Lawmakers meet for a second special session to finalize another economic development project

by

Will Stribling

• Published on January 25, 2024 • Comments

Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves, center, thanks legislators for their work on supporting efforts to bring a tech company that will invest $10 billion to build two data processing centers that will create 1,000 jobs in central Mississippi, during a Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, news conference in Jackson, Miss. Additionally, Reeves asked the Republican-controlled Legislature to meet in a special session Thursday to approve $44 million in state incentives.
AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis

The session will finalize a deal to build two data center complexes on industrial sites in Canton and Madison County. It is projected to come with $10 billion in capital investment and 1,000 new tech jobs.

Will Stribling

Lawmakers meet for a second special session to finalize another economic development project

Governor Tate Reeves says this project is proof that Mississippi is preparing itself to be a player in the technology focused economy of the future.

"This project will be a game changer for the people of Mississippi," Reeves declared at the announcement of the special session. "We will continue to set our sights on the future. We will continue to relentlessly pursue every record set and every opportunity for future economic growth."

In announcing last week's special session, Reeves declined to name the company behind the project before lawmakers approve it, but SuperTalk reported that it is Amazon Web Services.

The state incentives include a $44 million appropriation to the company, and a $215 million loan to Madison County that the company will repay.

Most of the $44 million will be used for job training and the bulk of the large loan will be used for infrastructure improvements needed in Madison County to support the site.

said this project would provide a massive economic boon for his area.

"It means jobs, it means more money," says Rep. Lawrence Blackmon, a Democratic freshman lawmaker whose district includes Canton. "it means that more people will be able to provide for their family and it means an increase in economic activity in our town."

Across the two special sessions called over the past two weeks, lawmakers have been asked to appropriate nearly $600 million for projects. House Speaker Jason White says the state leaving money in the bank over the years has left the Legislature in an advantageous position.

"That conservatism and not spending every dollar has allowed us to have money set aside so that we can do cool innovative projects like this," White explains. "And actually pay cash on the front end for the parts that we're funding. So, I don't see this impeding our ability to fund the things that are important and that are the priorities of the legislature this year and in future years.

The special session will begin Thursday morning, and legislative leaders expect it to last just one day.