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What an exceptional year for Emporia. The Simmons Pet Food expansion announcement on November 1st was huge. The ½-Cent City Sales Tax for industrial development was approved by 74% of the voters, sun-setting on December 31, 2034. Then Emporia had three high-quality recruitment projects and we made the short-list. Simmons Pet Food Expansion On November…

We have been quite busy this year. Activity has increased dramatically, we have had more prospect visits this year than in the last several years combined. The RDA team has prepared numerous proposals that have been submitted to these prospects. One proposal included an eight page letter with over 26 pages of attachments, documenting data…

Over the years there are certain dates that become important events in our area economy. For instance in June of 1994, we were first contacted by Menu Pet Food representatives, who was conducting a site search in eastern Kansas, southwest Missouri, or northeastern Oklahoma for a new nutrition plant. They identified this region as a…

The RDA office continuously updates the Emporia, Kansas & Lyon County data book. Some of the data is obtained from primary sources, such as surveys the RDA conducts, for instance the local major manufacturers and employers survey on total number of full-time employees. Many secondary sources are utilized such as the Kansas Statistical Abstract, the…

“The future aint what it used to be” – Yogi Berra. At a recent Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC) meeting, the speaker was Peter Zeihan, a geo-capital strategist specializing in demographics, global energy, and security. By utilizing geography and demographics, he gives an understanding and predicts what the future global political trends have on markets,…

KANSASWORKS JOB FAIR From 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Friday, February 17th was the Job Fair for the unemployed Birch Communications workers and any other job seeker. Approximately 24 companies were at the job fair with 60 to 70 job seekers. There are job opportunities all through the Emporia region. We thank those employers, and…

The Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas (RDA) uses several metrics to measure results of their efforts. Since 1995, over $917,000,000 has been invested by the private sector in buildings and equipment. Over 2,245,000 sq. ft. of new manufacturing and warehouse space has been constructed in Emporia and Lyon County. Based upon the various…