NATCHEZ — For nearly six months, city and county officials have been tight lipped about their efforts to close a deal with a potential large employer.

When Gov. Haley Barbour announced Tuesday Elevance Renewable Sciences will begin construction in Adams County, creating approximately 300 construction jobs and 165 permanent jobs over the next five years, many who were in on the secret said they were relieved to be able to shout it from the rooftops.

“It’s amazing how we kept a secret for this long,” Natchez Inc. Executive Director Chandler Russ said.

Natchez Inc. Board Chairwoman Sue Stedman, Rep. Gregg Harper, Adams County Board of Supervisors President Darryl Grennell, Mississippi Development Authority Deputy Director Whit Hughes, Natchez Mayor Jake Middleton, and the company’s CEO and vice president of manufacturing shared the stage with Barbour at the colonnade outside the Natchez Visitor Reception Center.

County supervisors had signed off on the deal and knew the secret, but the story wasn’t the same for all local officials.

Ward 2 Alderman James “Ricky” Gray said before the announcement under the glaring sun he would learn details along with everybody else.

“With the announcement of these jobs, I don’t care how hot it is,” Gray said.

Area and state officials and members of Natchez Now, the private funding group for Natchez Inc. comprised of mostly local businesspeople, weathered the high temperatures to hear the announcement from Barbour.

“This is good news for all of Southwest Mississippi, not just Natchez,” Barbour said. “Job creation is a team sport, and we’ve got a great team.”

Russ, who started his Natchez Inc. job in November, said he first heard of the company Elevance a week before settling in his Natchez office, while he was still with the Mississippi Development Authority.

MDA worked with company and local officials to help facilitate the project. Russ said especially with the type of industry that involves a variety of investors, keeping a lid on the project’s details was especially critical to retain confidentially until the deal was settled and the location was approved.

Russ said he has probably spent 50 to 60 percent of his time in recent months working to secure Elevance.

“The management team and site selection team is as thorough and professional as any I’ve seen,” Russ said of the Elevance representatives.

Elevance CEO K’Lynne Johnson said the company has had wonderful support from Adams County and Mississippi.

“I want to start off by thanking you,” she said during the announcement. “I am amazed by the support and participation you all have shown.”

After the announcement, Grennell said he had been dreaming of news like Tuesday’s announcement for a long time.

“It’s amazing how (local, state and company officials) worked together so well,” Grennell said. “Everything flowed so great, and Chandler Russ did a very good job.”

MDA’s executive director echoed the teamwork in a press release.

“Today marks a milestone for Natchez and Adams County, and I couldn’t be more pleased that Elevance has chosen to locate its newest operations here,” said MDA Executive Director Leland Speed. “This announcement reinforces the fact that Mississippi has a business climate in place to meet the needs of any company.

Barbour suggested a future for economic development in Adams County would have more opportunities.

“There is going to be more to come if we’ll keep working together like we did on this,” Barbour said.

“In my eight years as governor, the area I have felt like we needed to focus on most has been Southwest Mississippi. The federal prison here and this facility, I just want you to know there are other things we are working on.”

Barbour said Rentech Inc., for example, is something he hopes will come to fruition.

Middleton, who presented company CEO Johnson with a key to the city, said Tuesday was the best day Natchez-Adams County has seen in a long time.

“I’m like a child at Christmas; it was so hard not to tell everybody (before Tuesday,)” he said.

Middleton said he is proud to have been a small part of project, saying Natchez Inc. and Natchez Now have proven the public and private sectors can work together.

“Let us get this one (economic development) hit, and it will get us on the map,” he said. “This is a sign of things to come.”

The Illinois-based Elevance converts renewable, natural oils into a variety of products including makeup, detergents and plastics.

The Natchez jobs will include highly skilled workers and maintenance employees.

The company purchased the former Delta BioFuels facility, Barbour said, and will invest $225 million in Natchez in the next five years.