'A monumental day': New FedEx distribution center, new jobs at Hattiesburg-Laurel airport
The Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport will soon become home to a FedEx Ground distribution center, officials announced Thursday afternoon.
"It's a monumental day for our region," said Tom Heanue, airport director.
The facility will be located in the airport's I-59 Supply Chain Park. Construction is expected to cost around $12 million, said Bill Ray, chairman of the Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport Authority Board during a news conference at the airport.
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"The point is to provide for those people that we live with every day in the Pine Belt area and try to bring better jobs to the marketplace," Ray said. "We hope that is what is going to happen here."
The FedEx site will be the largest at the business park at 217,000 square feet. Operations are expected to begin later this year.
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The new facility is expected to bring a mix of full- and part-time employees to the area. The number will be adjusted seasonally. The company did not disclose an estimate of how many jobs would be available, but David Hogan, president of the Forrest County Board of Supervisors, said they anticipate seeing around 200 new jobs at the FedEx Ground site.
"Thank you to FedEx for having confidence in our region to build this new facility," Hogan said. "This is another great example of Forrest County reaching across county lines to partner with an adjoining county for the betterment of our whole region."
Jones County Board of Supervisors President Johnny Burnett agrees.
“The strategic partnership between Jones County and Forrest County and the Airport Authority has led to the success of the I-59 Supply Chain Park. We are looking forward to the continued economic prosperity of the region through this partnership.”
FedEx will join other businesses at the center, including Ashley's Furniture, NoTrax, Flowers Bakery Distribution Center and Clearview Recovery Center. The addition is welcome, Hogan said, because it will help attract other businesses to the park.
"It will better position us for future growth," Hogan said.
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This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: FedEx to open new facility at Hattiesburg-Laurel airport; bring jobs
