Photo by Thomas Howard/The Meridian Star
Construction is underway on a new Zaxby store near Meridian Crossroads Shopping Center. The restaurant is scheduled to open at the beginning of the year.
With multiple new industries trying to take root in the Queen City, every opportunity exists.
Community development director Craig Hitt said Tuesday that several new businesses, including new exercise facilities, are working to establish themselves in the Meridian area.
“We have an indoor exercise facility that will probably open by November 1,” he said. “Owners say they are in the final stages.”
Hitt said the new facility is intended for baseball and softball players, with pitching machines, batting cages and more.
Meridian also welcomed a shoe assembly plant under construction, a company looking to build a facility on South Frontage Road, expansion plans by Parrish Tractors along Jimmie Rogers Parkway and a new restaurant in North Hills. He said that he was
Hitt also said three cannabis growing facilities and eight pharmacies are under construction in the Queen City.
“All these facilities are operational and under construction,” he said.
The new business joins the list of investments Meridian welcomed this year. In April, Governor Tate Reeves joined city and county officials in announcing his $25 million expansion for Southern Pipe and Supply, and in September he welcomed more than 100 shoppers to his ALDI grand opening. lined up.
Meridian is expanding its dining options with a new Zaxby’s under construction, Bakery 900 opening, and Starbucks opening at the Threefoot Hotel.
Mayor Jimmy Smith said Meridian has a lot of opportunities and these new companies see it and are looking to join.
“I think it’s a huge opportunity for our community. I think people look at our community as a place where they want to place their facilities and businesses,” he said.
Smith said Meridian is a different place than it has been in years past, and businesses are eyeing what the new Queen City has to offer.
“I truly believe our community is a lot different than it has ever been,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons we’re growing in business and opportunity. I think people see us as an opportunity.
Hitt said the housing side has also seen a lot of growth as new business is being welcomed by Meridian. He said.
“Right now, according to our office representatives, the city of Meridian is having the most housing starts in years,” he said.
Grocery retailer ALDI opened its first Meridian store in September as part of a planned nationwide expansion. The expansion called for 150 new stores in 20 planned locations in the southeastern states.
Hitt said his office has been involved in planning several new subdivisions in recent weeks, in addition to individual homes under construction. The increase in new homes is particularly notable given how the cost of building materials has risen and interest rates have risen along with it.
“There is also a lot of interest in growing housing,” he said.
The City of Meridian isn’t the only new investment looking to move into the region. The Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors is very interested in several plots of land he owns off 22nd Street near the courthouse complex under construction.
Board President Jonathan Wells said a feasibility study for the property is underway and the board is in the process of issuing a Request for Proposals. The Board of Supervisors expects a new courthouse complex and sheriff’s office, along with the ongoing Serra Ward Parkway revitalization project, to facilitate development and greater revitalization of businesses along the 22nd Street Corridor. I hope that
“I don’t want people saying, ‘I could have done better’ 10, 15, 20 years from now,” he said. “We just want to do our due diligence.”
County supervisors are noticing new homes being built in Bailey, Marion and elsewhere in the county, Wells said, adding that building growth will continue even after federal pandemic funding has dried up. I would like to know if it continues.
“There’s been a lot of money coming in, so even if things improve, people think they have extra money. So we’re seeing these new homes being built,” he said. Told.
Hitt said one of the drivers for the new investment in Meridian could be the number of activities and events happening downtown. It may be hard to see for some residents, but Meridian has a lot to do, he said.
“We’re so used to it that we may miss it locally, but it’s one thing other people are aware of all the activities we do downtown,” he said.
Both the Temple Theater and the MSU Riley Center were sold out, along with everyone attending Friday night’s football game, Hitt said. Outsiders, he said, are drawn to the city after seeing all the events and activities Meridian has to offer.
“I think outsiders are looking at it and coming in and participating in these things and seeing something they want to be a part of,” he said.
While concerts and festivals offer families a wealth of opportunities, Meridian is also becoming a meeting destination. In recent weeks, the city hosted the Fall Meeting of the Mississippi City Clerks and Collectors Association and the Mississippi Realtors Association meeting.
At a Council of Government meeting on Monday, Lauderdale County tourism director Dede Mogollon told city and county officials that several other industry groups and interest groups would consider hosting an event in the Queen City. Said he was doing
