May 7—CARTHAGE, Mo. — The city of Carthage will be getting a new industrial park south of Mercy Hospital Carthage thanks to a public-private partnership and a $1.5 million grant from the Missouri Department of Economic Development that was announced Friday.

Jeff Meredith, CEO of the Carthage Economic Development Corp., said the state's Industrial Site Development Grant Program helps the city achieve the goal of finding more space for new or expanding light industrial or warehouse businesses in Carthage.

The city has worked since at least 2007, when it first put before voters a sales tax, to buy about 700 acres in the area. It also has worked with the Missouri Department of Transportation to add an interchange at Dogwood Road south of the hospital. That effort failed at the ballot box, but city officials have sought other ways to buy land as the spaces at the former Myers Park Airport have been purchased and filled in.

"For this you're probably looking at more of your light industrial type of work," Meredith said. "Potentially warehouse space; warehousing is ideal because it is a half-mile from the interstate and another 4 miles from I-44. You can get anywhere in the country from that intersection."

Meredith said a public-private partnership between the city, Carthage Water & Electric Plant and the Kent D. and Mary L. Steadley Memorial Trust made the grant possible.

The city pledged $1 million, CW&EP put in $1.5 million and the trust pledged $1 million in the application to the state's Industrial Site Development Grant Program.

The state grant awarded Carthage completed the $5 million needed to purchase the ground from the family of Sam Butcher, creator of the Precious Moments Chapel and Visitors Center.

Meredith said he found out about the grant program just prior to moving from the Monett Chamber of Commerce to the job with the Carthage Economic Development Corp.

He presented it to his board on his first day on the job as a smaller program, possibly seeking about $1 million, but when the board started talking, the idea grew into cooperative plan between the city, the city-owned utility and the Steadley Trust to address one of the city's pressing long-term needs — space to market for industry.

"When we had that board meeting we started talking and trying to determine what was reasonable and feasible from other sources of funds," Meredith said. "Fortunately, due to some of the people in the room, I had decision-makers for all these organizations on my board."

Carthage's grant was one of 15 awarded by the Missouri Department of Economic Development from a $75 million pot funded by the American Rescue Plan Act as part of Gov. Mike Parson's 2023 state budget.

"Strengthening our state's economy through business attraction and growth remains a top priority of our administration," Parson said in a statement. "Through the Industrial Site Development Grant Program, we're continuing to promote Missouri's economic prosperity by delivering the infrastructure and resources that companies need to thrive. We look forward to the benefits this program will provide for businesses and communities statewide."

The Industrial Site Development Grant Program was launched in December 2022. The program awarded competitive grants to communities to fund costs related to the establishment and expansion of industrial sites. The money was earmarked to help "communities develop shovel-ready industrial sits to support business expansion and attraction," according to a news release from the state.

Of the $75 million available, $50 million was reserved for sites that are 1,000 acres or larger, while $25 million was reserved for sites smaller than 1,000 acres. In total, the program will help develop 9,700 acres for industrial use across Missouri.

Meredith said in addition to marketing the land, the city and CW&EP will map out the utilities and streets that will be needed to develop the land. CW&EP has said it needs 75 acres of the site for its own infrastructure expansion.

Meredith said a road directly from the site and running north and south just west of Mercy Carthage Hospital will link to a roundabout planned for the southbound interchange between Interstate 49 and Route HH.

The site will also have to be connected to Carthage's water, electric and sewer utilities.