The State of Mississippi has been honored with a Gold Shovel Award by Area Development magazine. The national award honors Mississippi’s historic accomplishments in economic development throughout 2024. Additionally, Area Development named the $10 billion Amazon Web Services project as one of its Non-Manufacturing Projects of the Year, and the $1.9 billion Amplify Cell Technologies project as one of its Manufacturing Projects of the Year. The Shovel Awards are presented to “states that stand out for their ability to attract high-impact economic development projects.” Area Development’s top projects are “based on job creation, capital investment, diversity of industry, and each state’s overall economic strategy.”
Based on the projects submitted by the Mississippi Development Authority, Mississippi won a Gold Shovel Award in the “Under 3 million population” category.
Mississippi’s top job creation and/or investment projects contributing to winning a Gold Shovel Award include:
Amazon Web Services: $10 billion investment, 1,000 jobs
Amplify Cell Technologies: $1.9 billion investment, 2,000 jobs
PCC Gulf Chem: $540 million investment, 84 jobs
Liebherr: $238.4 million investment, 342 jobs
Koch Foods: $145.5 million investment, 128 jobs
Ashley Furniture: $79.4 million investment, 525 jobs
Anduril Industries: $75 million investment, 60 jobs
Aurora Flight Sciences: $43.8 million investment, 63 jobs
Gulf State Canners: $40.8 million investment, 19 jobs
Owl’s Head Alloys: $29.2 million investment, 68 jobs
Rosedale Distilling Company: $23.1 million investment, 57 jobs
Superior Optical Lab: $12.4 million investment, 188 jobs
“Under Governor Reeves’ leadership, Mississippi has become an economic development force to be reckoned with,” said MDA Executive Director, Bill Cork. “Private-sector investment has skyrocketed to record levels, and Mississippi has raced to the front of the pack in technological innovation, paving the way for the dawn of the ‘Digital Delta.’ On top of that, Mississippi’s Power Play initiative is about to make this state a leader in American energy. This all means more jobs, more economic wins, and more national recognition.”