Even as much of Batesville was buzzing last month with the exciting news of retail stores and restaurants coming with the shopping center planned for Covenant Crossing, some local leaders were predicting greater gains for the city and all of Panola County in 2025.

At least two major industrial economic development announcements are pending – one that has some worried it may be “too big” for Batesville – but another project may be overlooked, so says Panola Partnership CEO Joe Azar.

“We love retail and we love manufacturing and I’m as excited as everyone else about the boost these announcements give our city and county, but deep down I still believe the Concourse will turn out to be the most impactful project this community has ever had,” Azar said.

“Business is business, but the Concourse has the potential to change people’s lives and it’s already doing that,” he said. “I hope the public doesn’t stop thinking about the Concourse and how important it can be to our city’s future.”

Azar made those remarks just as the Concourse project’s Phase 2 is being completed – meaning that about 67 percent of the old outlet mall at the intersection of Hwy. 6 and I-55 has now been renovated and is operational or will be for the new semester.

Northwest Mississippi Community College President Dr. Michael Heindl met in December with local leaders to recap the Concourse’s seven-and-a-half year history, and updated the college’s goals for 2025 and the completion of Phase 3.

Under the agreement between NWCC, Batesville, and Panola County, the college agrees to maintain and operate a work training center campus at the location including the cost of hiring instructor, employees, and providing equipment. 

To date, NWCC has contributed about $7.5 million in equipment and personnel. In a cooperation reached between the city and county, $2.6 million was raised for purchase of the property and another $16 million for renovation from state and federal sources.

“Unfortuantey, inflation has played a huge role,” Azar said during the update meeting, estimating the project is short about $1.5 million – funds that are being sought for Phase 3 at the state and national level.

Azar said he is optimistic that 2025 will be a big year for the Concourse because with the completion of Phase 2 more programs will be added, or expanded, and will increase use of the 151,975 sq. ft. facility.

Heindl highlighted seven programs, or training initiatives, currently underway at the Concourse. Those include:

• Adult Education Program that served 156 students last year and is on track to surpass that total this year.
• Diesel Tech Program that has a capacity for 80 students with 67 currently enrolled. Students with certificates from this program can earn salaries from $53-70,000 after completion.
• Marketing Management Technology was started in the fall with 10 students and has capacity for 40. These are lower salary type careers, and are designed for office workers in banks, hospitals and other professional settings.
• Industrial Automation and Controls Engineering Technology is part of the first classes in the electric vehicle program. This program is designed to support commercial EV battery manufacturing and will be expanded as the Concourse grows. Currently 24 students are enrolled and that number should increase to 56 in 2025. 
• Commercial truck driving has eight students enrolled currently, but Heindl said the college is considering hiring an additional instructor to double those classes. Most trucking companies will hire drives 23 and older, and some students finish the courses before they turn 23 and are ready to begin when qualified by age.
• WIN Job Center (Workforce Investment Network) served 3,447 residents last year and has become a valuable resource for job seekers.
• Workforce Non-Credit Flexible Training is also available at the Concourse and has been used by local industries ACI and GE Aerospace to provide training for employees.

Heindl said the new year and expanded rehabilitation will allow for welding and robotic welding programs to be added and expand the IACET program.

Also, expansion of the diesel tech program and the addition of construction trades training (plumbing, pipe fitting, masonry, residential electrical)  is on the horizon.

“These are short term programs that are designed to get people out and working,” Heindl said.

No decisions are final, but the college is also considering moving its civil engineering program to the Batesville site, along with the general automotive curriculum and classes.