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The Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance announced that the Southwest Arkansas Mega Site has completed Union Pacific Railroad’s Focus Site evaluation process and meets the criteria for inclusion in the Union Pacific Focus Sites network.
The Focus Sites network identifies large-scale industrial properties across Union Pacific’s system that have undergone additional planning and evaluation to better position them for future development opportunities. Inclusion provides the Southwest Arkansas Mega Site with increased visibility among companies and site selectors considering locations with access to Union Pacific’s 23-state rail network.
Located in Gum Springs near the Clark County Industrial Park, the 991-acre site has undergone extensive due diligence and development planning. Union Pacific’s existing rail line is located east of the Clark County Industrial Park. To advance planning for future rail access, the Economic Development Corporation of Clark County (EDCCC) commissioned the engineering firm, Benesch, to develop a rail extension plan and coordinate directly with Union Pacific throughout the process.
The resulting plan, reviewed by Union Pacific engineering teams, establishes a pathway for extending rail infrastructure from its current location onto the Mega Site as future industrial development warrants.
Having that plan in place provides prospective industries with greater clarity regarding potential future rail access and helps reduce uncertainty during the site-selection and development process. Combined with the site’s certification by utility providers Entergy Arkansas and the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, the rail plan further strengthens the property’s competitiveness for large-scale industrial projects.
“We’re excited to add the Southwest Arkansas Mega Site to our network of focus sites, providing customers with another competitive gateway to Union Pacific’s 23-state network,” said Kenny Rocker, Union Pacific executive vice president of Marketing and Sales. “The Arkadelphia site is one of nearly 50 large-scale development opportunities across our network, helping businesses expand and capitalize on the efficiency and sustainability of rail transportation.”
“Completing Union Pacific’s Focus Site process represents another important step in preparing the Southwest Arkansas Mega Site to compete for major industrial investment,” said Shelley Short, President and CEO of the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance. “The value of this process is the additional planning and due diligence it brings to the site. Through the EDCCC’s investment in professional rail engineering and coordination with Union Pacific, we now have a defined pathway for how rail service could be extended to the property, giving prospective companies greater clarity and strengthening our ability to compete for projects where rail access is an important consideration.”
A complete site profile, rail concept and available development studies can be viewed through Union Pacific’s Focus Sites online portal.
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