Huntington is spending more than $40 million on its downtown Tupelo headquarters and its operations center, with work in phases through mid-2027 and a new business park.

Huntington Bank is spending more than $40 million to renovate its two main sites in Tupelo. The work covers the bank’s downtown Tupelo Regional Headquarters and its Tupelo Operations Center.

Work is already underway. It will continue in phases through mid-2027, the bank said in its announcement on Oct. 7.

The bank also plans to name the operations center and the buildings next to it the Huntington Bank Business Park.

Why it matters in Tupelo

Huntington, based in Columbus, Ohio, took over Cadence Bank in February. Cadence was headquartered in Houston and in Tupelo. When the merger closed on Feb. 2, Huntington said it had become the largest bank in Mississippi by deposit market share.

The bank said Tupelo will be “a key center” for its operations and customer support across its expanded footprint.

What the money pays for

Both buildings get updated workspaces. Beyond that, the bank listed different work at each site.

At the Tupelo Operations Center:

  • a new fitness center
  • an updated health center
  • an on-site cafe

At the downtown Tupelo Regional Headquarters:

  • a modernized bank branch
  • a community meeting space
  • expanded parking

The announcement gives no street addresses, no split of the money between the two sites and no job numbers.

State support

The Mississippi Development Authority is supporting the operations center project “in part through state economic development incentives,” the bank said. The release does not say how much the incentives are worth.

What they said

“This more than $40 million investment sends a clear message: Huntington is committed to Tupelo, to Mississippi and to the people who make this community strong,” said Joseph Moss, Huntington’s Mississippi regional president.

Tupelo Mayor Todd Jordan said the business park “creates opportunities for future growth and investment.”

“Huntington is leading the way, and we look forward to the opportunities this investment may create for others to come alongside Huntington and invest in the future of our community,” Jordan said.

David Rumbarger, president and CEO of the Community Development Foundation, Lee County’s economic development group, said the investment “makes a powerful statement about Tupelo’s future and the strength of our business community.”

What it means for you

  • If you bank downtown, the branch at the regional headquarters is being modernized. The bank has not published dates for that work or said whether the branch will close at any point. Check with the branch before a visit.
  • If you park downtown, the plan includes more parking at the headquarters site. No details or dates have been published.
  • If you work for Huntington in Tupelo, the operations center work adds a gym, a cafe and an updated health center.
  • If you run a business, the bank says it hopes the new business park will draw more investment to the area around the operations center.

We will report on the work as phases finish, and when the downtown community meeting space opens.

Related: downtown Tupelo, Lee County’s September unemployment rate and new businesses in Tupelo.