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GO Zone has helped fuel largest construction boom seen in years.

Article Excerpt
It might be the great need for replacing buildings lost as a result of Hurricane Katrina. It might be partly because of a strong economy. And it for certain is being fueled by the tax incentives in the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act (GOZA) of 2005. "It" is a construction boom in Mississippi the likes of which hasn't been seen before--at least for several decades.

Perry Nations, director of workers' compensation and legislative services, Associated General Contractors of Mississippi, said the current pace of construction is more than he has seen in the past 30 years he has been involved in the industry.

"It is unbelievable," Nations said. "Everyone is getting busy. There is a tremendous amount of private construction going on with people trying to get the advantages of the GO Zone. The contractors out there have more work lined up than they can handle, and a lot of it is due to the GO Zone tax incentives. There is more construction available right now than I can...