Click to view enlarged Jackson County officials and International Paper Company (IP) officials announced the finalization of an agreement that will transform the former IP Mill site in Moss Point into one of the most desirable industrial parks in the Southeastern United States.

The agreement follows more than two years of negotiations between International Paper Company and Jackson County for the will pay $3 million for the 200 plus acre site. Today’s announcement was made following a joint meeting of the Jackson County Board of Supervisors, members of the Jackson County Port Authority and the Economic Development Foundation.

"The property provides the county with a prime industrial location for redevelopment," said Frank Leach, President of the Jackson County Board of Supervisors. "It offers to prospective business and industry immediate access to the I-10 corridor, on-site all directional rail, water access, ample surface water, and a dedicated power supply. One major industry, Corus Bi-Steel, a European company, has already made the commitment to locate their first U.S. manufacturing and assembly facility on the property after a year long recruitment effort. The International Paper agreement and the successful recruitment of Corus Bi-Steel is a reflection of the attitude of teamwork and cooperation that exists today in our County’s economic development program," Leach said.

"In addition to a new industrial park, the property will generate other valuable and essential opportunities," said Port Director, Mark McAndrews. "The addition of another public berth, another opportunity for beneficial use of our dredged material, mitigation credits, and access to an alternate watershed for our industrial water treatment facility are important components for the port’s future growth. We are very proud to be a member of this public/private partnership that has resulted in this agreement with International Paper."

"The closure of the Moss Point mill in 2001 was a major disappointment for our community," said Jerry St. Pé, Chairman of the Jackson County Economic Development Foundation. "But with the same commitment to community partnership that it had exhibited for the previous 70 years, International Paper stepped forward and immediately engaged the Port Authority and the Economic Development Foundation to pursue a plan of closure and redevelopment for the site. For the last twenty four months, IP officials, the Economic Development Foundation, Port Authority, Board of Supervisors and the City of Moss Point have spent thousands of hours drafting the points of an agreement which would satisfy the strategic needs of both the company and the community," St. Pé said.

Jackson County Economic Development Foundation (JCEDF) Executive Director George Freeland said, "With the installation of a modern industrial facility on the IP site, Jackson County has taken an enormous step forward in our efforts to attract new and diversified investment and job creation. This site will offer an impressive profile of industrial location amenities and is sure to draw the attention of an array of economic development prospects. In the highly competitive pursuit of economic development, this site provides us with an extraordinary opportunity to compete for projects on a much higher level".

Provisions of the agreement include that International Paper Company will perform the demolition and removal of all buildings, structures and slabs as well as all environmental remediation. The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) has been an active participant in all phases of negotiations and will continue to play a strong role in the redevelopment projects.