Radius Indiana Reveals Top 10 Economic Development Projects From 2017

FRENCH LICK, Ind. (Feb. 27, 2018) — Today, for the first time, Radius Indiana revealed the Top 10 Economic Development Projects from around the region at its annual Stakeholders Meeting at the French Lick Resort.

More than 50 projects were submitted by regional stakeholders, who were then asked to vote on the 20 top projects that made the most impact in the Radius region in 2017. More than 100 stakeholders from across the region weighed in to create the list.

10. IEDA Site Selector Event Comes to French Lick

The Indiana Economic Development Association’s Site Consultant event was held at the French Lick Resort in 2017, and marks the first time the event was held outside of Indianapolis. More than 100 business leaders, elected officials and economic development professionals from across Indiana gathered to hear from 10 national site selectors. IEDA gave the region a national audience and brought many people from around Indiana to French Lick for the first time.

9. Jackson County REMC invests in rural fiber to the Home

In 2017 Jackson County REMC began forming a subsidiary called “Jackson Connect” to bring fiber-optic broadband internet service to its rural customers including many in the Radiu region. The organization invested $5.5 million into the project, and is expected to surpass $60 million by completion. The project will take at least five years to complete, but once done it will not only provide high-speed broadband internet services, but will also enhance the efficiency and communications to the electric cooperative’s existing smart grid equipment to areas in the Radius region.

8. German American announces location of new Operations Center in Jasper

 

German American Bank opened a new $6 million operations center in Jasper, which can accommodate 150 employees and solidifies German American’s precedence as a banking leader in the region. German American, a publicly-traded corporation on the NASDAQ, employs over 600 people, with 257 located in Dubois County.

7.   Farbest Foods invests more than $20 million in Huntingburg

Farbest Foods invested $21.7 million to modernize part of its plant in Huntingburg. Of the investment, $13.5 million went to building renovations, $5.5 million for equipment and $2.7 million in transportation equipment. The improvements will help the company stay competitive in the turkey industry. Farbest employs over 1,300 people, and is the fourth largest turkey processing company in the country–1,200 of those employees are from Indiana, with many residing in Dubois County.

6. M & C Tech Indiana locates in Washington, becoming the first regional Japanese investment

M & C Tech invested $4.6 million into a 40,000 square foot building and added 35 new jobs with more come to the Radius region. This was the first investment by a Japanese company in Daviess County and the Radius region, and comes on the heels of the construction of I-69. Indiana has the largest amount of Japanese investment per capita among all U.S. states and is the only state that is home to three Japanese automotive assembly plants. More than 260 Japanese business facilities operate across Indiana, providing more than 53,000 Hoosier jobs.

5. LPGA Senior Championship chooses French Lick for five-year contract tour

Last year, French Lick Resort hosted the first-ever LPGA Senior Championship and the second annual tournament will be held at the Pete Dye Course this October. The tournament is broadcast on the Golf Channel, and is expected to bring millions in tourism spending into the region and thousands of spectators in for the tour during the coming years.

4. French Lick Resort kicks of first year of the $20 million expansion at the Event Center

French Lick Resort completed the first phase of its $20 million expansion of the Event Center adding 58,000 square feet. The renovation adds to the existing 101,000 square feet of meeting space, which includes a 22,000 square foot adjustable ballroom. Now with a total of 163,000 square feet for meeting and event space, the resort contains the largest privately owned meeting space in the state  of Indiana and is positioned to be a destination of choice for state, regional and national conventions.

3. BrightVolt moves into the Battery Innovation Center

BrightVolt, a leader in battery and energy storage technology, received $500,000 in matching funds from the Radius Regional Impact Fund to move to an Indiana location at the Battery Innovation Center within Westgate@Crane Technology Park. This move allows BrightVolt to create new lab space, job positions, and battery prototype manufacturing for its design, development, and manufacturing of safe, thin and flexible batteries.

2. Orange County Economic Development Partnership sells Paoli LLC building to Jasper Seating

Jasper Group’s investment keeps furniture manufacturing and jobs alive in the region and will allow the company to expand its operations. Jasper Group has multiple facilities in Southern Indiana including five in Dubois County, and now three in Orange County with the addition of the 1.2 million-square-foot Orleans facility. Jasper will retain the remaining Paoli LLC production employees and could add more jobs as it ramps up operations in 2018.

1. Purdue Arrives at WestGate@Crane Technology Park

Purdue University and the Purdue Research Foundation joined forces with Westgate and Crane to further education, research & development, and technology commercialization across Indiana with the establishment of Purdue@WestGate. As part of the agreement, Purdue will provide educational opportunities from the Krannert School of Management and Purdue Polytechnic Institute; startup creation assistance from Purdue Foundry; increased tech transfer support from Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization; and company incubation space and amenities from WestGate@Crane Technology Park and Purdue Research Park. This is a monumental development for WestGate, bringing new jobs and multiple opportunities for new investment in the region.

With so many great projects, a list of “Honorable Mentions” was also created. While these narrowly missed making the Top 10, they each represent important projects, events and investment in the region. This list includes:

-First Radius Economic Development Course at French Lick

-First Purdue Foundry Firestarter Group launched, taking entrepreneurs from concept to business

-SERVUS! Announces new corporate headquarters in Jasper

-ProMark Grand Opening in Linton

-Duke Energy selects Crawford County I-64 Industrial Park for McCallum-Sweeney site certification

-Radius Community SWOT analysis for Crane

-Alion expansion at WestGate@Crane Technology Park

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ABOUT RADIUS INDIANA: Radius Indiana is a regional economic development partnership representing eight counties in Southern Indiana: Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Washington. Formed in 2009, Radius Indiana also serves as a point of contact in Indiana for Naval

Support Activity Crane and leads regional collaboration by leveraging the diverse assets of the region to drive attraction, retention and expansion of business, thereby increasing employment and investment opportunities and quality of life within the region.