BRANDON, Miss. (WJTV) – Crews are working to develop 90 acres in the City of Brandon in order to make space for possible businesses.

They are working on the development in the area near Home Depot just off of Highway 18 and close to Interstate 20. Crews are currently installing infrastructure at the location.

Brandon Mayor Butch Lee said there has been discussion to build an auto dealership, hotels, a grocery store, restaurants, apartments and assisted living places in the area.

“We need eateries, absolutely. We need places for people to live in Brandon,” said Lee.

He continued, “We need a grocer in Brandon very badly. So, this will serve as somebody to take a lot of pressure off of the two that we have.”

The mayor said he doesn’t know of any signed contracts for businesses at this time.

The earthwork for the project was finished through the Fall of 2022. Lee said he anticipates the slabs for the buildings to go up by this summer.

The mayor said the development is also close to parks in the city.

“We need restaurants and hotels, particularly. This is in close proximity to the parks that we have. We have 28 playable balls fields, 11 soccer fields. A lot of these people have to stay in Hinds County or our sister cities, which is okay, but we need some place closer to the fields that they can stay and eat and enjoy the experience while they’re here in Brandon,” stated Lee.