Let's Name That Park!

Phelps County’s business and industry park will soon have an official name and will be annexed into the city of Holdrege, making the park more marketable to potential businesses and moving it one step closer to development.

PCDC’s Industry Recruitment Committee has narrowed down a long list of potential names into these four options:

1. Prairie Place Business & Industry Park
2. Prosperity Park for Business & Industry
3. Iron Horse Business & Industry Park
4. Phelps County Business & Industry Park

Industry Recruitment Committee Doug Stevenson said it’s important to have a name for the park that will stand out or make someone remember it.

“You want to have something to set yourself a part because it’s such a competitive market, you have to look for any edge you can get,” he said.

His committee initially brainstormed about 25 to 30 names and narrowed it down to four. Committee members are currently asking for opinions from community members on which name to choose and will make a decision to recommend a name to the PCDC board at their meeting in two weeks. Let us know what you think in this survey.

Stevenson said once a name is determined, PCDC will place a sign on the industrial park so that it can be easily identified since currently it looks like any other bean field in the county.

“If you are a client looking for property, and you happen to be driving through Holdrege for a meeting or on vacation, you might see it,” Stevenson said. Although that is a long shot, it’s good to take full advantage of every opportunity, he said.

In other action to help recruit potential businesses, the Holdrege City Council voted in early August to annex the 134-acre park west of Holdrege.

Fred Diedrichsen, president of the Phelps County Development Corporation, said annexing the land could bring additional property tax income to the city and give future businesses the chance to apply for tax-increment financing.

“We feel good about bringing it into Holdrege with the prospect of more buildings added to our property tax roll,” Diedrichsen said.

Holdrege City Administrator Bob Rager said the annexation won’t be final until after a 60-day waiting period. If no one protests during that time, the decision will be final.

Rager said the city plans to extend water and sewer services to the park at an estimated cost of $800,000. Funds for that project could come from a renewed LB840 sales tax that voters will decide on later this year.

Voters will be asked to decide by a mail-in ballot in November whether or not to approve continuing the city’s current half-cent sales tax for economic development.

“It’s important that we authorize this half-cent sales tax to develop this park and make it more marketable,” Diedrichsen said.

By Kristine Jacobson for PCDC