Video: Tupelo Named a Top 10 Micropolitan

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LEE COUNTY, Miss. —  The Tupelo region has been named to Site Selection magazine’s list of the most active micropolitan areas for new and existing industries in the country. Tupelo ranked eighth in the nation among the 576-micropolitan areas designated by the United States Census Bureau. Since the award’s inception in 2000, this is the 7th time the Tupelo region has been named to the Top 10 list and 11th Top 25 finish.

With four projects, Natchez was in the top 25, tied for number 23. Corinth was tied for 42nd, and Meridian and Vicksburg were tied for 74th.

“Our success is only possible because our existing industries continue their commitment to our workforce, putting faith in our community,” said Lee County Board of Supervisors President Tommie Lee Ivy. “This year’s achievements are built around the partnerships between the Mississippi Development Authority and Tennessee Valley Authority economic development officials and we are truly appreciative of everyone who worked on our behalf to achieve this success for Tupelo, Lee County, and our region as a whole.”

In addition to the seven projects in 2014 recorded by Site Selection, the Tupelo region announced eight additional new and expanding industry projects during the year, including companies such as GRAMMER, Inc., H. M. Richards, General Atomics and Cooper Tire & Rubber Company.

These projects created over $234 million in new capital investment and over 900 new jobs with over $29 million in new annual wages paid to local workers.

“Community Development Foundation’s program of work provides a lasting development strategy to create more and better jobs for the area,” said Chauncey Godwin Jr., Chairman of the Community Development Foundation. “The commitment and long-term planning of our private and public leaders is truly paying off and this award is wonderful recognition. As we move forward into 2015, further development of our new and existing industrial parks, among several other shovel-ready sites, will remain a top priority.”

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a micropolitan area is a largely rural economy that includes a city of at least 10,000 people, but less than 50,000, and covers at least one county.

Site Selection, a 60-year-old Atlanta-based magazine, has awarded the Governors Cup annually since 1978 to the communities with the most new and expanded corporate facilities as tracked by Conway Data Inc.’s New Plant Database. Site Selection, published by Conway Data Inc., is the senior publication in the corporate real estate and economic development fields and is the official publication of London-based Red Hot Locations and the Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC, at http://www.iamc.org/). Site Selection’s yearly analyses are regarded by corporate real estate analysts as “the industry scoreboard.” The magazine’s circulation base consists of 45,000 subscribers, most of whom are involved in corporate site selection decisions at the CEO/President/COO level.