MAS Minority Caucus hears data center panel, honors local legends

The annual Mississippi Association of Supervisors Minority Caucus convention in Meridian, Mississippi, brought together county supervisors from across the state to discuss various topics, including data center development and economic growth. A key panel featured East Mississippi Business Development Corporation President and CEO Bill Hannah, who detailed the process of securing a $10 billion data campus investment from Compass Datacenters in Lauderdale County. This project, which ties for the largest economic development project in state history, is contingent on the availability of shovel-ready sites and cooperation from Mississippi Power, the utility supplying electricity. The goal is to have two buildings operational by December 2026. Garrett Wright of the Rankin First Economic Development Authority and Pablo Diaz of the Vicksburg Warren Partnership also joined the discussion, highlighting data center investments in Rankin County and Warren County, respectively. Diaz specifically addressed concerns about electricity and water consumption, citing an upcoming Amazon data center in Warren County that will be 91% air-cooled, distinguishing it from older, more water-intensive facilities. Hannah confirmed Lauderdale County's data centers would also be air-cooled, with the Mississippi Public Service Commission regulating electricity rates. Wright noted that the Rankin County project, while water-cooled, would not require additional water system capacity, as existing upgrades were sufficient. The officials collectively stressed the critical role of site preparation and readily available utilities in attracting significant data center investments to Mississippi communities.