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Landers Center’s Energy Transformation with Schneider Electric

The DeSoto County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) has announced a major expansion and modernization initiative at the Landers Center in Southaven, Mississippi—ushering in a new era of energy efficiency, operational resilience, and economic development for DeSoto County and the broader Mid-South area.

“This will, without a doubt, become a regional destination point with the attraction of combining business and entertainment in a walkable campus-type setting," said Darren Musselwhite, Mayor of Southaven. "This financial commitment and investment will be paid back exponentially to our citizens with future economic returns.”

Renderings courtesy of DeSoto County, MS

A Vision for Sustainable Growth

Faced with the challenge of supporting both existing infrastructure and a major facility expansion, the CVB sought a long-term energy solution that would enhance operational efficiency while minimizing construction-related downtime and avoiding new debt obligations.

Schneider Electric answered the call with a turnkey Modular Central Plant (MCP) solution—engineered for rapid deployment and long-term performance. The MCP will be built off-site to ensure quality control and reduce on-site disruption to just three months.

Project Highlights:

  • Total Cost: $32.6 million

    • $2.5M Energy Services Agreement

    • $30.1M Energy-as-a-Service Availability Agreement

  • Construction: February 2025 – October 2026

    • Term: 20 years (2025–2045)
  • Key features include:

    • N+1 redundancy for reliability

    • Advanced building automation

    • High-efficiency Maglev chillers and condensing boilers

    • 50% improvement in chiller efficiency

    • 46% improvement in boiler efficiency

The project scope will also include demolition of the existing plant, installation of new cooling towers, electrical infrastructure upgrades, and conversion of the old plant into a pump room.

Innovative Financing Model

To avoid impacting the CVB’s balance sheet, Schneider Electric introduced an Availability Agreement—a model where Schneider Electric will build, own, and operate the plant, and the CVB will pay based on the availability of chilled and hot water. This variable payment structure ensures budget-friendly, off-balance sheet financing.

The Landers Center team will retain control over operations, maintenance, and repairs. Schneider Electric will support these functions with its Capital Asset Planning tool, which will enable streamlined maintenance reporting and long-term performance assurance.

For more on Schneider Electric's energy transformation work with local governments, visit our Government Hub page.