Stennis Space Center’s economic impact benefits South Mississippi’s regional economy

April 30, 2015

By any measure, Hancock County's Stennis Space Center is clearly the county's major economic driver. However, a recent report published by Dr. Alan Barefield and Dr. Becky Smith of the Mississippi State University Extension Service reveals just how important Stennis Space Center is to South Mississippi's regional economy.

The report notes that "While (Stennis Space Center) is a truly national center for research, military logistics and applied science and draws funding from the federal government, it spends almost $0.74 of every dollar received within the local four county/parish area (a proxy for a fifty mile radius from the Center's boundaries)."

This, the report said, resulted in Stennis Space Center contributing more than $1.08 billion to the economies of Hancock, Harrison and Pearl River counties in Mississippi and St. Tammany Parish in Louisiana in Fiscal Year 2014. The report details this contribution resulting from a total direct Stennis Space Center economic effect of $917.1 million in total expenditures with an employment of 5,106 workers and $477 million in labor income.

Additionally, the report notes, the total local area economic activities originating from the Center resulted in more than $650 million in labor income, more than 9,700 total jobs and almost $880 million in value added. This included more than 5,200 jobs and more than $223 million in labor income for workers residing in the four county/parish area who are not directly employed at Stennis Space Center. Other contributions the report detailed include more than 540 jobs, more than $17.2 million in labor income and more than $41 million in output for the retail sector alone, as well as $172 million in contributions to local/state/federal government coffers.

"Stennis Space Center is an economic titan that serves as a catalyst for our entire regional economy," said Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission Executive Director Ashley Edwards. "As the economic development authority for Hancock County, we place tremendous emphasis on growing the assets at Stennis Space Center and using the incredible power of the federal city as a marketing tool to attract new business and industry."

Edwards said the presence of Stennis Space Center provides Hancock County with unique opportunities to be a premier global competitor in aerospace development.

"As home to Stennis Space Center, Hancock County proudly wears the label as Mississippi's Aerospace Capital," Edwards said. "We aim so much of our targeted economic development marketing efforts at aerospace companies and other synergistic enterprises that want to locate in proximity to Stennis Space Center. Our constant goal is to leverage Stennis Space Center for maximized investments and work strategically to unlock the full potential it has to offer."