Investors and Partners, 

February has already been an exciting month. Anna and I attended the Missouri Economic Development Council's 2024 Economic Issues Summit in Jefferson City. We have plans to travel several more times to Jefferson City over the course of this session. If you'd like to review the bills that Show Me Christian County is currently monitoring click here for more info.

Locally, the SMCC team is actively involved in seventeen (17) development projects. Six of these are site development projects, where green space is being planned and engineered to accomplish campus-style destinations that will house multiple businesses. 

Our (current) project breakdown: 

• 6 sites in development - transforming green space into shovel-ready lots (healthcare, hospitality, sports/recreation, industrial, retail/commercial uses). Three of these sites are tied to specific businesses that are developing sites to be able to locate in Christian County. 
• 3 retention/expansion projects - assisting existing businesses (tech, light manufacturing, healthcare)
• 5 attraction projects - recruiting businesses to Christian County (manufacturing, food/bev, sports/recreation)
• 2 startups - assisting local entrepreneurs (retail, hospitality/outdoor rec)
• 1 redevelopment - transforming a site from one use to another (retail/commercial)

We have also been able to respond to several project leads from the Missouri Partnership, our business attraction partners at the state level. These leads are are typically sites which are ready or will soon be ready to accommodate manufacturing/industrial uses. 

We are so thankful to our municipalities, utility partners, private sector partners, and all other entities working to ensure Christian County is prepared and ready for business growth. 

See below for a fun roundup of relevant media links and stories below for more about development in Christian County! And, as always, thank you for your partnership and support of SMCC and economic development efforts in our county, region, and state.

Kristen Haseltine

President/CEO - Show Me Christian County

417-496-5987 (cell)

Visit us at showmeccmo.com

The next Show Me Christian County board meeting will take place at 10:00am on Wednesday, March 27th, 2024 at Nixa City Hall. Be sure to mark your calendars. We look forward to seeing you there! Please note that this meeting is on the 4th Wednesday of the month this time instead of the 3rd Wednesday of the month because of the area's spring break calendars.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the 20+ participants who joined us for our inaugural First Tuesday meeting on State Legislative Priorities this Tuesday, February 6th, at Nixa City Hall. Your active participation and insights truly enriched the discussion, making it an engaging and informative session.

We're excited to announce that our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 5th. Your continued involvement is essential to the success of these sessions, and we appreciate your commitment to shaping the future of our community.

20-Acre Retail Project Announced for Ozark

Brad Thessing of Thessing Commercial Properties LLC is planning a 20-acre commercial development in Ozark, east of U.S. Highway 65 near the Ozark Town Center. The project will house undisclosed national retail tenants and aligns with the city's growth, benefiting from its strategic location and recent infrastructure improvements. This development will potentially offer retail, medical offices, and hospitality services, catering to both residents and passing travelers.

Economic Development featuring Jonas Arjes, Kristen Haseltine and Matt Morrow

Springfield Business Journal's Christine Temple discusses economic development with Jonas Arjes, Kristen Haseltine, and Matt Morrow in a podcast. Topics include funding incentives, regional branding, talent attraction, worker amenities, child care tax credits, legislative proposals, and ambitious development goals.

Kristen Haseltine Appointed

District 6 Co-Chair for MEDC

Kristen Haseltine was confirmed as District 6 co-chair for the Missouri Economic Development Council (MEDC). She will serve on the statewide MEDC board representing the 26-county Southwest Missouri region. She was voted in by her economic development peers in the region and confirmed by the MEDC board of directors at the organization's Economic Issues Summit in January. Check out the district map here.

FastDemocracy simplifies the daunting task of tracking legislation at both state and federal levels in the United States. With thousands of bills introduced annually, FastDemocracy streamlines the process, providing a user-friendly platform that keeps users informed about important bill actions. It offers tools for developing and executing advocacy strategies while ensuring accuracy and timeliness of legislative data, making it a valuable resource for advocates looking to make a difference in policymaking.

If you'd like to review the bills that Show Me is monitoring, click here.

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A myriad of exciting opportunities for skill enhancement and professional development are offered by efactory, ranging from comprehensive QuickBooks training to dynamic Leadership programs, valuable insights on loans, and informative business bootcamps. Check out their training calendar for more details and information.

Share your favorite business resources here for a chance to have them showcased in an upcoming newsletter.

In our monthly tradition, we passionately align our newsletter with a song that embodies the fervor and unwavering determination we bring to our ongoing projects. As we dive into February, fully committed to fueling our initiatives with great enthusiasm, our chosen anthem roars with the same fiery intensity as 'Fire In My Belly.'

Can you feel the artist's fervent energy as they originally crafted this masterpiece?