Mayor Simmons: Greenville aims to be city of hope and opportunity

by Errick Simmons, Mississippi Today
March 18, 2025

Editor’s note: Errick Simmons is the third-term mayor of Greenville. This article is part of an ongoing Mississippi Today Ideas series showcasing perspectives of mayors across the state.

As mayor of Greenville, it’s my honor to share our city’s journey of growth and transformation. Greenville isn’t just a point on a map — it’s a vibrant community with a rich history, culture and shared vision for the future.

With billions of dollars in investments flowing into Greenville, including the recent $1.2 billion Entergy project, we’re witnessing the dawn of a new era. These milestones are creating opportunities across education, healthcare, infrastructure and economic development, fueling a Greenville that’s resilient, inclusive and built to last.

Historic investments reshaping Greenville

Greenville is seeing an unprecedented wave of investment that touches every corner of our community. In addition to a new federal courthouse positioning Greenville as a judicial hub, we’ve launched the Greenville Kearns Aerospace Maintenance (GKAM) program. In partnership with Mississippi Delta Community College, this initiative provides local students with hands-on aviation training, opening pathways to high-paying, skilled careers right here at home.

Through Mississippi’s first formalized college network — the Greenville College Access and Attainment Network (GCAAN) — we’re helping students move from high school to college with the support, resources and mentorship they need.

This past fall, we celebrated the groundbreaking $1.2 billion Entergy investment, which will transform Greenville, Washington County and the greater Delta region. Entergy’s new combined-cycle combustion turbine facility will use dual-fuel technology, primarily natural gas with hydrogen blending capability, enhancing energy reliability while moving toward cleaner power. Scheduled for completion in 2028, this plant will be Entergy’s first newly built natural gas station in 50 years and is expected to bring valuable jobs to our residents.

To add another billion-dollar icing on the cake, the Kinder Morgan Mississippi Crossing Project, a $1.4 billion natural gas project, is designed to transport 1.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day from Greenville to Butler, Alabama, with a planned operation date of November 2028. This project will create 700 temporary construction jobs.

Health and food access for a thriving community

Beyond economic development, we’re prioritizing health and food security, recognizing that wellness is foundational to a thriving community. Through partnerships with Mars Food, Molina Healthcare and Kroger, we’re expanding access to nutritious foods, addressing food deserts, and ensuring every Greenville resident has healthy options.

In healthcare, Delta Health System’s Mississippi Delta Family Residency Program and Delta Health Center’s new clinic are not only providing much-needed medical services but also training future medical providers who are passionate about serving right here in the Delta. This work is about more than access; it’s about building equity in the health of our community.

A resilient infrastructure for Greenville’s future

Our infrastructure investments are reshaping Greenville. With $260 million invested in the Greenville Freight Corridor, we’re creating new efficiencies for local businesses and industries. We’ve committed $92 million for essential road, bridge and wastewater repairs, and an additional $50 million in funding is supporting flood recovery and building resilience against future disasters. These projects go beyond routine repairs; they’re about Greenville’s long-term sustainability and strength.

Delta culture shines in the “City of Festivals”

Greenville’s heritage is a source of pride, celebrated through an array of festivals that showcase the best of Delta culture. Newly dubbed the “City of Festivals,” Greenville is home to the Delta Hot Tamale Festival, (2024 USA Today No. 1 Specialty Food Festival); the Mississippi Delta Blues & Heritage Festival (world’s longest running blues festival), and a host of newer festivals and events. These gatherings draw thousands of national and international visitors and embody the unique community spirit that makes Greenville special. Our partnership with Viking River Cruises is another significant achievement, bringing tourists annually to experience our history, music and culinary traditions.

Business boom and community recognition

Our city’s economic resurgence extends to our business community. Greenville has seen record-breaking business openings, including national brands like NuFarm, Hobby Lobby, Chick-fil-A and Tru by Hilton, along with a boom in small, women-owned and minority-owned businesses. This growth reflects Greenville’s welcoming climate for entrepreneurs and business leaders who are breathing new life into our local economy.

Greenville’s commitment to creating a livable, family-friendly city has gained national recognition. We were honored with the City Livability Achievement Award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors for our “Worship on the Water” initiative, which fosters community connections, and the National Child Well-Being Champion Award from FoodCorps, highlighting our commitment to food education in schools. As chair of the Southern Municipal Conference, I am privileged to help lead conversations around solutions to shared challenges across Southern cities, driving positive change for the Delta and beyond.

Greenville’s global advocacy for the Mississippi River

As mayor of Greenville, I have the privilege of placing our city on the global stage, advocating for the Mississippi River’s significance to global food security, trade and climate resilience. Recently, I delivered a “TED Talk” style presentation at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce during the Building Resilience Conference in Washington, D.C. I addressed executives from Fortune 500 companies and federal agency representatives about the resilience-at-scale work cities are undertaking along the Mississippi River.

Together with 104 bipartisan mayors, we are collaborating with Ducks Unlimited to deploy 100,000 acres of nature-based infrastructure. This advocacy continues at international forums, such as COP26 in Glasgow, COP27 in Egypt and COP28 in Dubai, where I represented Greenville alongside mayors from around the globe, urging global investment in the Mississippi River Basin, which spans 10 states.

This collaborative work with local and international partners is essential for both food security and water quality. By highlighting the importance of the Mississippi River, we are not only advocating for our community but also positioning Greenville as a key player in the global conversation around sustainable development and climate resilience.

Greenville: A community that moves forward together

I invite you to see the progress happening in Greenville — a city bridging its rich past with a promising future. From our investments in cleaner energy and resilient infrastructure to the growth of new businesses and cultural festivals, Greenville embodies the spirit that is our Delta heritage. This is a community where opportunity meets ambition, and where every project, partnership and celebration is part of a larger story — a story of a Delta city with a legacy as rich as its future is bright.

Our journey is ongoing, but every day, I see Greenville becoming a place of hope and opportunity. We’re not just building for today; we’re building for generations to come, with Greenville as a model of what a city can achieve with vision, determination and the strength of its people.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.