The Itta Bena Leflore County Industrial Park has two major manufacturing businesses committed to building operating facilities in the park by the end of the year. These two businesses will add approximately 75 jobs to the area.

Local businesses look forward to the establishment of the park and see it as an obvious extension of the economic growth that is occurring in the Leflore County area. This growth is made possible, in part, due to the Mid Delta Empowerment Zone.

Lee Abraham, a lawyer with and owner of Abraham and Associates in both Greenwood and Jackson, and the sole stockholder of Valley Leflore, Inc., said, "Projects such as the Itta Bena Leflore County Industrial Park are vital to this area. The park is the facility that enables the utilization of the Empowerment Zone."

Director of the Greenwood Leflore Industrial Board and the Greenwood Le-flore Carroll Economic Development Foundation, Clifton Brumfield said, "Currently, the Greenwood Leflore Industrial Board, the City of Itta Bena, and the Leflore County Board of Supervisors are in the throes of completing an overall development plan for the park."

"We have mapped out most of the plans for sites, roads, water lines, sewer, and other infrastructure for the 400-acre park located in the Mid Delta Empowerment Zone. Both federal and state funding sources will be sought for the projects," he said.

A list of restrictive covenants are being developed by the City and County that will be instated before further development of the park occurs. Use of the park will be limited to light or limited manufacturing. The structures must be totally enclosed with no external evidence of manufacturing activity and no evidence of noise, odors, smoke, or dust emissions will be allowed.

A lighting and signage standard as well as a landscaping standard and buffer zones are being developed to promote a uniform and attractive development of the park. Any areas visible to the public must be well landscaped and groomed. The frontage areas must meet codes for aesthetically pleasing architecture, design, and upkeep. Parking and loading areas will be governed as well.

Brumfield said, "Every effort is being made to design and develop the park in a manner which will make it a premier industrial location for northwest Mississippi.

Such covenants and standards have been implemented in the neighboring Greenwood Leflore Industrial Park and these standards have worked to promote the park and encourage industries to locate there."

A new 250,000-gallon water tower has been constructed for the City of Itta Bena from funds from a state community development block grant and with matching funds coming from the Leflore County Board of Supervisors.

"The water tower funding was made available to benefit the residents of Itta Bena and also the Itta Bena-Leflore County Industrial Park which is a 50-50 joint venture between the City of Itta Bena and the Leflore County Board of Supervisors," said Brumfield.

One of the businesses, Alexander and Mary, is part of the John Richard Collection. John Richard Collection has operated a facility in Greenwood for 20 years. At the existing facility, they produce high-end home accessories such as pictures, lighting fixtures, and mirrors. The products are imported from all over the world and arrive in Greenwood in various states of assemblage. In Greenwood, the products are completed and sent throughout the country.

According to the Vice President of Finances, Val Jesop, John Richard Collection has begun a start-up plan within the last year with Mexico City to produce English and French reproduction antique furniture. Their facility in the industrial park will be constructed later in the year and will be approximately 35,000 square feet in size.

At the Itta Bena facility, they will receive, warehouse, and distribute the Mexico City product line. They will also build some high-end furniture products that will come in an unfinished condition from India and possibly Egypt. Two production lines will be created at the industrial park, one for upholstery and one for wood finishing. The number of employees at Itta Bena is anticipated to grow to approximately 70 employees.

Jesop said, "We chose to locate in the industrial park due to the incentives to do business in this area and the availability of space. We can make an impact from an employment standpoint and we also benefit from the Empowerment Zone; it works out well for everyone involved."

Valley Industries, a shipping pallet company will begin on construction of a 30-40,000 square foot facility in the latter part of this year through the spring of 1999. The company will employ 45 employees with the pallet operation which will be in conjunction with a discount sales outlet.

Lee Abraham said, "We want to put people to work. There will be opportunities for both full and part-time employees with no experience necessary."

"The Empowerment Zone offers incentives to businesses to do business in this area. The tax credit offered to employers is up to $3,000 per employee per year. This is a tremendous incentive that is especially attractive for companies whose operations are labor-intensive. It also encourages businesses to locate labor-intensive operations here," he said.

Other new industries in the Leflore County Empowerment Zone that are located outside of the park area but between Itta Bena and Greenwood, are Viking Specialty Products and Heartland Catfish.

Viking Specialty products is a branch of Viking Range. This industry opened the doors on a new facility this past January. Constructed with funding from the United States Department of Agriculture, Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development, and other sources, the plant currently employs approximately 33 people.

Heartland Catfish is a catfish processing plant that opened its doors two years ago. The plant is already undergoing a major expansion this summer that will create over 60 new jobs taking it from 115 employees to a projected 200.

In another related project, 600 acres have been added to the Greenwood Leflore Industrial Park. Approximately two million dollars has been set aside by the City of Greenwood and Leflore County for the construction of infrastructure in the new area of the park. Over two miles of roads are under construction and water and sewer lines will be laid to serve over 400 acres of road-frontage sites that will soon be available to the market for prospective industries.

Such notable industries as Baldwin Piano and Organ Company, which has recently announced plans for expansion; the John Richard Company, which has experienced two expansions; Irvin Automotive, which has also recently expanded; Takata Restraint Systems, makers of airbags for Toyota and BMW; Delta Distributing, an Anheuser Busch distribution facility; and Balkamp and Ferguson Machine, which has completed an expansion, occupy the park. DBJ

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Site last updated January 10, 1999.