During the Tuesday, March 3, 2026, Board of Aldermen meeting, Mayor Purdie addressed the growing community concerns surrounding a potential development in the Clinton Industrial Park:
There is substantial and understandable public interest in a recently approved project in the Clinton Industrial Park. While some construction activities to rehabilitate the building have begun, the project developer is in ongoing negotiations about some aspects of the project, which is why no public announcement has been made. While there are limits on what may be shared at this point, the city does want to address a few of the concerns that have been raised.
Many of the concerns seem to stem from the recent news coverage regarding the xAi project in Southaven, MS and the associated noise and air pollution complaints. The project proposed in Clinton is fundamentally different. The Southaven project involves a new, temporary power plant installed using dozens of gas turbines for generating electricity. As we understand it, these turbines run constantly and are responsible for those noise and air concerns. The proposed Clinton project does not involve a power plant and will use power supplied by Entergy through the existing power grid, negating the concerns seen in Southaven. The proposed location is deep within an established industrial area, well removed from residential neighborhoods. This project would be subject to the same standards and expectations as the other industrial and manufacturing operations currently operating in the industrial park…