Nationally recognized Site Selection Center further advances Mississippi’s economic development efforts, technology at the forefront
JACKSON, Mississippi – In today’s competitive market for cultivating economic impact and job growth, Mississippi now has a boosted advantage when it comes to attracting companies and industries to the state. Entergy Mississippi has revamped its online commercial database, a free resource that makes it easier for businesses to search for and secure prospective buildings and sites. In a few easy clicks, companies can complete a property search based on their diverse drivers, such as needing a building that has 50,000 people within a 30-minute drive time or having access to a navigable waterway.
“We’re pleased to provide the new Site Selection Center to our economic development partners, as we know this dynamic platform will assist in driving viable businesses to Mississippi,” said Ed Gardner, Entergy Mississippi director of business and economic development. “Our commitment to growing the state’s economy stands firm, and we’re confident the new website will further position Mississippi as a serious contender for new opportunities.”
Designed to meet the modern needs of various economic development allies, such as Mississippi Development Authority, Central Mississippi Planning and Development District and Greater Jackson Alliance, the Site Selection Center consists of an easy-to-use platform with robust search and property management functionality. Playing an integral role in Entergy’s recent recognition by Site Selection magazine as one of the nation’s Top 10 utilities in economic development for the 10th year in a row, the revamped site uses a combination of geographic information system technology, business analysis and demographic data to give users the ability to quickly access Mississippi’s available commercial sites and resources.
“Entergy Mississippi has always been a valued partner in helping us attract new industry to Mississippi,” said Blake Wallace, executive director of the Hinds County Economic Development Authority. “Now, more than ever, we’re excited for the future as we know the launch of the site will further enhance our business development efforts.”
Originally launched in 2008, the Site Selection Center was the first of its kind and quickly became an important tool used by economic developers, site selection consultants and businesses throughout the country. Now, after combining years of experience gained and feedback from partners, Entergy’s new Site Selection Center is completely redone and includes some of the following enhanced features:
- sophisticated property search options with advanced filtering capabilities and data exports;
- demographic and business data, Esri, which allows customers to view data by drive-time, radius, polygon, parish, region, state and more;
- simple property listing tools like full previews, enhanced multimedia management and a “quality score” summary to measure listing completeness; and
- many other new features like providing enhanced property details, creating and saving search alerts and the ability to create private listings.
Entergy’s economic development group spans the region – Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas – and is home to the largest industrial base in the U.S. It offers a rare combination of resources: a central U.S. location with direct access to raw materials and markets, a favorable business climate, an expansive infrastructure, a skilled and affordable workforce and very competitive utility costs. Currently, there are more than 2,800 commercial buildings and sites available in Entergy’s region, with more than 230 of those properties located in Mississippi. To learn more about the Mississippi Site Selection Center or Entergy’s efforts to further economic growth in Mississippi, visit goentergy.com.
Entergy Mississippi, Inc. provides electricity to approximately 445,000 customers in 45 counties. Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including nearly 9,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.9 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of approximately $10.8 billion and nearly 13,000 employees.
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