Missouri Partnership — Southeast Missouri Economic Development Alliance

Southeast Missouri offers a strategic U.S. location situated between the Mid-South and Midwest markets. Bordered by Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, and Illinois, the six-county Missouri “Bootheel” region is named for its geographic profile, resembling the heel of a boot. Southeast Missouri is home to corporate facilities owned by companies from Europe, Asia, South America, and Canada.

The Bootheel has thousands of developable acres of flat, “shovel-ready” industrial land, including St. Jude Industrial Park (4,000 acres/1,600 hectares). The region also contains several industrial buildings of up to 200,000 square feet (18,600 square meters) available for immediate occupancy.

The Missouri Bootheel is well-connected with an intermodal transportation system of roads, water ports, railroads, and airports. The highway system is anchored by Interstate 55, running north to St. Louis and Chicago, and south to Memphis and New Orleans. The region is served by major truck lines and the BNSF and Union Pacific railroads. International air service is easily available in St. Louis, Memphis, and Nashville. The Mississippi River runs for 200 miles along the eastern border of the Bootheel with four busy river ports located in the region. A reliable and low-cost electric supply, widespread natural gas service, and abundant water resources are available throughout the region.

The Missouri Bootheel is home to a strong educational system, including four career and technology centers, eight higher education centers, and the University of Missouri’s premiere agricultural research center. In addition to economic incentives from the State of Missouri, local communities in the Bootheel offer additional incentives to businesses investing in Southeast Missouri.