Building Committee Chairman Philip Heard said, "We're just not quite there yet, but we're awfully close."

According to Heard, the grand opening for the new building will be in May or early June. "At this point," he said, "we could possibly be looking at the middle of May. It could possibly be the first of June, but we're hoping for the middle of May."

"We're ordering the final furniture to go inside, so hopefully just within a short while, we'll have the inside completed."

Heard said that a major holdup is that the specially ordered engraved bricks are taking longer to arrive than planned. "The main thing that's going to keep us from having our grand opening at this point are the bricks that people have purchased," Heard said. "That's taking longer. We have placed our initial order, but it's going to be six to eight weeks getting those bricks. And we don't want to have our grand opening until the bricks and everything are in place."

According to Chamber Board President, Jim Lyles, the new facility will be a major plus for Grenada. "One thing that I think will stand out will be the board room," said Lyles, "as well as the foyer, the receptionist area, and the executive director's offices. Each of those will really make a statement of what this community is about and how important the Chamber is to this community."

"It's going to be a wonderful example of what Grenada has done, has pulled together," said Lyles. "We've been through some very tough economic times, and yet, here we have a very nice facility that will house Chamber operations and represent this community so well for the next 25-30 years."

Heard credits the citizens of Grenada for supporting the new building project. "The community support has been totally outstanding," he said. "There's been so much work donated here, and huge discounts given on materials purchased. It's just unbelievable. With the economic times we've had, that people would sacrifice the way they have. We are just so thankful to anybody who's had any part in this whatsoever."

According to Chamber Board President, Jim Lyles, the search for a new executive director is progressing slowly, but carefully.

"We've put ads in the Mississippi Business Journal, as well as the Delta Business Journal, and the vacancy notice has been published in the Mississippi Economic Development Council newsletter, as well as the Mississippi Development Authority newsletter," Lyles said. "So, we're getting the message out. We have some resumes on hand. We have some indications that some more are coming."

"From what we have seen, there is some potential out there."