NEWTON (AP) — The State Veterans Affairs Board has received permission from the Veterans Administration to solicit for construction of Mississippi's first state-operated cemetery for military veterans.

The Mississippi State Veterans Memorial Cemetery, once constructed, will be located on 75 acres between Newton and Hickory. The site is just off Interstate 20 on land donated by Mississippi State University.

The cemetery's first phase will have enough space for 5,000 conventional burials and cremations. Construction is expected to begin this fall and open in the spring 2011.

Cemetery director Randy Reeves says the winning contractor will prepare the land, construct the administrative, ceremonial structures and maintenance buildings, which is estimated to cost about $7 million.