Delta Business Journal Greenwood and Leflore County have just released their unemployment rates for the month of September. The new rates are very impressive. The area has also made great strides in their economic development achievements during 1998. "Obviously, we are very pleased with our September 6.5% unemployment rate," says Cliff Brumfield, Executive Director for the Greenwood-Leflore Industrial Board. "Of course we are in the throws of the 1998 harvest season which has something to do with this rate. However, if you consider the downward trend and the cycle of reduction of the unemployment rate over the past couple of decades, it doesn't take long for one to come to the conclusion that our economy is definitely on the upswing. Also, the industrial expansion that we have had in Leflore County during the past few years has made our economy much stronger in turn." Leflore County deposits are up 240% from $148,186,000 in 1980 to $356,818,000. Carroll County deposits for the same period were up 328% from $8,942,000 to $29,383,000. Sales tax collections for the same time period have more than doubled and manufacturing employment has risen from 2,830 in 1980 to approximately a current standing of 4,000. Part of the area's recent growth has been a direct result of the creation of the new Federal Empowerment Zone. New manufacturing has begun just west of Greenwood. Heartland Catfish completed a $2 million expansion of their processing plant near Itta Bena this year which added 40 employees, bringing their total to 200. Heartland's sales are running 50% above last year's figures. In addition to their expansion, Heartland has established their own trucking fleet for more complete control of product delivery. Another Greenwood area project, located in the Empowerment Zone, that has added to the economy, is the expansion of Viking Speciality Products. Viking now has a 40,000 square foot expansion that will soon be completed just west of Greenwood which will bring their total up to 80,000 square feet. Ventilation hoods, and carts of BBQ grills will be manufactured in the new facility. Viking's total employment has risen from 225 last year to 550 today. Also in the Empowerment Zone is the 37,500 square foot expansion of the John Richard collection's Alexander and Mary furniture operation. This new facility, to be located in the Itta Bena-Leflore Industrial Park should be completed by next spring. The new location will provide a finishing and upholstery center for their joint partnerships in Asia and Indonesia. This project is noteworthy in that it is the first facility to be constructed in the Itta Bena-Leflore Industrial Park. John Richard Collection had a domestic sales growth for 1997 of 18% and year to date sales figures give them an impressive growth rate of 23% for 1998. Twenty employees were added to the Greenwood facility this year bringing their total employment to 220. Forty employees are expected to be added to the Itta Bena project in the first 24 months of operation. During 1998, the Itta Bena-Leflore Industrial Park was the recipient of a $450,000 Community Development Block Grant from the Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development. Leflore County contributed an additional $276,000 which was used for the construction of a new 250,000 elevated water tank and a new 400 gallon per minute water well and access road to serve this new industrial park. Mississippi Valley State University continues to add to the Greenwood area economy. Currently, MVSU employs 460 faculty and staff persons. A major construction project is underway at Valley to construct a new administration building. Beginning efforts toward relocation of Baldwin Piano and Organ company's grand piano production from Arkansas to their facility in the Greenwood-Leflore Industrial Park also took place this year. This project will involve a capital investment of $4 million dollars and will add 77 jobs to the local workforce when complete. Healthcare is a big growth industry for Greenwood and the surrounding area. The Greenwood Leflore Hospital continues to expand and construction was completed on a new 12,000 square foot Outpatient Rehabilitation Center. The hospital's emergency room expansion was also completed in 1998 and is the busiest emergency room in north central Mississippi. Construction will soon be underway to provide a new space for the cardiology department. Total employment at Greenwood Leflore Hospital now totals 972. Staplcotn, one of the oldest industries in Greenwood continues to consolidate their position as the premier cotton marketing organization in the South. The company has managed to grow even in the wake of diminishing cotton acreage. Much of the company's growth has come through acquisitions of cotton warehousing operations throughout the area. In addition to the 1,191,000 square feet of local warehouse space, Staplcotn has added more than 300,000 square feet each in Greenville, Hollandale and Rolling Fork as well as 500,000 square feet in Indianola. The new Leflore County Agri-Center is nearing completion in the Greenwood-Leflore Industrial Park. This 83,400 Square foot facility is designed to be used for the exhibition of livestock, horse shows, rodeos, trade shows and concerts. Delta Distributing completed their new $1.3 million, 45,000 square foot distribution facility in the industrial park. Delta distributes Anheiser-Busch products to Leflore, Carroll, Montgomery and Grenada Counties. DBJ

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