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Natchez got a shot in the arm Monday as Gov. Tate Reeves came to town to announce a new business project that is expected to bring 200 jobs to downtown Natchez over the next two years.

Natchez could certainly use the jobs and the opportunities.

Monday’s announcement, however, did not come without a lot of hard work and dedication from a lot of people behind the scenes for some 13 months.

Natchez Inc. and Natchez Now members have been working on the prospect for more than a year.

The state threw in some business incentives to sweeten the pot and Natchez succeeded in the effort to bring Loss Prevention Services back to Natchez.

The company, co-founded by Sterling Gay and his family some 10 years ago, started here in Natchez and it was a dream come true for the company to come back home.

T.J. Baggett, Loss Prevention Services chief development officer, said the company is a high-tech company with that provides data to financing companies to help them make wise lending decisions.

She said she works with a lot of smart people who are skilled in computer technologies.

That is the perfect type of business for Natchez and I’m excited the company is coming here.

In his portion of Monday’s ceremony welcoming Loss Prevention Services to Natchez, Mayor Dan Gibson said the COVID-19 pandemic has opened the eyes of the nation to the charm and viability of smaller communities such as Natchez to prospective businesses.

The ability to live near the work place and to have amenities close by in affordable houses are great draws for businesses looking for an ideal location.

On top of those conveniences, Natchez also offers a lot of history, beautiful views and great architecture.

Natchez was attractive to Loss Prevention Services even before the COVID-19 pandemic, however, and not just because the founders of the company are from here.

And, I’m hopeful that Loss Prevention Services will be the catalyst that gets the ball rolling to snowball into a bigger and bigger economic success.

The more people who employed here, the more people who will have disposable incomes and them more they will need support businesses.

Couple that with the projects John Norris and Tate Taylor are developing and Natchez could see a good economic turnaround.

In addition to Norris and Taylor’s restaurants, they also have film projects in the works with the ultimate goal of basing a couple of television series in town, which they say could bring $80 million each into the economy.

That would certainly be a shot in the arm, but for now we will celebrate the success of bringing Loss Prevention Services back to Natchez.

Hopefully, within a year or two, those seeds will have sprung into a beautiful financial garden for the Miss-Lou.

Scott Hawkins is editor of The Natchez Democrat. Reach him at scott.hawkins@natchezdemocrat.com or 601-445-3540.