Thursday, February 10, 2022

MDA Investing $25 Million in Site Development Projects

 Governor Tate Reeves issued the following statement. 

Governor Tate Reeves today announced the state of Mississippi is investing nearly $25 million in site development projects throughout the state. Site development grant funds made available through the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA), Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and the RESTORE Act are assisting local economic development entities in their efforts to spur economic growth by attracting new industry to competitive, shovel-ready sites.

“Shovel-ready sites are a top priority for companies seeking a new location,” said Governor Tate Reeves. “By investing in these sites today, we are laying a foundation upon which companies can quickly locate, expand and create jobs for future generations of Mississippians.”

The MDA recently awarded a total of $1,637,983 through its Site Development Grant Program for projects in the Ready Sites and Premier Sites categories. Ready Sites require a minimum of 20 highly developable acres, and the site must be work-ready within six months and must be capable of having utilities on site within 12 months. Ready Sites are eligible to receive up to $50,000 in funding. Premier Sites require a minimum of 100 acres and must have attributes that distinguish them from other properties, such as being in high-demand locations, having large-scale, "mega"-development acreage or having significant utility infrastructure already in place. They also must have a labor force able to attract the intended market. Premier Sites are eligible to receive up to $250,000 in funding. Those awarded funding include:



• Ready Sites 


  • Cleveland-Bolivar County Chamber of Commerce – $25K for completing environmental due diligence at Cleveland Industrial Park
  • Economic Development Authority of Jones County – $50K for drainage improvements at Howard Industrial Park
  • Greene County Board of Supervisors – $50K for environmental due diligence at the Greene County Rail Site
  • Harrison County Development Commission – $28K for broadband installation in the North Harrison County Industrial Complex
  • Marion County Economic Development District – $50K for environmental due diligence and clearing at the Columbia New Generation Park
  • Walthall County Board of Supervisors – $49,983.20 for clearing and to design and build an entrance at the U.S. Hwy. 98 Site
  • Yellow Creek State Inland Port Authority – $50K to complete environmental due diligence and clearing and grubbing at the Boothe Property Development at the Yellow Creek Port

• Premier Sites
  • Community Development Foundation – $250K for construction of a building pad and an expansion pad, and initial access road construction at The HIVE Business Park
  • Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission – $250K for environmental due diligence at Site #1 at Port Bienville Industrial Park
  • Madison County Economic Development Authority – $250K for clearing and grubbing at the Madison County Mega Site
  • Panola Partnership – $85K for engineering/design for an elevated water tank at Panola County Airport Industrial Park
  • Rankin First Economic Development Authority – $250K for construction of a building pad at the East Metro Center Rail Site at the EMC Industrial Park
  • Smith County Economic Development District – $250K for infrastructure improvements at the Smith County Industrial Site
The MDA also has committed $11,642,589 in Site Development Grant – Select Sites funding. The Select Sites program was created in 2021 to increase the number of highly competitive industrial sites in the state that are available and ready to meet prospective companies’ needs. Twenty of the state’s top publicly owned industrial sites were evaluated by Greenville, SC-based Strategic Development Group, which was contracted by the state’s electric utilities. Of these sites, the following have been invited to apply for Select Sites funding, based on current funding availability:

•    Select Sites
  • Belwood Industrial Park, Adams County – $1,825,977 to complete levee construction and make drainage improvements
  • Ceres Research and Industrial Interplex – Site B, Warren County - $1,368,000 for stream mitigation, drainage improvements, water and sewer system improvements, and to design entrance improvements
  • I-59 South Site, Jones County – $553,600 for access roads and clearing
  • I-59 Supply Chain Park (at Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport), Jones County – $3,402,858 to upgrade sanitary sewer capacity; construct a building pad and complete intersection modifications
  • NorthStar Industrial Park, Oktibbeha County – $679,775 for wetlands permitting and mitigation; clearing, grubbing and grading; and developing an all-access road
  • Springs Industrial Park, Marshall County – $346,875 to thin and clear trees 
  • University of Southern Mississippi – The Garden, Forrest County – $3,465,504 for clearing, grubbing and grading and construction of an access road
Governor Reeves also has approved the NorthStar Industrial Park for ARC funding and invited the site to submit a full application for $2,719,102 in ARC SAAW funding. 
 
RESTORE Act funding in the amount of $8,927,940 also is assisting three projects with site development needs. The projects approved for RESTORE Act funds, administered by the Department of Environmental Quality, are:
  • Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport – $4,180,000 for site development work at a 241-acre economic development site at the airport
  • Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission – $2,547,940 for engineering/design and site development work at Site #13 at Stennis International Airport
  • Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission – $2,200,000 for site development at Hancock County Tech Park at Stennis International Airport

“MDA commends each of these communities for taking the initiative to ensure their sites are competitive and ready to meet the unique needs of companies across a wide range of sectors,” said MDA Interim Executive Director Laura Hipp. “Mississippi is an ideal place to do business, and the further development of these industrial sites is yet another attribute we can add to our strong portfolio of competitive business advantages.” 

 

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

How about getting back to helping landowners create lakes and ponds to support waterfowl and such ? Suckers will not even answer the phone at the county location or the big dogs. All I want is a soil sample.

Anonymous said...

@12:17 - Didn't know that was the Governor's responsibility. Those programs (helping landowners create lakes - hell shouldn't be any level of government's responsibility, but I digress) are federal programs, not state.

But the process of getting a soil sample resides with you. Pick up a sample kit at your local co-op, will cost you a small fee, but hell -- its your lake. And BTW, they won't hand deliver the sample kit to you, it's your responsibility to do a little bit of the work.

Take the sample, instructions are inside. Then you can send it to the lab at MSU and they will provide you with the relevant info.

So, get off your phone, get your ass up off the couch, and go do the work rather than complaining about the Governor doing his job.

(BTW, the above information is exactly what I went through one year ago after making a phone call and getting an answer. I wasn't looking for them to build me a lake, but just wanted to find out the pH level of an existing lake.)

Anonymous said...

I wonder how much of the $25 million will actually be used for its intended purpose and how much will be given to friends and family of the ruling class in sweetheart contracts? Tater’s family is fixing to eat real good.

Anonymous said...

12:17 – http://cmpdd.org/physiography/

Anonymous said...

Meanwhile in Louisiana one company is almost spending that much and creating jobs “Alliance Compressors said it will spend $45 million to expand its Natchitoches assembly facility, a move that will create 78 jobs.

The new jobs will have an average annual salary of $47,000, plus benefits, Louisiana Economic Development said. The expansion is projected to create 96 indirect jobs in central Louisiana and 55 construction jobs at its peak.”

Anonymous said...

Didn't realize Tate was such a big fan of pork (considering his very public stance that government spends too much). Like all politicians, he knows how to speak out of both sides of his mouth at the same time.

Anonymous said...

Lauderdale county left behind once again.

Anonymous said...

Wasn't it Obama who invented (or touted) the term 'shovel ready'. All any of it did was shovel shit. Tate has no clue regarding the equation that requires a workforce coming ahead of industrial recruitment.

Anonymous said...

I have a German Shepard that could figure out how to get a soil sample.

Anonymous said...

1:18 : Thanks for the tip even if it was kinda jerky. I got my info AFTER COVID and the source was sketchy at best. A 10 acre water hole is expensive and if there was a way to get it done a bit cheaper.....my fault for triggering you. I'm sorry. Now get back to gazing out over your big fancy lake.

Anonymous said...

If the Governor really wanted to help the state he would fire the incompetent staff at MDA and hire actual professionals. Instead they pay so low that the only people they can afford is kids right out of college. Imagine my surprise when one of those “kids” came to my plant and told me all the benefits of grants that were completely worthless to me. I asked him why don’t you go attract some auto suppliers to the area and he said he’d get right back with me. That was 3 years ago.

Anonymous said...

@2:29 that’s more jobs than created in the last 3 months by Tater. And guess what that ain’t cutting the state income tax, they are spending their surplus on highways,bridges,ports and rail.

map maker said...

These are Federal grant funds block granted to the State of Miss. State government get no credit for this program.

Anonymous said...

Watch Tater's recent State of the State speech. MS is Shangri-la!!

Anonymous said...

Meanwhile roads and bridges crumble.

Anonymous said...

Lauderdale already has a fully-ready site next to I-20/59. As I read this, these are grants for developing sites. Am I wrong in this?

Anonymous said...

Did Rounsaville score a new gig?

Anonymous said...

Very few of these choices have a snowball's chance in Hell of attracting industry.

Objective research with the promise of no repercussions if elected officials don't like the results, might help Mississippi face WHY the best industries don't come here.

The political creed in MS is to put money in the pockets of those who will be finance political ambitions and can give " discounts" on personal financial costs.

Over the years, there's been plenty of documentation...loans "forgiven", lower interest rates, property and goods "sold" for less that retail value and " treats" under the guise of friendship. " Dinner is my treat", come speak to my group at a resort and your room and activities are free".

We win " most corrupt State" over and over (shocking to beat out Louisiana but they aren't as good at legislatively making corruption easy). Somehow the research done on corruption never gets fully published locally.



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