PINE BELT, Mississippi (WDAM) – The Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport (PIB) is preparing to upgrade the infrastructure of its industrial park located on Superior Drive.

According to the airport’s executive director, Tom Heanue, the project will include the installation of new water and sewer lines to attract new businesses to the site.

“Everything we do here is designed to try and get jobs,” Heanue said. “We’re hoping that the things we’re doing will make us a little more competitive so that when these companies come looking, they want to be here in the Pine Belt.”

“When people find a job, they pay sales taxes, they also pay school taxes and they pay labels. These are long-term investments for our employees. Heanue added.

Earlier this year, Forrest and Jones County supervisors voted to give the airport $ 450,000 each for a total of $ 900,000, which will go to the project.

This money comes from funds provided to states by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, also known as the COVID-19 Stimulus Package.

The package included $ 1.9 trillion passed by Congress to accelerate recovery from the economic and health effects of the coronavirus pandemic and has been scattered throughout every state, from which Mississippi has raised $ 1.8 billion.

The airport’s prime industrial park location is adjacent to Interstate 59 and serves as a hub for the Pine Belt area and surrounding towns.

Before upgrading the airport infrastructure, preliminary plans must be submitted and bids are accepted. Airport officials say they expect the project to be completed by the end of spring 2022.

Another good news for the airport; airline boardings are on the rise and a new aviation services company is under construction.

In May of this year, 1,292 shipments were reported by GDP compared to only 383 shipments in May 2020.

A new hangar is also under construction and should be completed by the end of the year.

Copyright 2021 WDAM. All rights reserved.