The Greater Starkville Development Partnership is working with landowners and the state on a possible megasite in eastern Oktibbeha County.

GSDP president and CEO Jon Maynard said the 1,700-acre area is near the Hickory Grove interchange with U.S. Highway 82.

He said possible occupants would focus on large-scale manufacturing and could be from various sectors, including aviation, automotive supply or homeland defense.

Maynard said the site could be as large as 2,200 acres.

He described the current status of the study as “exploratory.”

The first thing officials will do is hire engineers to determine if the property is viable as a megasite. Then officials will look at negotiating land prices and options. The third step will be to put together an infrastructure development plan, Maynard said.

The time frame for the environmental studies will be 12 months, Maynard said.