$8.6-million Levelland industrial rail park gets engines on track

Levelland, Texas, city and economic development officials got engines on track for an $8.6-million industrial rail park in the 12,866-population town just 30 miles west of Lubbock, Texas.

"We broke ground less
than one year ago on this important project," said Dave Quinn, executive
director of the Levelland Economic Development Corporation (LEDC). "And
today is the culmination of our work. We’re very excited – not only for our
city, but for the entire West Texas region."

The entire rail portion –
which includes a 300-acre development for new businesses – received $3.3 million
in federal stimulus funds along with $1.5 million of the LEDC’s cash reserves.
The remaining $3.8 million came in the form of a loan through bonds sold by the
city and repaid with LEDC sales tax revenues and Tax Increment Financing
District Funds.

At the ribbon-cutting
ceremony, Quinn said he anticipates the industrial rail park to create 1,000
jobs and $100 million in new capital investment over its first 10 years.
Businesses already expanding or in the building process in Levelland because of
the new rail park include Independent Electric and Arkansas-based American Cottonseed,
which is preparing to start construction on its Texas expansion, Tex-Rail
Commodities.  

Area officials and guests
boarded a train during opening ceremonies to experience the now-completed
project before business officially gets under way.

"We’re proud the
public can now see evidence of the time and effort put in by our engineers,
public officials and utility providers," Conner said. "Chi Energy
Inc. relocated flow lines and tank batteries, Xcel and Lamb County Electric
completed overhead power lines, while Atmos and Lubbock Gas gathering moved
underground gas lines."

In coordinated efforts,
utility companies also made way for Railroad Specialties, Inc., out of
Littleton, Colorado, to install more than 21,000 track feet of 132-pound rail
and concrete crossties that make up the rail infrastructure of the industrial
rail park. Aside from the rail line, the project also includes the addition of
water, sewer and street improvements.

Now complete, the
industrial rail park encompasses 18 total lots, ranging in size from five to 65
acres. Each lot, Quinn explained, has direct access to the rail line.