Governor Reeves Announces $110 Million in State Investments, Including Projects in South Mississippi

BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) – Governor Tate Reeves on Wednesday announced $110 million in new investments for major economic development projects across the state, including here in South Mississippi.

Governor Reeves’ office says the majority of grant approvals will be invested in projects that strengthen the state’s economy through site development, infrastructure improvements and workforce training support.

“This stuff is not that sexy,” Governor Reeves said during a press conference on Wednesday. “It’s water, it’s sewer, it’s core infrastructure, it’s the things that government should be doing, but it prepares us for the next big project, and it helps with our speed-to-market case.”

The investments being made in South Mississippi include infrastructure upgrades for the Stennis Technology Park, expansion of the East Pier at the Port of Gulfport and improvements for Trent Lott Airport in Jackson County.

Additionally, $6.6 million in RESTORE Act funding will go toward construction of the Mississippi Cyber Center, which will be built next to Keesler Air Force Base.

Specifications for projects in South Mississippi are as follows:

Stennis Technology Park – Hancock County – $3,000,000 to clear, grade and construct two blocks, design and construct access roads, extend water and sewer lines and make drainage improvements.
Pearl River County Industrial Park – Pearl River County – $1,438,650 to build a water tank and move power lines.
Project Seaway Rail Truck (SRT) Bulkhead – Harrison County – $2,750,000 for the construction of an intermodal transportation site.
Kapalama Road Sewer Infrastructure – Hancock County – $1,650,000 for improvements to meet current and future sewer needs.
Highway 63/Escatawpa Gas Pipeline Installation – Jackson County – $1,650,000 for the installation of a new natural gas pipeline.
Gulfport East Pier Harbor Expansion – Harrison County – $1,210,000 for engineering and design of the east pier extension.
Trent Lott Airport – Jackson County – $1,100,000 for apron and taxiway improvements.
MS Cyber Center – Harrison County – $6,600,000 to support construction of the Mississippi Cyber and Technology Center.
Pearl River Community College (PRCC) Hydrographic Technicians – Hancock and Pearl River Counties – $1,925,000 for a career development pathway from Hancock County Career and Technical Center to PRCC for instruction in hydrographic sciences.
Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network (MAIN) Program – Coahoma, Copiah, Newton, Kemper, Hinds, Holmes, Itawamba, Jones, Lauderdale, Pearl River, Pike, Prentiss, Sunflower, Stone and Tate Counties – $7,141,244 to develop a workforce training program to support the growing AI and technology fields.
Jackson County Port Authority Bulkhead Expansion – Jackson County – $4,400,000 to support a 500-foot renovation of the outfitting bulkhead and associated dredging to support the increased capacity.
Nicholson – Pearl River County Water and Sewer Expansion and Upgrade – $446,888 to the Nicholson Water and Sewer Association to expand water and sewer infrastructure along the I-59 corridor.
Improvements to I-59/Sycamore Intersection and Frontage Road – Pearl River County –$500,000 to Pearl River County for the Sycamore Road Intersection and Frontage Road project.
Poplarville-Pearl River County Airport Advancement Plan – Pearl River County – $50,000 to Pearl River County for the development of a strategic advancement plan for the Poplarville/Pearl River County Airport.
Ole Miss Coastal Business Growth Accelerator – George, Harrison, Stone, Hancock, Jackson and Pearl River Counties – $312,000 to the Mississippi Small Business Development Center (MS-SBDC) for a two-year initiative to support small businesses in Stone, George, Harrison, Pearl River, Hancock and Jackson counties.
Center City Infrastructure Improvements – Hancock County – $4,000,000 to expand sewer and water systems to the “City Center” neighborhood of Waveland.
Waterfront Marina Expansion Phase II – Harrison County – $2,500,000 to the City of D’Iberville for engineering, design and partial construction of the City’s marina expansion along Biloxi’s Back Bay.
Washington Avenue and Front Beach Utility Improvements – Jackson County – $1,200,000 to the City of Ocean Springs to improve water and sewer infrastructure and raise the roadway between Front Beach Drive and Lafontaine.
Martin Bluff and Hickory Hills Sewer Improvements (Gautier) – Jackson County – $2,701,150 to expand the sewer system.
Poticaw Road Sewer Expansion – Jackson County – $1,200,000 to the Jackson County Utility Authority to install approximately 7,000 feet of infrastructure and provide a lift station at the Highway 57/Poticaw Road Intersection to Paige Bayou Road.
Sewer System Improvements Phase III (Diamondhead Water/Sewer District) – Hancock County – $1,000,000 for the rehabilitation and repair of approximately six miles of sewer line and associated services in Sewer Basin 3.
Asbestos Water Line Replacement (Hancock County Water/Sewer District) – Hancock County – $1,000,000 to replace five miles of 12″ and 8″ asbestos cement pipe with 12″ PVC.
Highway 603 Sewer Expansion (Kiln Utility and Fire District) – Hancock County – $2,452,575 to improve existing sewer infrastructure by extending sewer service from Highway 43 to Cuevas Town Road.
Front Beach Schot (Ocean Springs) – Jackson County – $1,600,000 to the City of Ocean Springs to complete the design and permitting of the Front Beach Bulkhead project, with the bulkhead and living shoreline components to be the first phase of construction.
Mitigating Hurricane Impacts on Mississippi Gulf Coast Municipal Ports – Hancock, Harrison, Jackson Counties – $2,370,376 to Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties to map ports and update maps for five years.
Marine Aquaculture Demonstration Center for Economic Development – Jackson County – $3,163,823 to help promote business in Southern Mississippi by operating aquaculture farms in various fishing industries.
Gulfport Wastewater Treatment Plan Upgrades – Harrison County – $1,725,000 for wastewater system improvements.
MS Coastal Map Revision Project – Hancock, Harrison, Jackson Counties – $800,000 to help complete the project.
GOMESA: Coastal River Protection on River (Moss Point) – Jackson County – $3,750,000 to help provide coastal protection, conservation, restoration, hurricane protection, and coastal wetland infrastructure.
GOMESA: Stormwater Park (Moss Point) – Jackson County – $118,500 to improve stormwater parks, reduce flooding, and reduce non-point source (NPS) pollution in Bayou Casotte.
GOMESA: Fixed Laboratory Equipment (Mississippi State University) – Jackson County – $865,000 to support the purchase of fixed equipment to complete analytical and biosafety laboratory capabilities.
GOMESA: Using Brood Stock Reefs to Improve Oyster Production (The Nature Conservancy) – Hancock, Harrison, Jackson Counties – $1,000,000 to build a high vertical relief oyster reef on a commercially leased waterbed.
GOMESA: Dolphin and Sea Turtle Hospital and Improvement of Rehabilitation Facilities at Institute of Marine Mammal Studies (IMMS) – Harrison County – $1,000,000 to build a permanent and comprehensive hospital for dolphins and sea turtles.
RESTORING: Mississippi Sound Estuary Program (MSEP) – Coastwide – $1,100,000 to support the development and implementation of a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP).
RESTORATION: Technical assistance to the living coastline – Coast-wide – $1,100,000 to provide expertise and resources that encourage waterfront property owners to conserve and restore intertidal habitat within their riparian rights zone.
RESTORATION: Addition of interactive exhibit – Harrison County – $1,100,000 to the Mississippi Aquarium for education and tourism.
RESTORATION: Speckled Trout Improvement Program – Harrison County – $1,100,000 to support the recovery and long-term sustainability of spotted seatrout.
RESTORING: Downtown ADA Boardwalk (Bay St. Louis) – Hancock County – $1,100,000 to construct an ADA compliant boardwalk connecting the municipal dock, beach access and downtown businesses.
SCRC: Rehabilitation of the Sue Ellen Recreation Center (Moss Point) – Jackson County – $252,500 for the rehabilitation of the Sue Ellen Recreation Center.

View a map of projects throughout Mississippi HERE.

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