PLANS ARE MOVING AHEAD ON THE PROPOSED LIBERTY PARK INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT SOUTH OF SGT BLUFF IN WOODBURY COUNTY.
THE PLANNING COMMITTEE HELD THEIR SECOND MEETING MONDAY NIGHT. COUNTY SUPERVISOR GEORGE BOYKIN IS A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE AND SAYS A COUPLE OF KEY POINTS HAD SUPPORT:
BOYKIN SAYS THE COMMITTEE TALKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A NEW I-29 EXIT AT LIBERTY PARK, WHILE ALSO KEEPING THE CURRENT PORT NEAL EXIT FOR EXISTING BUSINESSES AND PROPERTY OWNERS:
BOYKIN SAYS THE COMMITTEE WILL PRESENT THE PLAN TO THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO SELL THEM ON THE NEED FOR TWO I-29 INTERCHANGES.
THE CITY'S STRATEGY REGARDING THE FUTURE OF THE ARGOSY RIVERBOAT CASINO WAS DISCUSSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IN CLOSED SESSION MONDAY.
AT THE END OF THE COUNCIL'S PUBLIC MEETING, ARGOSY CASINO MANAGER LANCE GEORGE APPEARED BEFORE THE COUNCIL, AND URGED THEM TO CONSIDER ACCEPTING THE OFFER THEIR PARENT COMPANY, PENN NATIONAL GAMING, HAD MADE TO THE CITY AND TO MISSOURI RIVER HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT:
GEORGE SAYS PENN HAS AGREED TO A NEW DOWNTOWN CASINO AT AN UNDISCLOSED SITE WITH A 100-MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT.
MAYOR BOB SCOTT DISPUTES THE AMOUNT, SAYING MOST OF THAT FIGURE COMES FROM EXISTING OR OTHER SOURCES:
MANY OF THE DETAILS OF PENN'S PROPOSAL HAVE NOT BEEN MADE PUBLIC, INCLUDING THEIR PROPOSED LOCATION TO BUILD A CASINO.
SCOTT SAYS WHEN PENN AND MRHD STRIKE AN AGREEMENT ON THE CASINO, THE CITY WOULD AGAIN PARTICIPATE, BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO MOVE THE CASINO OFF THE RIVER WHEN THE CITY WILL RECEIVE LESS MONEY THAT IT DOES NOW:
COUNCILMAN JOHN FITCH SAYS NO ONE ON THE COUNCIL HAS ANYTHING AGAINST PENN GAMING, BUT THE COUNCIL'S TOP PRIORITY IS TO LOOK OUT FOR THE BEST INTERSTS OF CITY TAXPAYERS.
AQUA-CULTURE WILL BE BIG BUSINESS IN SOUTH SIOUX CITY'S FUTURE FOLLOWING THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF A NEW INDUSTRY THAT WILL GROW ALGAE FOR A VARIETY OF USES.
CLEAN GREEN CHESAPEAKE HEARTLAND WILL USE THE ALGAE BOTH IN BIO-ENERGY DEVELOPMENT AND EVENTUALLY TO RAISE FISH LIKE TILAPIA AND TROUT TO BE USED AS A FOOD SOURCE.
COMPANY PRESIDENT DR. GEORGE OYLER SAYS ALGAE IS A FAST GROWING, MULTI PURPOSE ORGANISM WITH HIGH PRODUCTIVITY:
OYLER SAYS EVENTUALLY THE ALGAE WILL ALSO BE USED AS FEED FOR A SOUTH SIOUX FISH HATCHERY:
DOUG GARWOOD OF CARDINAL FARMS WILL RUN THE LOCAL OPERATION, WHICH WILL BE BUILT JUST EAST OF HIS CURRENT LOCATION.
AROUND FIVE JOBS WILL INITIALLY BE CREATED BY THE VENTURE, WITH THE POTENTIAL OF HUNDREDS MORE IN THE FUTURE.
CONSTRUCTION WILL START LATER THIS SUMMER. THE VENTURE HAS RECEIVED A 250-THOUSAND DOLALR GRANT FROM THE NEBRASKA ENVIROMENTAL TRUST.
