CARTHAGE, Miss. – Following extensive updates and repairs, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI) are breathing new life into their 120,000 square feet of industrial space in Leake County.

The three industrial buildings, each about 40,000 square feet, were built beginning in the late 1980’s for the Tribe’s then-booming automotive wire harness business. Following the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Tribe saw wire harness contracts move offshore and with it their enterprise. For the last decade the buildings have sat vacant.

Last year the Tribe began the necessary process of updating the buildings’ infrastructure in order to make them attractive to tenants. New roofs, HVAC upgrades, energy efficient lighting and resurfaced roads and parking areas were undertaken.

“When we were looking for a tenant, Agline was looking for a facility,” said MBCI Tribal Chief Cyrus Ben. “The timing lined up and it was a win-win.”

AgLine signed a lease on Building 2 for their manufacturing and assembly operations and recently signed an option on Building 3 for parts storage and future expansion.

Recently the Tribe implemented a new incentive program, that could prove beneficial to AgLine’s future growth. Choctaw Employment Advantage offers rental discounts to commercial tenants leasing Tribal buildings.

Businesses that lease space on Choctaw Tribal lands are eligible for rental discounts when they employ Choctaw Tribal members. Monthly rental payments will be reduced in increments of $500 for every five Tribal members with at least 90 days of full-time employment by tenants as of the date the monthly rental payment is due.

“This is an effort for the Tribe to not only attract more commercial tenants to our available buildings, but also to provide employment opportunities for our Tribal members,” said Ben. “We have several move-in ready facilities that can be leased, and we want to offer a competitive advantage for those companies looking to begin or expand a business operation.”

For more information on Choctaw Employment Advantage, or to see the properties available for lease by the Tribe, visit www.MSChoctawBusiness.com.

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, under the leadership of Tribal Chief Cyrus Ben, is the only federally recognized tribe in 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. Learn more at www.mschoctawbusiness.com.

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