Scenic MS River Bluff view – Lauderdale County
Ripple Effect
The Mississippi River Corridor-Tennessee By Sandi Butler Hughes | Photography courtesy of MRCT
While the western border of our great state of Tennessee is the Mississippi River, it is much more than a geographical placeholder. It is our lifeblood and our identity. From the Indian villages and early settlements to modern day cities, the River has defined our West Tennessee culture, industry, recreation, and tourism. Numerous facets of the River merge and flow together, and with a ripple effect each aspect impacts another. The Mississippi River Corridor-Tennessee was established to collect these diverse River resources into a single, Bootheel-to-the-Delta package. Think of this complex organization as a giant umbrella, covering the entire Tennessee section of the Mississippi River, preserving, enhancing, and promoting our abundant river resources. Like the tributaries that join the flow and combine to form the Mighty Mississippi, these diverse communities create one defining and vital entity: the Mississippi River Corridor-Tennessee.
The Mississippi River Corridor-Tennessee (MRCT) encompasses six counties along the River: Shelby, Tipton, Lauderdale, Dyer, Lake, and Obion. The area is rich with activities and attractions. Many of the assets supported and promoted by the MRCT already exist, and the Corridor organization simply includes them as a part of the whole Corridor package. As we learned in kindergarten, life works better when we work together. So rather than each of these assets and attractions working independently, the MRCT is creating a single “product” to preserve and market our largest - and most lucrative – natural resource on this end of the state.
Michael Pleasants, Director of Education and the MORE program. Additionally, the organization is led by a robust Board of Directors and Advisory Council, and serves as a model for regional engagement and facilitator for important and strategic partnerships from government, private and philanthropic sectors that are supporting the successful implementation of projects in each county.
Diana Threadgill is the visionary, President and Executive Director, of this 501(C) (3) nonprofit organization. After a successful career in the state and local film/ television industries, she brought that passion and experience into the creation of the MRCT in 2005. She sees a collective asset that is good for all, not just a single county or individual destination. “Many of the assets needed to make the Mississippi River Corridor and Great River Road – National Scenic Byway an international tourist destination already exist in West Tennessee. Our challenge has been to create a single brand product in the Corridor for visitors seeking authentic cultural experiences and outdoor recreational opportunities that are easily recognized and located by the user. We believe the addition of Bass Pro at the Pyramid will greatly enhance that unique brand recognition,” she explains.
To understand the scope of the MRCT, it is best to identify the seven project focus categories that fall under their umbrella: First on the list is Economic Development, encompassing tourism, employment opportunities, workforce development and support for locally produced products; 2) Transportation and Infrastructure, including construction of facilities, bridges and the future I-69 interstate connections with new access ramps into the Corridor; 3) Conservation and Environment with protection for wildlife habitat, bluff vista outlooks, trail creation, and reduction of emissions on land and water; 4) Recreation for hikers, bikers, kayakers, bird watchers, and more with options for all; 5) Heritage Development and Cultural Amenities including the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, numerous museums and cultural centers; 6) Health and Wellness with activities related to healthy lifestyles and spiritual renewal ; 7) Education with interpretive River Centers, tours and their alliance/partnership with the Mid-South Outdoor Recreation and Education (MORE) program that teaches school-age children responsible stewardship.
Threadgill is assisted in accomplishing the MRCT mission by staffers Karen Thornton, Manager for Public Outreach and the 1 Mississippi campaign, and
Economic and community development is a mainstream and fundamental activity for the MRCT and the organization works in both urban and rural
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