Eligible Applicants

Eligible Applicants. In order to receive benefits under the Mississippi Tourism Rebate Program, an Applicant must meet the following requirements: A. The applicant must be a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, sole proprietorship, business trust or other legal entity authorized to do business in the State. B. In the event that the applicant is licensed by the State Gaming Commission, only eligible costs in excess of the required non-gaming development will be included as eligible costs. C. The applicant must plan to own all the components of the tourism project in order for the costs of the components to be included in the initial capital investment requirements or as a facility from which sales tax will be rebated. D. The municipality and/or the taxing district where the tourism-oriented enterprise will be located must support and approve the facility. Such approval must be in the form of a resolution of the governing authority acknowledging support of the project and acknowledging that 80% of the sales tax collected from the project will be diverted to the Sales Tax Rebate Fund for a period of up to ten (10) years for projects approved on or before on or before June 30, 2013 and up to fifteen (15) years for projects approved on or after July 1, 2013 and will not be available for the standard city diversions. E. Retail related to a Resort Development must consist primarily of upscale brands or their equivalent. Retail not eligible for rebate includes: (i). Department stores (ii). Convenience stores (iii).Grocery stores (iv).Liquor and Tobacco Stores (v). Discount stores, (vi). Multiplex Theaters, (vii). Facilities that perform cleaning, repairing, or alteration services, or (viii) Facilities that perform personal services such as tanning, nail and beauty salon F. Approval of retail facilities will be approved on a case-by-case basis by the executive director of MDA.