This page was posted after a visit in April.  Since then, the development company has been negotiating with MS Development Authority.  The results of those meetings are in "The Agreement".

Senator Doug Davis of DeSoto County has earned much of the credit for moving this project along.

On this page are pictures of a trip several of us took to view several developments in Southern California.  Phillips Development Company (Bill Phillips, owner) is considering a 5,000 acre or so development in southwest DeSoto County.  Starting at the Tunica/DeSoto County line and going north to Star Landing road, the project will also go from Highway 61 to the River.

The project includes some 9,500 homes consisting of single family homes, condos, and apartments; three hotels and four golf courses.  All of this surround a 500 acre lake.

The developers are putting up more than $2.3 billion.  They are asking for $57 (see Agreement, as they have settled on $23 million) million in infrastructure work from the state.  This commitment of taxpayer money would include two interchanges along Highway 61, running water and sewer lines to the property, and constructing a "ring road" which would be a four lane boulevard.  This money would be quickly recouped from sales taxes on construction materials, income taxes, and retail sales to the 28,000 people who will be employed over the 15 year buildout of the project and 13,500 permanent employees working in the hotels, retail stores, commercial offices, and landscaping, as well as sales taxes from sales in the dozens of retail stores in the development.

I was a skeptic when this project was first announced.  In my short seven years in the legislature, I have attended more than one development presentation in DeSoto County and come away feeling like someone was about to get scammed.  Not on this one.  The developers are for real, having similar projects in Paris around EuroDisney, Texas, and several in Southern California.    Honestly, if they were not serious, they wasted a lot of time and money getting us out there.

Here are some of the pictures I took out there.  They are thumbnails, so click on them and you will go to a larger picture.  Also, I apologize for the blue tint.  I believe I had the camera set on "indoor" with a flash instead of outdoor for white balancing,

 

Click on picture to make larger.

bill_phillips.JPG (1165823 bytes) This is Mr. Phillips and he is standing in front of a wall sized printout of the Riverbend Crossing Project.    The southern most part of the photo is the Tunica/DeSoto County line.  

fellow_travellers.JPG (1471980 bytes) Here are some of the fellow travelers on the trip.  On the far left are Jim Flanagan, supervisor Tommy Lewis.  Others on the trip included Mayor Gene Alday of Walls, supervisor Bill Russell, Sen. Doug Davis who helped Jim put the trip together, Senator Tommy Robertson, Representative Percy Watson.  The latter two are chairman of their respective house's finance/ways and means committee.

pacific_use.JPG (1486371 bytes) On the right is the Pacific Ocean.  On top of the bluff is the Ritz Carleton.  This and the following pictures are two of the 5,000 acre each developments the Phillips Company has done in Southern California.  One of them has 50,000 people living there.  I learned what developers do.  As the development grew, the area incorporated.  When homeowners buy, they understand that in addition to whatever city and county taxes they pay, they also pay a fee to maintain the landscaping design and upkeep of the development.

homes.JPG (1429681 bytes) Here's a good view about a half mile east of the above picture showing homes along the golf course.

shopping.JPG (1389761 bytes) This is one of the several shopping areas around the development.  There is a Target around, but folks, it's unlike any Target you've ever seen.  Also, part of the fee collected by homeowners in these developments is turned over to the governing education board to pay for the construction of a school.  Land for the school is set aside by the developer.

 

plane.JPG (1155611 bytes) Remember when I said my Ranger caught fire?  Well, I failed to tell you all that I traded it in for this little number...OK, pick yourself up off the floor and get off the oxygen.  The state elected folks flew out on the plane.  I have reluctantly voted for this plane each year.  No more.  It's worth it, and if both of these projects does turn out, the state will recoup its investment in the $57 million infrastructure improvements and enough to buy a new plane (this one was purchased used) within 15 years or less.

betsy.JPG (1212211 bytes) While in California, our group was the guest of Mr. Phillips at the Tutto Mare Restaurant in Newport Beach.  Betsy, a nurse at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Hollywood and Agnes daughter was able to meet us for the event.  Betsy is a traveling nurse and works in the ICU at the hospital...she also lives out there.  This summer she will be giving up the glamour to be the camp nurse at Camp Lake Stevens in Oxford.

 

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