As used in this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings, unless the context hereof clearly indicates otherwise:
(a) "Regional tourist promotion council" shall mean a corporation organized pursuant to the provisions of the Mississippi Nonprofit Corporation Law established for the purposes authorized in this chapter, and which is recognized by the Mississippi Board of Economic Development as qualifying under the provisions of this chapter.(b) "Board" shall mean the Mississippi Board of Economic Development or any successor agency that may be designated by law to succeed to the duties of the Mississippi Board of Economic Development with respect to the promotion of tourist travel and vacation business in Mississippi.(c) "Natural promotion regions" shall consist of the following area tourist councils:(i) Area Tourist Council One: DeSoto, Tate, Panola, Yalobusha, Grenada, Calhoun, Lafayette, Marshall, Benton, Union, Pontotoc, Tippah, Alcorn, Tishomingo, Prentiss, Lee and Itawamba.(ii) Area Tourist Council Two: Tunica, Coahoma, Quitman, Bolivar, Tallahatchie, Sunflower, Leflore, Carroll, Washington, Humphreys, Holmes, Issaquena and Sharkey.(iii) Area Tourist Council Three: Chichasaw, Monroe, Montgomery, Webster, Clay, Choctaw, Oktibbeha, Lowndes, Attala, Winston, Noxubee, Leake, Neshoba, Kemper, Scott, Newton, Lauderdale, Smith, Jasper and Clarke.(iv) Area Tourist Council Four: Warren, Yazoo, Madison, Hinds, Rankin, Claiborne, Copiah, Simpson, Jefferson, Adams, Franklin, Lincoln, Lawrence, Wilkinson, Amite, Pike and Walthall.(v) Area Tourist Council Five: Jefferson Davis, Covington, Jones, Wayne, Marion, Lamar, Forrest, Perry, Greene, Pearl River, Stone, George, Hancock, Harrison and Jackson.Upon the approval of the Mississippi Board of Economic Development, the area tourist councils established by subsection (c) may reorganize in order to allow a county to join that council with which it feels most closely connected, taking into consideration such factors as common interests and compatibility with the member counties.
Laws, 1973, ch. 390, § 1; Laws, 1974, ch. 307; Laws, 1979, ch. 438, § 15, eff. 2/1/1980.