The State of Mississippi and Northrop Grumman Ship Systems signed a five-year lease agreement for Singing River Island beginning Monday, December 17, 2007.  The Mississippi Secretary of State, Jackson County Board of Supervisors, the Jackson County Port Authority, the Jackson County Economic Development Foundation, and the Local Redevelopment Authority signed the agreement on behalf of the state. 

 “We are excited that Northrop Grumman has entered into an agreement to occupy parts of Singing River Island,” said Secretary of State Eric Clark.  “Not only will Northrop Grumman benefit from the agreement, but the citizens of Jackson County as well.  This deal could not have occurred without the hard work of the Jackson County Board of Supervisors, the Jackson County Port Authority, the Jackson County Economic Development Foundation, and the Local Redevelopment Authority as well as the folks at Northrop Grumman and my staff at the Secretary of State’s Office.” 

(Photo Right: Taking part in the signing of the lease are (left to right): Eric Clark, Mississippi Secretary of State; Philip Teel, President of Northrop Grumman Ship Systems; and Charles Persons, President of the Jackson County Port Authority Board of Commissioners)

Singing River Island is the former home of the Naval Station Pascagoula, which officially shut down when the Department of Defense’s Base Realignment Closure transition took place in 2005.  The island became the property of the State of Mississippi on June 1, 2007.  Northrop Grumman will occupy more than 207,000 square feet covering 23 acres in 17 buildings that will house approximately 360 professional employees on the site.

"Northrop Grumman is proud to be working alongside our county and statewide partners to return economic development value back to Singing River Island. We look forward to a successful transition into our new office spaces," said Philip Teel, president, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems.

Officials attended the event today at the weekly Jackson County Board of Supervisors. 

“Northrop Grumman has been a major economic engine for Jackson County for 70 years,” said Tim Broussard, president, Jackson County Board of Supervisors. “Many groups worked together to get to this point and it will be nice to see economic activity return to Singing River Island.”