Efforts underway to develop portions of Jackson

Business Today

JACKSON -- The Jackson Industrial Development Corp., a group affiliated with the Jackson Chamber of Commerce, is in the process of developing property off Route PP for industry and soccer.

The development corporation is in the process of seeking bids for grading that would be required on the upper portion of the property.

"Once we get the grading done, all the infrastructure should be in place," said Ken Parrett, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce.

Development corporation president Greg Nolan said the group has received interest from industry willing to move into Jackson and businesses that need more space and are looking to relocate.

There are 62 acres of land on the development corporation's property. About 25 acres will soon be handed over to the city for the development of a soccer park. The other 37 acres will be subdivided for industrial businesses. While the development of the soccer park has run into several road blocks, the industrial site is picking up steam.

If everything goes well, the site could be open by February.

The development corporation, at first glance, appears to be competing with the city government, which bought an industrial tract on the outskirts of town on U.S. 61.

But the two groups are catering to different types of business. The city wants to draw larger businesses and has decided to subdivide the property into bigger lots, roughly 15 acres apiece or bigger depending on the industry.

The development corporation also has some options with bigger lots, but it is mainly targeting the smaller businesses that might only need around 5 acres.

Along with seeking grading bids, the development corporation is also in the process of formulating a marketing plan that would promote both Jackson industrial sites.

"We're trying to identify what the cost of land per acre will be, where to post the information, how to get the word out and compete with the other industrial sites in this area," Parrett said.

Nolan said the widening of Highway 34-72 and the improvements made at Route PP should heighten interest in the industrial tract.

While commercial and residential areas have grown rapidly in recent years, Jackson's industrial climate has stayed somewhat stagnant. Lee Rowan, one of Jackson's biggest plants, recently laid off scores of workers.

"I do agree we need more industry, more technical industry with better-paying jobs," Parrett said. "There are many things we're happy with but would like more of, like shopping centers, but I do see a need for more industry."

The development corporation has been in operation since the late 1960s. Parrett said the group was instrumental in drawing Lee Rowan to the area and with its expansion. The development corporation has developed much of the industrial area on Route PP, including the land on which the Coca-Cola plant and ARI were built.

Parrett said the development corporation simply develops the land, prepares it for industry and sells it.

A subcommittee of the Cape Girardeau Industrial Recruitment Association is in the process of evaluating the pros and cons of constructing a building on the city's industrial site.