Kansas Logistic Park

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Initiatives developed a “Regional Economic Vision for Transportation” in 2008 for the Harvey County Economic Development Council. One of the major findings was that Newton, KS., has a unique combination of existing assets that makes it a viable candidate for a logistics park that consolidates and transports goods from truck to rail and vice versa throughout the region.  

 The City of Newton, Harvey County, Watco Corporation and TransLink, Inc.agreed to pursue developing a logistics park in Newton, KS Its focus was to begin serving as a logistics and transportation site at the intersection of Hwy. 50 and Hwy. 135 coupled with Watco rail, BNSF and a connection to Union Pacific railroads in south-central Kansas. The City of Newton secured more than 500 acres devoted to the Kansas Logistics Park.  

Initiatives developed a “Regional Economic Vision for Transportation” in 2008 for the Harvey County Economic Development Council. One of the major findings was that Newton, Kan., has a unique combination of existing assets that makes it a viable candidate for a logistics park that consolidates and transports goods from truck to rail and vice versa throughout the region.

The City of Newton, Harvey County, Watco Corporation and TransLink, Inc., agreed to pursue developing a logistics park in Newton, Kan. Its focus was to begin serving as a logistics and transportation site at the intersection of Hwy. 50 and Hwy. 135 coupled with Watco rail, BNSF and a connection to Union Pacific railroads in south-central Kansas. The City of Newton secured more than 500 acres devoted to the Kansas Logistics Park.

Key Milestones

September 2008: Completed the “Harvey County Stakeholders’ Regional Economic Vision for Transportation” analysis to build a competitive business case for KDOT’s 10-year allotment of transportation infrastructure dollars. The economic opportunity for a transload facility using the emerging Kansas City model was one of the opportunities identified.

2008 to 2016: Identified and connected key Kansas City resources to the KLP. This enabled the KLP to replicate best practices from their successful business model. Key partners included but were not limited to:

  • • BNSF: Gained their buy-in and positioned the KLP as an asset to Logistics Park Kansas City Intermodal Facility in Edgerton, Kan., not as a competitor.

  • • Husch Blackwell: Provided legal expertise to establish a Free Trade Zone at the KLP.

  • • KCSmartPort: Validated the KLP concept and understood their business model & best practices. Chris Gutierrez, president, was the first person to tour the site

  • • Polsinelli: Lobbied the State of Kansas for the KLP.

  • • Port KC: Signed an MOU with the KLP in 2013. Port KC was formerly known as “The Port Authority of Kansas City Missouri.”

  • • Scarbrough International: Explored establishing a warehouse and 3PL operation at the KLP

December 2009: Spartanburg, S.C.-based Tindall Corporation announced in December 2009 that it would be the Kansas Logistics Park’s first manufacturing tenant. Plans call for a 150,000 to 200,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art facility with a total capital investment of approximately $66 million. The new facility is projected to employ 200 people by the end of the first year of operations, at an estimated annual payroll (including benefits) of $11 million. Employment was projected to reach 405 people at an annual payroll of $21 million by the end of the third year.

February 2011: Tindall closed on the approximately 230 acres of property it purchased from the City and Harvey County.

July 2011: Signed an MOU partnership agreement with the Port of Catoosa (near Tulsa, Okla.) as a strategic partner giving the KLP greater rail, truck and barge access to the Gulf of Mexico.

October 2014: Interviewed 14 regional companies with supply-chain needs to complete the KLP Regional SWOT Analysis. It confirmed pent-up regional market demand, illustrated the KLP was well positioned to address the looming trucking crisis and validated Wichita as our major asset, not our major competitor. This analysis was key in demonstrating to the BNSF Certification process that the KLP performed due diligence in its market research.

March 2016: BNSF announced that Shafter, Calif., Newton, Kan., Shelby, Mont., and Temple, Texas, achieved the distinction of demonstrating advanced readiness for industrial growth for commercial development projects. The BNSF program allows the certificates to use the new “BNSF Certified Site” distinction in marketing materials to attract new businesses.

A customer who builds a new rail-served facility on a BNSF Certified Site is expected to save between six to nine months of construction time as a result of the site’s advanced level of preparedness for development. To be considered as a certified site, industrial sites agree to submit documentation that allows BNSF to look at tangible evidence of a commitment by the owner and the community to develop a high-quality industrial park or site that is strongly supported by a public-private collaboration and existing investments. BNSF’s certification is expected to generate economic development for the industrial sites and their communities.

Outside Federal, State & Private Investments as of 2016: $20,581,356.00