program targets properties with at least 100 acres and distinctive location advantages, such as high-demand areas and access to intermodal facilities or ports. The Ready Sites program focuses on properties with a minimum of 20 highly developable acres that can be site-work ready within six months or have utilities in place within 12 months. Grants awarded include:

• Site Development Grant Program – Select Site Grants
  • Springs BNSF Certified Site – Marshall County – $8,528,000 for site acquisition to purchase 1,110 acres, bringing publicly owned acreage to 1,200 acres.
  • Coldwater Industrial Site – Tate County – $429,286 for access road improvements, utility line relocation and demolition of an existing structure on site.
  • Tupelo Lee Industrial Park South – Site M – Lee County – $2,000,000 for site grading to construct an elevated building pad and stormwater detention pond, plus updated site due diligence.
  • Marion County Regional Airplex/IndustryPlex – Marion County – $900,000 for clearing and grubbing, a wastewater system capacity study and master planning for the remainder of the site.
  • West Rankin Industrial Park – Rankin County – $4,846,750 for clearing and grubbing, grading, drainage improvements, wetlands mitigation and access road construction.
  • North Ripley Industrial Park – Tippah County – $4,210,170 to construct an access road and grading a building pad.
  • Mississippi River Inland Port Complex Megasite – Warren County – $2,920,698 for design and construction of an access road with Hwy 61 improvements to accommodate ingress/egress.
  • Mississippi River Energy Complex – Paper Site – Adams County – $1,777,500 for clearing, concrete removal and leveling of the remaining 106 acres of the site.
  • Port Bienville Industrial Park – Site #1 – Hancock County – $1,353,712 for wetlands mitigation.
  • Pearl River County Industrial Park – Pearl River County – $110,000 for site due diligence on the newly acquired 240 acres.

• Site Development Grant Program – Premier Site Grants
  • Amory Port North Site – Monroe County – $250,000 to replace the water well serving the site.
  • Wynndale Industrial Park – Hinds County – $27,100 to develop a master plan, including concept mapping, and conduct a wetlands assessment.
  • Fawn Grove Industrial Park – Itawamba County – $250,000 for utility line relocation.
  • Leake County Business Park – Leake County – $110,000 to conduct a wastewater capacity evaluation and solutions study.
  • Southwest Rankin Industrial Park – Rankin County – $3,250 for site due diligence.
  • Wooten Industrial Site – Scott County – $250,000 for construction of an all-weather access road.
  • Simpson County School District Property – Simpson County – $250,000 for site due diligence.
  • Winston County Industrial Park – Winston County – $162,500 for site due diligence and to conduct a rail feasibility study, traffic study and water and wastewater capacity study.

• Site Development Grant Program – Ready Site Grants
  • Ignition Park – Hancock County – $7,500 for signage.
  • Sucarnoochee Site – Kemper County – $48,750 for site due diligence.
  • Pearl River County Technology Park – Pearl River County – $50,000 for signage and entrance improvements.
  • Fellowship Road Site, Taylorsville – Smith County – $50,000 for drainage improvements.
  • City of Senatobia Spec Site – Tate County – $50,000 for site due diligence.
  • U.S. Hwy 98 Site Supervisors – Walthall County – $50,000 for site due diligence, surveying, site clearing and grading.

Governor Reeves also approved $20,891,932 in ARC funding recommendations that will be used for site development, workforce development and infrastructure improvements. The projects include:

• Regional and Emergency Response Center – Oktibbeha County – $956,400 to construct the regional Aircare 3 Helicopter Operations and Disaster Relief Response Center at George M. Bryan Field Airport in Starkville.
• Advancing Regional Metal Alloys Manufacturing Competitiveness – Oktibbeha County – $800,000 to support the metal manufacturing industry cluster in the region by purchasing a HighVac Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope for Mississippi State University to strengthen the Golden Triangle Region's metals alloy ecosystem.
• Northwest Mississippi Community College Concourse Welding – Panola County – $1,000,000 to purchase welding equipment for the welding program at NWCC's Batesville Concourse campus to support priority occupations identified by AccelerateMS.
• East Mississippi Community College Hawkins Health Science Center – Kemper County – $1,000,000 to renovate the 38,000-square-foot Hawkins building on EMCC's Scooba campus to house Nursing and Health Science programs.
• Winston Industrial Building Improvement – Winston County – $357,280 to improve the roof and venting on two industrial buildings.
• Bringing Operational Optimization & Smart Technology to Mississippi BOOST Pilot – All 24 ARC Counties – $994,623 for a Mississippi Manufacturers Association - Manufacturing Extension Partnership pilot program that will help Mississippi manufacturers integrate Industry 4.0 technology, provide assessments, roadmaps and implementation support to 25 businesses, and train 150 workers.
• Batesville Water and Wastewater Extension – Panola County – $570,000 to extend water and wastewater infrastructure in Batesville to serve additional business and industry.
• Blue Mountain Christian University Enhanced Healthcare Technology – Tippah County – $424,060 to add a new healthcare technology and faculty instructor at Blue Mountain Christian University, training 100 high school healthcare students, 75 healthcare workers and 150 health science students.
• Turner Industrial Park Access Road Phase II – Lee County – $365,000 to construct a 0.33-mile access road from Hwy 145 into Turner Industrial Park to provide access to industrial sites and additional acreage.
• Baldwyn Industrial Park Wastewater Capacity Upgrade – Lee and Prentiss Counties – $500,000 to increase wastewater capacity at Baldwyn Industrial Park by replacing the pump station and piping.
• Town of DeKalb Lagoon Project – Kemper County – $368,000 to improve the wastewater lagoon serving Stennis Industrial Park and surrounding areas in DeKalb to support additional business and industry.
• Noxapater Water Treatment Facility Improvements – Winston County – $300,000 to upgrade the water treatment facility in Noxapater to serve over 70 commercial customers and hundreds of residents, enabling further business growth.
• Tupelo-West Barnes Water Project – Lee County – $1,000,000 to build new water supply lines and infrastructure in Tupelo to support 1.4 miles of new road, fostering commercial growth and business development.
• Dual Substation Project for Northeast Mississippi Growth – Chickasaw, Pontotoc and Webster Counties – $1,000,000 to upgrade electric grid infrastructure in northeast Mississippi to address low voltage, improve reliability and serve over 1,000 businesses.
• Water Valley School District Cyber Security and Artificial Intelligence Lab – Yalobusha County – $69,254 to equip a lab at Water Valley School District to offer training and curriculum for students in tech-related jobs.
• Pontotoc Ridge Career and Technical Education Center – Pontotoc County – $50,000 to equip the Pontotoc Ridge CTE Center to support eight programs serving students in career and technical education.
• Regional Small Business Development Center at North Central Planning and Development District – Montgomery and Yalobusha Counties – $553,730 to create a Small Business Development Center in the North Central Region to support small businesses and entrepreneurs.
• MSU Advanced Composites Institute Facility Modernization – Oktibbeha County – $647,500 to modernize the ACI facility at MSU to serve more businesses, upskill workers and train students for DoD-compliant manufacturing.
• Itawamba Community College Diesel Equipment Project – Lee, Itawamba, Monroe, Pontotoc and Chickasaw Counties – $1,715,000 to expand ICC’s diesel equipment program to serve more students and meet industry workforce needs.
• Cinco Megasite – Lowndes County – $5,714,000 to construct a 1-million-gallon elevated water storage tank and install water main infrastructure at the Cinco Megasite to attract advanced manufacturing and aerospace industries.
• Chickasaw Trails Additional Funds – Marshall County – $2,507,085 to expand the wastewater facility at Chickasaw Trails Industrial Park in Marshall County to meet infrastructure needs for current and future business users.

Additionally, Governor Reeves approved $5,737,082 in DRA funding that will also be used for site development, workforce development and infrastructure improvements. The projects include:

• Delta Compass – Washington County – $500,000 to construct the Delta Compass campus to centralize workforce training, small-business incubation, transportation planning, infrastructure development and conservation.
• Metro Booming – Hinds County – $492,234 to deliver MetroTech S.M.A.R.T. Pathways, providing hands‑on, certification‑based training in HVAC, electrical, energy auditing, code enforcement, facility maintenance and smart technology for underserved Mississippians.
• Sunflower County Industrial Access Road – Sunflower County – $509,000 to strengthen two miles of Fisackerly Road to enhance industrial access in Itta Bena.
• Taylorsville Wastewater Improvements – Smith County – $408,000 to upgrade the wastewater system with a new flow‑metering and sampling station, bank stabilization, sludge removal, fencing, smoke testing, pipe lining, manhole rehabilitation and CCTV cleaning/inspection to maintain regulatory compliance and increase reliability.
• Carroll County Road 430 – Carroll County – $501,037 to improve County Road 430 with leveling, asphalt overlay and restriping to increase freight mobility and support industrial logistics capacity.
• Clarksdale Flooding Project – Coahoma County – $267,561 to replace undersized trunklines with 60‑inch reinforced concrete pipe and junction boxes along Spruce Street to improve stormwater conveyance and reduce flooding.
• Bay Springs Sewer Main Replacement – Jasper County – $222,240 to replace an undersized sewer line and stabilize the bank to reduce sanitary sewer overflows and prevent erosion.
• Pope Wastewater Improvements – Panola County – $509,000 to install a new gas chlorination and dechlorination system at the lagoon to meet permit requirements and protect public health to support community growth and improve system performance.
• Raleigh Water Improvements – Smith County – $327,200 to replace approximately 2,500 linear feet of six‑inch mains with new eight‑inch PVC lines and add five fire hydrants to increase flow and pressure.
• Falcon Water Project – Quitman County – $508,589 to connect to the Darling Water Association for a backup water supply and repaint the town’s 100,000‑gallon elevated storage tank to enhance reliability and safety.
• Civil Military Innovation Institute Workforce Project – Covington, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, Marion and Simpson Counties – $509,000 to expand hands‑on training in welding, robotics, engineering and healthcare by upgrading CTE labs, deploying a mobile makerspace and partnering with employers to deliver credentials, apprenticeships and job placements in high-demand fields.
• North Carrollton Street Improvements – Carroll County – $162,378 to repair bases, add asphalt overlay and improve pedestrian safety on George and Morgan Streets to ensure safe access to J.Z. George High School and the Vocational/Technical Education Center.
• Sledge Water and Sewer – Quitman County – $508,899 to rehabilitate the town’s aging water and sewer systems, including lift station repairs, aerator fixes, a new flow meter and targeted waterline repairs.
• Center Ridge Water Improvements – Smith County – $311,944 to replace about 32,000 linear feet of brittle asbestos‑cement pipe with new four‑inch PVC lines along SCR 93, SCR 82 and SCR 19 to improve dependable rural water service.

Governor Reeves also approved $31,202,000 in RESTORE Act funding that will be used for tourism, conservation, workforce development and infrastructure improvements. The projects include:

• Buccaneer State Park – Hancock County – $1,000,000 for upgrades to park amenities such as family amenities, campsites, roads etc.
• Diamondhead Nature Trail – Hancock County – $3,786,200 for the construction of a 2.6-mile nature trail that will include trails, pedestrian bridges and deck walks to connect Noma Drive Boat Launch to Montjoy Creek Walking Trail.
• Point Cadet Phase 3 – Harrison County – $6,500,000 for the construction of additional floating docks, associated infrastructure and other marina amenities.
• Trent Lott South Apron – Jackson County – $2,600,000 to implement apron and taxiway improvements at Trent Lott International Airport.
• GBRIA Secondary Runway Extension – Harrison County – $3,500,000 to extend Runway 18-36 at Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport.
• Expanding Oyster Shell Recycling – Hancock, Harrison and Jackson Counties –$553,920 to continue the development and implementation of an oyster shell recycling program for the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
• Port Bienville Site 6 Development – Hancock County – $5,000,000 to construct a new 50,000-square-foot warehouse and accompanying rail spur.
• Pearl River Community College GulfEDGE Training Center – Hancock County –$4,000,000 to construct an innovative workforce training center at PRCC’s Hancock County campus.
• Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Center – Jackson County – $1,450,000 to provide innovative workforce training through the creation of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Center at MGCCC’s Jackson County campus.
• Port of Pascagoula New Wharf – Jackson County – $2,811,880 for phase one of the wharf expansion at the Port of Pascagoula.

Additionally, Governor Reeves approved $3,918,949 in SCRC funding under the State Economic and Infrastructure Development (SEID) program that will also be used for site development, workforce development and infrastructure improvements. The projects include:

• Highway 80 & Fountain Road Sewer Project – Scott County – $413,700 in SCRC funding for improvements to 5,000 feet of aging sewer lines and 20 manholes.
• Highway 80 Water Main Replacement – Newton County – $283,516 in SCRC funding to replace 2,600 feet of failing 1960s‑era two‑inch line with a new six‑inch PVC main and install three fire hydrants.
• Water Line Replacement in Downtown Decatur – Newton County – $430,000 to replace aging water mains to improve service reliability, support local businesses and East Central Community College and enhance public health.
• Archusa Dam Repair – Pat Harrison Waterway District – Clarke County –$600,000 in SCRC funding to construct a cofferdam to restore Archusa Lake.
• Meridian Community College Transportation Technology Center – Lauderdale County – $475,000 in SEID funding to renovate a facility to provide hands‑on training in diesel, automotive and aviation maintenance for East Mississippi.
• Neshoba County West Industrial Park Access Road – Neshoba County –$475,000 in SCRC funding to open 85 acres of industrial park land for business recruitment and expansion.
• City of Morton Sewer Rehabilitation Project – Scott County – $441,733 in SCRC funding to upgrade aging wastewater infrastructure by repairing and replacing sewer lines, manholes and related systems.
• Antioch Road Widening/Extension Project – George County – $600,000 in SCRC funding to improve a 4,000‑foot roadway, enhancing access to schools, businesses and community venues.
• Airport Fixed Base Operator (FBO) – Stone County – $200,000 to modernize airport operations.

Governor Reeves also approved $10,000,000 in GOMESA funding that will be used for workforce development and infrastructure improvements. The projects include:

• Hwy 603 from Hwy 43 to Cuevas Town Road Sewer Extension – Kiln Utility and Fire District – Hancock County – $2,600,000 to offer sewer collection services to a currently unsewered area and support the increased development from Highway 43 to Cuevas Town Road.
• Unmanned Hydrographic Field Methods for Benthic Mapping and Monitoring – Pearl River Community College – Hancock County – $2,300,000 to Pearl River Community College for a hydrographic technician curriculum that supports next-generation careers in maritime industries.
• Long Beach Smallcraft Harbor – West Jetty Hardening – Harrison County –$2,453,900 to construct a reinforced concrete wall system along the western jetty at Long Beach Harbor to provide stabilization, improve storm resilience and protect harbor infrastructure from erosion and hurricane impacts.
• Escatawpa Septic System Abatement for Pascagoula River Watershed Protection and Water Quality Improvement – Jackson County – $2,646,100 to protect and enhance water quality in the Pascagoula River watershed by addressing critical wastewater infrastructure needs in Escatawpa and the surrounding areas of Jackson County. 

A map showing the location of these projects can be found here.