MAYHEW, Miss. (WTVA) -- After more than 40 years, the three counties that make up the Golden Triangle are finally coming together to make that name hold true.
After Clay County partnered with the Lowndes County Development LINK earlier this year, Oktibbeha County has now joined the cause.
An announcement was made Friday at East Mississippi Community College in Mayhew.
"We unveiled the funding, the structure, the governance — everything that will go along with it as well as an interim plan for the next two years that will allow our communities to grow into a full-time regional economic development group," said Joe Higgins, CEO of the LINK.
The new group's board has representatives from all three counties.
The board believes that each county brings something unique to the partnership.
"Each county has its own risks. Each county has its own successes. Each county has its own unique assets, and when you bundle those together, think of the force we could be as one when we are promoting all the good things about the area," said Jim McAlexander, a board member from Lowndes County.
The partnership is called the GTRDA which stands for the Golden Triangle Regional Development Authority. The budget annually for operations will be between $2.3 million and $2.5 million.
This new partnership means the Columbus-Lowndes LINK will cease to exist and LINK CEO Joe Higgins will now lead the GTRDA as CEO.
