CHOCTAW, Mississippi — As COVID-19 continues to hinder the in-person site selection process, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians’ Office of Economic Development is responding by offering virtual tours online of its available sites and buildings.
In its recently released Outlook Survey for 2021, Site Selectors Guild – the foremost national organization for professional site selection consultants – stated that 95 percent of its consultants reported a transition to an all virtual or hybrid virtual selection process. The report goes on to say, “Virtual meetings and site tours have saved companies and economic development organizations time and money in conducting the site selection process, leaving many consultants to foresee a hybrid of in-person and virtual visits in 2021.”
MBCI Economic Development launched a new website in fall 2020, and recently added new virtual tour features for those who are interested in opening a business on Tribal lands. Director John Hendrix says, “We began working on our new website with the intention to better communicate the many benefits of partnering with the Tribe. As the pandemic continued, we saw the need to provide even more specific information on our available industrial sites, since live visits were greatly curtailed.”
Virtual tours of Choctaw properties include drone footage of the land sites and industrial buildings available, aerial photography, and 360-degree photography of building interiors, along with specifications regarding utilities, transportation access, and financial incentives. Access to certain website assets are by invitation only.
Companies that are interested in learning more about the sites available are encouraged to contact Hendrix at [email protected].
As one of the United States’ original first nations, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is the only federally recognized American Indian tribe living within the State of Mississippi. With over 11,000 members, Choctaw lands cover over 35,000 acres in 10 counties. Providing permanent, full-time jobs for over 5,000 Tribal-member and non-Indian employees, the Tribe is a major contributor to the state’s economy.
Choctaw Teacher Selected as Mississippi Coding Academies Facilitator
CHOCTAW, Miss. -- Shonda R. Wesley is from the Pearl River Community but currently is living in Edinburg, MS. Ms. Wesley’s parents are Deborah Tubby, Stepdad Sandy Tubby, and the late Kenneth Wesley. She has three brothers and three sisters and many nieces and nephew....
Choctaw Opportunity Zones Could Boom In 2021
CHOCTAW, Miss. -- The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians’ two Opportunity Zone designations are expected to garner attention in the coming months as a result of a projected big boost from the new administration in Washington. The MBCI was able to secure Opportunity...
MBCI Holds Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for Mississippi Coding Academies TechShare Program
CHOCTAW, MS -- On January 19, 2021, the Mississippi Coding Academies (MCA) and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Office of Economic Development had a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the MCA TechShare program that will be taught at Choctaw. Choctaw is one...
Mississippi Choctaws’ Educational Efforts Boosted by New Markets Tax Credit
CHOCTAW, Mississippi -- The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians recently closed a New Markets Tax Credit transaction related to its two new early childhood education centers and an elementary school expansion -- resulting in a $2.3 million benefit to the Tribe. “We...
Mississippi Choctaws Installing Technology in Commercial Buildings to Neutralize Covid-19 Virus
CHOCTAW, Miss. -- The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is updating all of its commercial and industrial buildings with needlepoint bipolar ionization, a technology that will greatly enhance the air quality and provide neutralization against Covid-19. "In an...
Tribal Employee Becomes NCCER Certified as Instructor in HVAC
CHOCTAW, Miss. — Christopher Dearing lives in Philadelphia, MS with his family and currently is an employee of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. For the past three years, he has worked as an HVAC/R Technician for Choctaw Tribal Maintenance. He has over 10 years...
Mississippi Choctaws Receive 2.5 GHz Spectrum License to Assist in Broadband Access for Tribe
CHOCTAW, Miss. -- The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians recently was awarded a 2.5 GHz license by the Federal Communications Commission, which will be used to provide wireless broadband service in portions of the Bogue Chitto and Conehatta communities. This license...
Tribal Employee Becomes NCCER Certified as Instructor in Electrical and HVAC
CHOCTAW, Miss. -- Brian Robinson currently works for the tribe as the Utility Engineer/Tribal Energy Manager and lives in Carthage, MS with his family. He has been an entrepreneur, having owned and operated Robinson Engineering, and has been the tribe's General...
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Receives $450,000 Grant From W.K. Kellogg Foundation
CHOCTAW, Miss. -- The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians has been awarded a $450,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to assist the Tribe in building a community that is food-secure with equitable access to fresh and healthy foods. The grant will be used to...
John Hendrix
Director of Economic Development
601.650.1607
[email protected]
Office of Economic Development
375 Industrial Road | STE 2
Choctaw, MS 39350