Pearl River County holds groundbreaking for new industrial park

Michael Williams - WRJW News

Poplarville--The groundbreaking ceremony for Pearl River County’s Industrial Park was held on Thursday to usher in additional economic growth opportunities in the county and surrounding area. The 126-acre site is situated on Highway 26, just off I-59 in Poplarville.

L-R: Supervisors Malcolm Perry and Sandy Kane Smith, Governor Tate Reeves, State Senator Angela Hill, State Representative Jansen Owen.

The new industrial park is located at the hub of a major transportation corridor with six airports, three ports and three interstates all within close proximity of the site. The site offers water, sewer, electrical service, and natural gas for those companies who become tenants. With Norfolk Southern Railroad running through the park, tenants will benefit from enhanced transportation connectivity for their products and services.

Pearl River County recently closed on the property for the new Pearl River County Industrial Park and the purchase would not have been possible if not for the partnership and dedication of the state legislators representing Pearl River County. During the 2022 Legislative Session, local legislators secured $1.6 million of funding through the Gulf Coast Restoration Fund, funding from the BP Settlement Fund, for the purchase of the new industrial park land. Together with matching funds of $400,000 from Pearl River County, the purchase of the property marks the first phase of a multi-phase effort to make the property attractive to new industry investment.

The industry sectors that will be targeted for recruitment at the new Industrial Park are distribution and warehousing, light and heavy manufacturing with the potential to expand to the County’s other targeted areas of focus for recruitment including aerospace, the blue economy, polymers and healthcare.

Governor Tate Reeves voice his enthusiasm on the groundbreaking.

“The people of Pearl River County realized the importance of economic development of this county and business felt the pressure of speed to market and needed a site to to develop a site ready for industry."

Governor Reeves added that he is proud of Mississippi and is ready to invest in the people of south Mississippi.