LONG BEACH, Miss. (WLOX) – With a cut of a ribbon, a year and a half of work in Long Beach can officially begin.

“We’ve packed a lot of technology in this building that’s going to make us extremely successful,” said Robert Carbone. “We’ve reached, what I believe in the country and state, the highest level of automation that you could have in a growth facility.”

Robert Carbone is the general manager for Sweet Life Canna, a medical cannabis building that cultivates the product for patients. He and his crew chose Long Beach because of what’s around it. They hope to give local workers a chance to help out.

“It’s a good spot. The vibe overall in town, Bay St. Louis is close, and you can go over to Biloxi. It’s a good area,” Carbone said. “We have some guys who received some awards today. They obviously worked down here, so we’re in the position to put them to work in a full-time position since they already proved themselves.”

That is a statement that Long Beach Mayor George Bass appreciates.

“Look at the technology and growth and y’all chose to bring that here in Long Beach, and I can’t thank y’all enough,” Mayor Bass stated.

During the ceremony, Mayor Bass took some time to express more appreciation to the crew not only as mayor but also as a cancer survivor.

Carbone says that while they hope to help provide help in the local economy, the main goal is to help people like Mayor Bass who may want to use other ways of treating their condition.

“I’m excited I get to prove myself in this industry with a good spot, and I believe this state has done a great job with their regulations and laws compared to other states. They’re keeping it safe while also segueing into the program to make it a good business too,” Carbone said. “Mayor Bass is a good guy. It’s nice to have his support, the support of the community. So I’m excited about that.”

The center says they will begin production next month.

See a spelling or grammar error in this story? Report it to our team HERE.

Copyright 2025 WLOX. All rights reserved.