New Resort Opening in The Valley

by Carl “Bull” Crapper

People across central MS are starting to realize The Valley is on the rise. We have a lot going on right now, and our future is looking bright. The list of recent accomplishments and new attractions is pretty long, and now you can add one more to it. Eddie Cousins, a local entrepreneur and philanthropist, is developing some prime real estate off Hwy. 13 on the Strong River.

Cousins is building what he calls a RV park/resort and spa, and he’s going to call it the Strong River Valley Camping Resort and Spa. He said, “I’ve been throwing around different ideas on what to do with this prime property, and one day I had an epiphany. I’m going to build a RV park and resort. You see RV parks popping up all over the place these days, and there is really only one option in The Valley- the D’Lo Water Park. It’s a great park, and it’s been around a long time. But, my resort will offer a lot of amenities you won’t find at other RV parks and resorts.”

It’s going to be a family resort for all seasons. For the kids, we’re going to have a petting zoo- ponies, goats, pigs, and more. Additionally, we’ll have a 9 hole putt putt golf course. The kids can swim in the river of course, but the resort will have a very nice above the ground pool as well. We’ll also have a nice playground with slides and more.

Cousins said, “Of course we’ll have hookups for RVs and campers, and we’ll have pads for tent campers. We’ll offer canoe and kayak rentals for the family. Also, we’ll have a small bait shop for the anglers. We’ll also have a restaurant not just for campers but for anyone that wants to eat there, and we’ll have some of the best catfish in The Valley. But, there are a few things that will really separate us from everyone else.”

Cousins’ resort will offer noodling or hand grabbing expeditions. He’s contracted with Big Willy’s Outfitters to offer noodling. Cousins expects a lot of people from outside The Valley to stay at the resort just for the noodling. Additionally, the resort will offer a zip line course with multiple lines over the majestic Strong River. The resort even had golfers in mind; it will have two short golf holes that require golfers to hit the ball over the river to the greens. A bridge will be constructed for the golfers and campers that want to go to the other side of the river to hike on the resort’s hiking trails.

Last but not certainly not least, Cousins’ resort will have a spa. Cousins said, “There ain’t another RV park/resort around that has a spa. Unfortunately, I ran out of funds, so I wasn’t able to build a nice bungalow for the spa. For now, the spa will be housed in a small portable building, and it will have a window unit. Hopefully, we can build that bungalow in the future. I’ve contracted with two masseuses to treat our visitors- Achara Chen and Dao Wu. Both ladies have a lot of experience, and our visitors will love them.”

Construction on the resort is expected to be completed in early May 2024. Stay tuned to the Strong River Valley Camping Resort & Spa’s Facebook page for updates. Cousins and his crew can’t wait to see you this summer!