< Previous58 MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT GUIDE n the world of economic development there are some projects that emerge from the steady thrum of continuous improvement to become truly transformational moments for a company and a community. Take Compass Datacenters’ early 2025 announcement that it would locate a mega-campus that will create thousands of jobs and represent a $10 billion investment in Lauderdale County. Or the $12.8 billion that Amazon Web Services, Liebherr, PCC Gulf Chem and Amplify Cell Technologies are collectively investing in the state, generating nearly 3,500 jobs. Mississippi knows those moments. State leaders would like to see more of them. Which is why Gov. Tate Reeves and the Mississippi Development Authority in February 2025 unveiled the “Let’s Break New Ground” campaign, created in partnership with Ridgeland-based The Ramey Agency. “When it comes to economic development, Mississippi is breaking new ground for business and its people,” said Gov. Reeves. “This brand campaign highlights our state’s pioneering spirit, the strength of our partnerships and our willingness to think creatively to help businesses succeed.” In short: With a commitment to explore new possibilities and embrace a fresh perspective to increase speed to market, Mississippi will find a way. That sort of outlook includes a streamlined process with less red tape and innovative incentives; collaboration with local leaders, utilities and educational institutions to reduce risk; and flexibility to tailor solutions that benefit both businesses and local communities. “Mississippi has a proven track record of delivering results for by ADAM BRUNS & ALEXIS ELMORE I Focus On Game Changers COMPANY PROFILES Liebherr’s Tupelo campus could bring over $200 million and up to 300 jobs to a logistics site handling everything from cranes (the 440 HC-L model is shown) to earthmoving machinery. Image courtesy of Liebherr GroupMISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT GUIDE 59 businesses,” said MDA Executive Director Bill Cork. “The ‘Mississippi Momentum’ is strong, and we have no intention of slowing down any time soon.” Two companies’ growth opportunities illustrate that momentum in action. First, as we reported in Site Selection magazine’s November 2024 issue, comes the story of Liebherr Group. Liebherr Group, Tupelo, Lee County When an international manufacturer aims to expand its logistics network throughout the Americas it’s no surprise the southeastern U.S. naturally emerges for top investment consideration. It’s a factor that has led Switzerland- based equipment manufacturer Liebherr to introduce its first U.S. logistics distribution center in Tupelo. To date, the company’s European customers are covered by established distribution centers in Germany and the Netherlands. But these locations left something to be desired in serving markets abroad. So the Liebherr team undertook a strategic site search, leaving no stone unturned as they checked off a list of critical location needs. Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi rose as final contenders for the company but in the end, Mississippi took the $176 million project win. “The Liebherr Group conducted a comprehensive analysis of material flows, including the access to transport companies, available infrastructure and population, and as a result the Memphis metropolitan area emerged as the ideal region,” says Liebherr Managing Director of Logistics Joerg Stroebele. “After further research, the city of Tupelo was identified as an ideal location.” The city’s geographic position, robust industry ecosystem, workforce base and advanced logistics infrastructure, including proximity to highways and rail connections, were just the ingredients the team hoped to find. While site availability was a key factor in selecting the HIVE Business Park, its existing infrastructure for site connection and rapid preparation for construction work would allow Liebherr to begin building the new facility with ease. After acquiring about 118 acres of the HIVE Business Park in July 2024, the company now looks to build long-term success in the region. With future growth in mind and a potential final investment of up to $238.4 million, additional acreage on hand affords space to expand operations at will. “The continental warehouse in the USA is part of a future global warehouse network,” Stroebele continues. “This will enable the Liebherr Group to offer an improved service for our customers, including faster delivery times, improved reliability, optimized processes and high-quality services through automation with state-of- the-art technology.” Liebherr’s over-1-million-sq.- ft. logistics center will handle warehousing, distribution, customs and exporting and services “The continental warehouse in the USA is part of a future global warehouse network.” — Joerg Stroebele, Liebherr Managing Director of Logistics, on the company’s $176 million new facility in Tupelo60 MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT GUIDE like pre-assembly, kitting and repackaging by 2026. Products housed at the distribution facility include earthmoving machinery, concrete technology, tower cranes and maritime cranes. Additional products may be introduced upon an increased final investment. The Tupelo location expands the company’s portfolio in the U.S. beyond its existing 14 sales and service centers around the nation. The Liebherr Group encompasses more than 150 companies in more than 50 countries and currently employs more than 53,000 employees worldwide and over 1,600 in the U.S. Construction work will create 180 new direct jobs once complete, which could scale to a total of 342 jobs following a project investment boost. The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) is incentivizing the project with its Mississippi Flexible Tax Incentive or MFLEX program. Lee County, the City of Tupelo and MDA are also supplying assistance for construction and equipment needs for the facility. In addition to MDA and others, Stroebele singled out the “very professional CDF team” at Community Development Foundation led by President and CEO David Rumbarger. “Among many other criteria, incentives were only one factor,” says Stroebele. “The decision was primarily driven by a thorough cost-benefit analysis, the long- term development of our strategic plan for the entire region and the settlement of existing and future companies.” “The city and county partnership to create and invest in the HIVE Business Park has paid off greatly,” said Tupelo Mayor Todd Jordan at last year’s announcement. “We are excited to see this area transform into a hub of innovation and opportunity.” Avid Boats, Amory, Monroe County For Avid Boats, an aluminum fishing boat maker launched in 2019 in Amory, Monroe County, just southeast of Tupelo, game changing and transformations are almost normal operating procedure. Things started out fine with a $1.6 million investment and 75 jobs, supported by the MDA, the City of Amory and the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce. The company along with everyone else endured the impact of the pandemic immediately after the startup of operations. Then, in March 2023, it endured significant damage to its manufacturing facility from a catastrophic EF-3 tornado that left two dead and damaged some 1,500 homes and businesses in the area. But the support from MDA and from programs like its MFLEX program was unwavering as Avid Boats President Phillip Faulkner made the decision to rebuild bigger than ever. “Despite the challenges we faced with the tornado, we are not just rebuilding; we are expanding,” Faulkner said when the rebuilding plans were announced in November 2023. “This expansion is a testament to our dedication to producing high-quality aluminum fishing boats and our belief in Mississippi’s economic future. “ “We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and work alongside companies so they can go from investing money to making money in record time.” — Bill Cork, Executive Director, Mississippi Development Authority, speaking in February 2025 about the state’s new “Let’s Break New Ground” campaignMISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT GUIDE 61 The company in February 2025 celebrated the reopening of its facility at a site near Monroe County Airport where the company invested $8 million and today employs 100 with plans to add 50 more jobs at the 100,000-sq.-ft. facility (bigger than the original 85,000-sq.-ft. footprint). As reported by the Monroe Journal, Faulkner in his remarks at the February dedication ceremony said Avid has become the nation’s sixth largest aluminum boat brand “and we’re just getting started.” And he spoke directly to his workforce: “Each and every one of you has played a unique role in the growth and development of this company,” he said. “Each one of you has played a big role in my life growing up and learning the things I’ve learned, and I’ve got a long way to go. I thought I knew it all when I started Avid Boats but I learned pretty quickly when I started my own company I didn’t know anything, and I’m still learning every day.” Gov. Reeves was moved by the company’s and the region’s resurgence. “What this community and this company have chosen to do is after getting knocked down by a natural disaster, you got back up and you went to work helping yourselves and your neighbors and reinvesting in your community,” he said, according to the Monroe Journal. “Y’all inspire me and y’all make me proud to be a Mississippian.” Sure, there is one kind of traditional groundbreaking that has been associated with over $33 billion of corporate investment in the state over the past five years. But when it comes to community bonds, mutual support and determination, Mississippians demonstrate levels of grit and resolve that go beyond branding and seem more like a way of life. 62 MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT GUIDE REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT: DELTA & EAST MISSISSIPPI WELCOMING MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT GUIDE 63 or as long as freshwater has glided through the channels of the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, forming the alluvial plain known today as the Mississippi Delta, key chapters of American history have laid claim to the fertile landscape. The Mississippi Delta became a pillar to generations of early agriculture, evolving into a problematic system reconstructed by outcomes of the Civil War. The arrival of this period presented the opportunity to tap into new economic development initiatives in order to redefi ne a vastly rural region of the state. Agriculture remains a vital force in the region today, although the Delta has found its stride in supporting a variety of industries. This rings true, even in a small Delta community of over 1,800 residents. In western Bolivar County, resting along the Mississippi River, the city of Rosedale welcomes back a former resident aiming to reimagine his historic hometown by introducing the Delta’s fi rst distillery. The faces behind the newly established Rosedale Distilling Company are husband and wife duo Jack and Elizabeth Coleman, who left Washington, D.C. to pursue development of Mississippi’s largest distillery. Taking notice of prime downtown real estate with proximity to the Port of Rosedale, bolstered by riverboat docking updates made to neighboring Terrene Landing, Coleman saw a strategic avenue to stimulate tourism in the city. F by ALEXIS ELMORE Vicksburg River Photo courtesy of Mississippi Development Authority64 MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT GUIDE “Rosedale will be the first impression that thousands of Mississippi River cruise boat passengers will get when they come to tour the Delta,” said Coleman. “We are committed to a Rosedale renaissance, and putting historic buildings back into use for our distilling operations is the first step.” In November 2024, the company began a $23 million renovation on 130,000-sq.-ft. of historic buildings in Rosedale, including the 111,400-sq.-ft. former Alabama Metals Product Company factory and 18,500-sq.-ft of vacant buildings in the city’s downtown. The Alabama Metals facility will serve as Rosedale Distilling’s primary distillery, while the downtown buildings will house tasting rooms, live music events, culinary experiences and more. “The most exciting aspect is the opportunity to turn an underutilized industrial site into an anchor for tourism, entrepreneurship and local pride,” says Cleveland-Bolivar County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Hannah Aguzzi. “Breathing new life into this once bustling property reflects a broader vision for rural revitalization — where heritage and innovation intersect to create long-term economic value.” Aguzzi says the region’s strong cultural brand, deep Southern roots, and an overall growing interest in authentic tourism experiences in historical communities provide a compelling environment for craft spirits to flourish in Rosedale. Terrene Landing’s $2.5 million upgrade is expected to result in 40,000 visitors a year passing through the city, presenting no better time for the project’s introduction to downtown Rosedale. The anticipated 2025 opening of the new distillery River boat on the Mississippi River Photo courtesy of Mississippi Development AuthorityMISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT GUIDE 65 joins a growing menu of lifestyle amenities in the county, falling directly in line with community engagement and placemaking efforts by local leadership. “It speaks volumes about the entrepreneurial spirit that exists in our rural communities. Rosedale Distilling is a great example of how local vision can catalyze meaningful growth,” Aguzzi notes. “It also demonstrates that the Delta is a place where small businesses can thrive with the right resources and collaborative support.” A closer look at project investments landing in the Delta over the past year offers credence to the sheer capabilities of the region’s manufacturing workforce within sectors such as aerospace, electronics and metals. Aerospace companies GE Aviation Systems and Greenville Kearns Aerospace Maintenance both decided to pour into their Mississippi-based operations in Batesville and Greenville, respectively. GE Aviation’s larger $1 billion commitment to its U.S. manufacturing locations announced in March 2025 included an $11 million investment to increase production of innovative parts while advancing manufacturing processes. Upgrades to the Batesville facility include new industrial equipment, precision measuring tools, high-precision machines and inspection technologies. The investment aims to boost quality and production of parts used in narrowbody and widebody aircraft engines, military fighter jets and helicopter engines. Meanwhile, 111 miles southwest in Washington County, an $11.5 million investment will soon unveil Greenville Kearns Aerospace’s two retrofitted aircraft hangars 66 MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT GUIDE at the Mid Delta Regional Airport. The move cements the company’s presence in the region following occupation of a leased hangar at the airport since 2022. The site will support aircraft painting, paint striping, hazmat capture and hazmat storage and containment operations, creating 31 new jobs. “Delta Compass and Washington County Economic Alliance are happy to see the forward momentum of our Delta economy,” said Delta Compass – Washington County Economic Alliance President and CEO Justin Burch. “Synonymous with agriculture, our community is seeing more nuance coming to our industry sectors in transportation, distribution, logistics, advanced manufacturing and now aerospace. GKAM will be a great addition to our growing list of employers, and we appreciate their co-impact to our community.” Rural resurgence within the Mississippi Delta is notable for a variety of factors. A growing portfolio of startup, domestic and international companies value not only the region’s U.S. market proximity, robust talent pipeline and site availability, but the support and resources in place designed to aid growth. Activity Heads East Behind the scenes of leading projects announced in Mississippi, one will find the product of years of diligent preparation. So is the case for Lauderdale County, whose city of Meridian will soon house one of the largest hyperscale data center campuses in the southeast. East Mississippi Business Development Corporation President and CEO Bill Hannah notes the region could not have been more prepared to welcome Compass Sunrise on the Pascagoula River Delta Photo: Getty ImagesMISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT GUIDE 67 Datacenters’ massive $10 billion investment to the city. In the early 2000’s, the county purchased a site in Meridian, to which local leadership later introduced water, sewer, power, gas and fiber infrastructure to develop the planned industrial park. These efforts were bolstered years later by a $4 million site work package approved by Gov. Tate Reeves. “Numerous projects have come and gone, but suffice it to say, none of them would have meant as much to our community as Compass Datacenters will,” says Hannah. The transformative project’s selection of Meridian would not have been possible without local collaboration and introductions made through Mississippi Power. The availability of excess power, positioning along Interstate 20 and proximity to a major fiber truck line running from Dallas, Texas to Atlanta, Georgia, seemingly fit the tastes of Compass’ site selection criteria. “In this instance, it was fortuitous that Mississippi Power not only knew about our industrial park but had assisted in getting it prepared through their initial investment,” continues Hannah. “Plus, within the past four years, they had invested additional dollars to put a substation on site as part of the industrial park.” Although the community impact of the project is yet to be felt, the region has high hopes for the subsequent ripple effects of Compass Datacenters’ arrival, as thousands of jobs head into Meridian. Local K-12 schools, community colleges and universities have already begun crafting curriculum and career pathways to the industry to foster a robust regional talent pipeline moving forward. Overall, the most exciting aspect of the 320-megawatt hyperscale data center campus is the potential to place Lauderdale County on the radar of broader scale industrial activity taking place, as corporates eye new developments. “At this point, most people interested in the Southeast U.S. for an industrial project know how the state of Mississippi has aggressively and smartly placed site development as a priority for Mississippi communities and also cleverly aligned the state’s incentives to the needs of specific industries,” notes Hannah. “Along with Lauderdale County and the City of Meridian moving timely and professionally to close this project, our community was the beneficiary of great partners providing the overall environment for this project to happen.” “The Delta is a place where small businesses can thrive with the right resources and collaborative support.” — Hannah Aguzzi, Executive Director, Cleveland-Bolivar CountyNext >