How to Master Supply & Demand

 typical Thursday morning for most includes a commute to work, grabbing a cup of coffee or ushering children and pets through their normal routine. For Golden Triangle Development LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins, well, he’s usually acquiring a couple hundred to a thousand acres of new land.

“Ironically, 10 minutes before this call my team and I were on the phone with the state looking for a 1,000-acre site,” says Higgins. “We just identified the site and the two landowners and will be reaching out to them today.”

When it comes to promoting economic development in Northeast Mississippi’s rural, three-county spread of Clay, Lowndes and Oktibbeha, it’s not hard to show there’s room to grow. At least that’s what powerhouses like Steel Dynamics, PACCAR and Yokohama found as they joined a plethora of manufacturers securing thousands of acres and investing more than $10 billion in the region over the course of 20 years.

Higgins says it comes down to consistently acquiring and developing property, getting it utilized and starting over again. State and local funding were essential to development on all levels for the LINK’s four initial megasites and remain essential as the new 1,500-acre Cinco Megasite enters its final stages of development in Lowndes County.

“There are a lot of communities that develop industrial property and it sits for year after year,” he says. “We’re used to developing [a megasite] and getting it off the market, then developing another one and getting it off the market. It’s in our DNA.”

Before Steel Dynamics was able to announce a $2.5 billion, 2,000-acre expansion at the Golden Triangle Industrial Park in November 2022, Higgins was already meeting a local landowner to acquire what is now known as the Cinco Megasite. This forward-thinking approach can categorically fall into what this economic development team calls their “aftercare program,” meaning once a company arrives here their needs are anticipated and taken care of every step of the way.

One fact prevails: This region cannot grow more if it is site poor. On any given day, one will find corporate leaders who have landed in the LINK announcing the latest multimillion-dollar expansion, increasing both production capacity and site presence. These megasites’ size and availability have allowed these companies to comfortably think ahead for growth potential.

Case in point is the development of Golden Triangle Industrial Park, which would explain why after narrowing down its Southeastern Conference-defined site selection search to just Mississippi and Louisiana, Steel Dynamics chose to stay right at home.

Site and infrastructure development have been crucial to economic development within these rural communities, consistently supplying hundreds of high-quality and high-paying roles to the local workforce. This particular region has a dense manufacturing talent pool, pulling from 37 counties between Mississippi and Alabama. Established industry skills ranging from UAVs, diesel engines and steel to trucks, EVs and helicopters bring confidence to the long-term capabilities of this advanced manufacturing workforce.

“It’s like if you’re a car dealer and someone comes back for 20 years to buy a car from you,” says Higgins. “If they keep coming to buy from you, you’re doing something right. It’s as good a testimony to our aftercare and how we treat people when they get here as anything.”

What’s to Come?
The success seen throughout the Golden Triangle Development LINK is a model for much of the activity taking place around the state. If the site is ready to go, chances are it’s going to go quickly.

In March 2024, just two months after the arrival of Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) $10 billion data center investment, Madison County Economic Development Authority Executive Director Joey Deason announced the over 1,000-acre Madison County Megasite was full.

Before the existence of this site, Madison County didn’t have the resources fit to serve a large-scale investment, making the development of this land over the past seven years a game-changer. Two years since opening, the site has drawn in over $10.7 billion through an Amazon fulfillment center, a Clark Beverage Group distribution facility and soon a new AWS data center complex.

The filling of the Madison County Megasite cannot distract from the ready-made sites set throughout Mississippi. Location matters, so whether needs extend to direct port, airport or Interstate access, the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) can help scout the ideal site.

If one is looking to hit the market with speed, Mississippi has an array of megasites and industrial parks ready to turn dirt.

With these assets in hand the state is prepared to streamline a company’s site selection process and get construction underway. These sites are but a glimpse of the years of targeted preparation to meet the needs of any industry while connecting them to key markets throughout the nation. Moving forward, millions of dollars in new funding distributed by MDA aim to bring an array of prime locations to the offering table. And sooner than you’d think.

New and Improved
In 2023, Governor Tate Reeves and MDA announced a total of $73.7 million in site development funding toward a state-wide array of Ready, Premier and Select Sites. Of that, almost $17 million in grant funding was allocated just before the new year.

This Site Development Grant was catered specifically to 13 Select Sites, as identified by site selection firm Strategic Development Group. Ranging from $360,000 to $4.3 million, the following Select Sites will use their resources to address a variety of needs. These needs range from road improvements, installing wastewater systems and utility upgrades to finalizing industrial park master plans:

Select Sites

• Business and Technology Park North – Grenada County
• Pearl River County Industrial Park – Pearl River County
• I-59 Supply Chain Park – Forrest/Jones County
• Mississippi Gulf Coast Aerospace Center at Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport – Harrison County
• I-59 South Industrial Site – Jones County
• Marion County AirPlex/IndustryPlex – Marion County
• Chickasaw Trail Industrial Park (Curl and Stamps Sites) – Marshall County
• Eagle One Mega Site – Forrest/Lamar County
• East Metro Center (EMC) Industrial Park (EMC Rail Site) – Rankin County
• I-20/I-59 Industrial Park – Lauderdale County
• Martintown North – Union County
• NorthStar Industrial Park – Oktibbeha County
• Port Bienville Site #1 – Hancock County

Two months later, the state returned with $993,250 for Ready and Premier Sites funding for new site development projects. Five Ready Sites projects met the grant program’s requirement of a minimum of 20 developable acres, bring the site to shovel-ready within six months and have utilities installed within a year.

Four of the selected Ready Sites received the maximum $50,000 grant funding. The Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission and Leake County Board of Supervisors will use it for site clearing and grubbing, while the Pearl River County Board of Supervisors will construct a new road to lead to its site. The remaining $12,500 goes toward the Washington County Economic Alliance for updated environmental due diligence.

Ready Sites

• Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission – Stennis International TechPark
• Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission – Port Bienville Industrial Park
• Leake County Board of Supervisors – Leake County Business Park
• Pearl River County Board of Supervisors – Pearl River County Technology Park
• Washington County Economic Alliance – 61 & 82 Leland Industrial Park

Meanwhile, the four Premier Sites chosen were eligible for up to a $250,000 grant. These sites aim at large-scale investment, holding a minimum of 100 acres in a high-demand location with established utility infrastructure and talent pool.

Receiving the maximum funding amount, the Pearl River County Industrial Park will conduct wastewater system improvements and a geotechnical investigation. The W.C. Gardiner Industrial Park uses this funding to construct a new entrance into the site. Environmental due diligence will begin at Winston County Industrial Park and Wooten Industrial Site with a respective $162,500 and $118,250 in tow.

Premier Sites

• Pearl River County Board of Supervisors – Pearl River County Industrial Park
• Scott County Board of Supervisors – Wooten Industrial Site
• City of Water Valley – W.C. Gardiner Industrial Park
• Winston County Economic Development District Partnership – Winston County Industrial Park

“Through our vast offering of available sites, we signal to the world that Mississippi is open for business and takes a proactive stance when it comes to ensuring businesses are up and running in record time,” said MDA Executive Director Bill Cork. “Together with these communities, MDA is facilitating swift and successful launches for companies locating at these shovel-ready locations.”