Millions of dollars are being pledged to Bedford County today to develop land for more businesses.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro making that announcement in a field today near the existing industrial park.
Our Emily Marines was there and explains where the money will go.
The plan announced Tuesday was this field I’m standing in to be a future spot for businesses to locate here and create more jobs.
The Governor saying a grant of $2.8 million dollars will be used to expand the existing industrial park, opening up opportunities for more businesses.
Governor Josh Shapiro says that it has been about 20 years since Pennsylvania had an economic development strategy.
He says that they are ready to bring economic development to all areas of Pennsylvania.
We are literally turning dirt into jobs this is real freedom.
Shapiro says that the Commonwealth is investing $64 million dollars in 11 projects through the first round of the Pennsylvania Strategic Investments to Enhances Sites Program.
The Sites Program is meant to build shovel ready industrial sites across Pennsylvania to attract businesses, investment, and good paying jobs.
President and CEO of the Bedford County Development Association Bette Slayton says that the county will get a $2.8 million dollar grant through the program.
“This grant is truly a game changer for Bedford County. It gives us the ability to develop and to pro-actively market new shovel ready sites.
And that’s something that’s absolutely critical in recruiting and attracting new employers. You need to have the sites.”
Shapiro says that prior to creating pads for these businesses land like that in Bedford is not appealing for businesses to choose to locate on
“If you bring a company along this road here and you tell them to look out at this field and say, oh, we’re going to set your company up here. very hard for that company to look and say, yeah, I want to locate here.
Because you know what? Time is money for them.”
He says that after this is complete businesses will be way more likely to set up shop in Bedford County.
“But imagine now they come out and they see a pad, it’s ready to go, all the hookups are there and all they got to do is tell us what kind of building they want to sell their product or whatever it is.
They’re going to be way more apt to choose Bedford County at that point. That’s why these sites are so important. We see this dirt and we see opportunity.”
Officials say they don’t have a timeline yet when construction on site prep will begin. They say that will take time for engineers to examine the property.