VIDALIA — United as one, Concordia Parish Economic Development and Natchez Inc. hope to interest potential industries by working together to promote the Miss-Lou.

The Miss-Lou Regionalism Steering Committee will formally ask the Adams County Board of Supervisors and the Concordia Parish Police Jury for financial support during their meetings in March.

The committee is composed of business and civic leaders from Natchez and Adams County, Concordia Parish, Ferriday and Vidalia.

Each side of the river will be asked to provide $15,000 per year for a period of three years to support a Miss-Lou marketing campaign for the purposes of economic development.

Concordia Parish Economic and Industrial District Executive Director Heather Malone said the funds would be used for products like a joint Miss-Lou website with interactive mapping resources and print advertising that would promote the area to potential investors.

“Businesses don’t see political boundaries or geographic lines. They look at the radius of what’s all around them and what they would be close to,” Malone said. “When we talk to business, we can give them workforce numbers for our entire radius, not just our town, county or parish, which is more attractive.”

The total marketing budget of $30,000 would also be used for trips to visit target markets or particular industries and conferences or conventions, Malone said.

“Say we wanted to target the chemical industry,” Malone said. “We would go out to some key sites and visit with them to let them know what we have to offer and make sure they’re familiar with us.”

While the Miss-Lou gets attention from a tourism standpoint, Natchez Inc. Executive Director Chandler Russ said that doesn’t necessarily reach potential clients wanting to bring jobs to the area.

“This is different from tourism because it’s strictly directed toward regional marketing from an economic development standpoint,” Russ said. “It will be good having a collective clearing house for common information like that, and the ability to present that information from a regional standpoint is going to be highly beneficial.”

Malone said the main goal of the marketing campaign is simple — let people know what the Miss-Lou has to offer.

“We really need to market ourselves to our target markets for economic development so people can know who we are and what we have to offer,” Malone said. “We need to brand ourselves and create a name for ourselves. This effort will officially brand our region for economic development.”

Malone said she has been in discussions with several police jury members and will make a formal proposal during its March 5 meeting.

Malone said she will ask the board for all $15,000, but hopes to eventually reach out to private business for funding as well.

“We’re trying to make sure our public boards get invested, because if they aren’t invested, why would businesses invest?” Malone said. “We thought this would be the most cut-and-dry method.”

Russ said he will visit the Adams County Board of Supervisors during its second meeting in March and ask the board for $10,000, hoping to reach out to private businesses for the remaining $5,000.

“We plan on seeing how things shape out and address our private businesses to kick in with that additional $5,000,” Russ said. “But we have not made a formal request yet.”

Both Russ and Malone said the opportunity to join together to promote the Miss-Lou’s economic development potential makes the efforts all worthwhile.

“Things like this will allow us to make ourselves known to the rest of the country,” Malone said. “If we don’t let people know who we are and where we are, then we don’t exist.”