Business Blog

Gov. Phil Bryant and officials with the Blaine Companies and Fores Canada Inc. announced the creation of 60 new jobs for Natchez and Adams County. The two companies are partnering to produce and strengthen frac sand. Frac sand is used by the oil and gas industry for hydraulic fracturing of conventional and unconventional reservoirs, such [...]

The Mississippi Development Authority has scheduled an “economic development announcement” for tomorrow morning at the Broadway Street gazebo overlooking the Mississippi River in Natchez. Gov. Bryant will be in attendance. Natchez Inc. executive director Chandler Russ wouldn’t share details about the deal with the Natchez Democrat but said the company involved had finalized agreements to bring [...]

From the Mississippi Development Authority: Kimberly-Clark Corporation [NYSE: KMB] has announced it is locating a distribution facility in Southaven, Miss.  The company’s Southaven distribution center will employ more than 100 workers and represents a capital investment of approximately $2 million. “I am pleased Kimberly-Clark is expanding its business presence in Mississippi,” Governor Phil Bryant said. [...]

The Mississippi Development Authority announced this afternoon that Rolls-Royce North America has added a second jet engine test stand at the John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock County. MDA says the $50 million project will create 35 new jobs. FROM THE MISS. DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY Today,  Governor Barbour announced that Rolls-Royce North America is adding [...]

Speakers address energy, education and health JACKSON – Members of the business community gathered at the Marriott hotel in Jackson today to hear Gov.-elect Phil Bryant’s agenda for economic development and the details of Blueprint Mississippi, a report on improving the state’s economic health that is sponsored by the Mississippi Economic Council (MEC) and other [...]

There were many names in the rumor mill as possible candidates for the next executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority. Jim Barksdale was not one of them. However, Gov.-elect Phil Bryant yesterday announced Barksdale as his choice as interim MDA director. Barksdale would succeed Leland Speed, who has also been serving in an interim [...]

For those who missed last August’s pioneering Creative Economy Summit in Jackson, there is good news. The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) and Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) are bringing the show on the road. Beginning tomorrow, the MDA and MAC will host five Creative Economy Road Show events in regions throughout the state. From Mississippi’s artists, [...]

Economic downtown is a great time for startups to begin and flourish Dynamism in the economy comes from new businesses, but the bad news is new business creation has dropped over the past five years. However, Americans can take comfort in the fact that “50 percent of our largest companies today were founded in either [...]

It has been less than a year since Babalu Tacos & Tapas opened its doors in Jackson’s historic Fondren Arts District. Now four restaurant industry veterans are teaming up in a bid to take the brand into markets beyond the Magnolia State. Babalu founders Bill Latham and Al Roberts, the Jackson duo behind the equally [...]

By Stephen McDill Eminent domain, the taking of land for development, has proven to be a heavily emotional and highly politicized talking point in Mississippi this year. Staff writer Ted Carter will take a hard look at both sides of the issue in Monday’s edition of the MBJ. In the meantime, we’ve collected video clips [...]