(SIOUX CITY, IA) Development on Liberty industrial park is moving forward thanks, in part, to CF industries. City Council members have voted to work with Woodbury County on a project that's been years in the making.
So why did the 1.7 billion dollar expansion of CF Industries re-ignite the Liberty Industrial Park Plan? Economic development. Because CF industries is expanding, both the city and the county feel it would be a win-win situation to develop this area further in case other businesses want to jump on board.
"I think it's historic, because if you're not growing, you're falling behind," says Jackie Smith, a member of the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors.
Sioux City is at a pivotal moment.
"I know everyone wants jobs, we talk about, we want our kids to live here, we want to be able to have opportunities for families and I just think this mayor, this city council, this board of supervisors, realize that together, we have the best chance of making that happen," says Smith.
The county and city originally showed interest in creating the Liberty Industrial Park, back in December of 2011, but differences kept the project from happening.
Now, more than two years later, those disagreements have been settled and a new deal was whipped up. A 1.7 billion dollar project made that decision seem obvious.
"CF industries, is going to have a huge impact, obviously and because of that, I think the county now has a revenue stream to fund some of the improvements that they would like to do, we still have a desire to do an interchange," says Bob Scott, Mayor of Sioux City.
The new interchange would serve as an access road to CF industries, just north of the Port Neal Exit.
If the County helps pay for that new interchange, the city would allow the county to create an urban renewal district, to develop Liberty Park.
"If you build a new interchange, and if one is built, you know, there is going to be growth around it, it's just going to happen. And really it's, who's going to develop it. And right now, with the agreement that we have, it looks like it's going to be a regional effort," says Smith.
And she hopes in the future, the Southbridge Industrial Park, and the Liberty Industrial Park will become one.
"SouthBridge and Liberty Park, the land is big enough, it can certify as a mega-site and there's only like one or two in the state, and if we can certify it as a mega-site, than we get another partner to help us market the area, and that's the state of Iowa," says Smith.
Smith says, the state would help market the area to potential industries which will be a huge benefit to everyone involved. The Iowa DOT is already beginning to look at the next step toward a new interchange.
Hleigh@siouxlandnews.com
www.facebook.com/heatherleighKMEG
