What will Mega-site mean for Crittenden County?

What will Mega-site mean for Crittenden County?

Local leaders, energy officials excited about potential for development

By John Rech

news@theeveningtimes.com The Arkansas Economic Development Commission, along with local government and Entergy officials, celebrated the Interstate-40 industrial Mega-site as ready for industrial recruitment, Tuesday at the West Memphis Civic Center.

The land, located in western parts of both West Memphis and Marion, bounded by the Interstate on the south and Highway 147 on the west, received Select Site certification as a result of a comprehensive review and documentation process for its 1,800-acre shovel-ready industrial site. Officials underscored the real estate maxim, location, location, location pointing to access to transportation for manufactured products. The flat Delta farm land presented readied green fields with interstate frontage, nestled adjacent to the Union Pacific intermodal yard, just three miles to Interstate 55 and five miles to the river port. Infrastructure plans included power by Entergy, water and sewer by West Memphis Utilities, natural gas through Center Point and AT& T fiber optics.

Officials noted the nearby ASU Mid-South added the facet of job training to the gem.

The formal status signaled the cities and county as prepared to market their industrial sites as leading candidates for high-tech, manufacturing and distribution projects in time for

See MEGA-SITE on Page 3

“This is the end result today of everybody pulling together… but it is only the beginning of a lot more work to do.” — County Judge Woody Wheeless.

County leaders are hoping the joint effort between West Memphis, Marion and Crittenden County, in partnership with Entergy Arkansas to develop a “shovel-ready” mega-site for economic development will pay off in the near future and bring jobs and insdustry to the area.

Images courtesy of the City of West Memphis