Why SMART Park
Published
on Tuesday, October 1, 2024
in
Community
The Southwest Michigan Advanced Research and Technology (SMART) Park has come a long way! We recently opened its roads to the public, which were closed to protect crews working on park infrastructure. Additionally, we completed our new 4,750 feet nonmotorized walking trail.
The non-motorized trail connects an existing pedestrian loop at the Cass County Council on Aging to a sidewalk network within the park. Residents and visitors now have a 3-mile trek available to them that will only grow with plans to extend the network both east and west of the SMART Park.
The main purpose of SMART Park, however, is to invest in Cass County by attracting jobs and tax revenue. This work has already started, with aluminum recycling company Norsk Hydro opening its $150 million Cassopolis plant in 2023, creating 70 new livable-wage jobs.
Who SMART Park Benefits
In Cass County, 42% of residents (almost 22,000 people) were either living below the federal poverty level or were “Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE)” as of 2022, according to the United Way’s most recent county report. ALICE individuals live above the federal poverty level, but they earn less than the cost of living.
Additionally, enrollment in rural schools has declined by 11% in the past decade, as reported by the Detroit Free Press. This is correlated with shrinking communities and often means fewer opportunities for rural students.
With SMART Park, our goal is to bring stable jobs with good pay to southwest Michigan. More jobs mean more reasons for families to live and grow here as it helps them rise out of ALICE status, benefiting both their families and the local economy.
How SMART Park is Funded
Government investment is critical to projects like SMART Park, and it helps develop strong partnerships that can benefit our region for years to come.
Regardless of personal beliefs surrounding tax use, these grant monies are invested in one community or another. It's in Cass's best interest to bring the dollars here to benefit residents of the area.
Our current funding sources are:
- The U.S. Economic Development Administration
- A U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development grant for offsite improvements
- A Michigan Department of Transportation grant for railroad development
- Money from selling SMART Park land to Norsk Hydro
- A U.S. Department of Agriculture (Rural Development) grant for rail planning
We continue to seek outside investments through government sources and land sales for companies investing in the park. We’re also working with the State of Michigan to identify resources and opportunities for additional investment in SMART Park’s growth.
Many funding opportunities require us to show our financial commitment to SMART Park. To that end, our board of directors has also approved some of our own money for financing if needed. However, we’re trying to moderate that amount and fully engage the state of Michigan in this process.
More to Come
At the time of writing, we are working with the state of Michigan to certify SMART Park in their MI Sites program, which connects businesses with information about places they can relocate or expand their operations to. So far, only a select few sites are being considered for this program.
SMART Park is an unprecedented opportunity to give back to our southwest Michigan home. We’ll keep you informed about new developments, but know that we are working hard to make Cass a place that future generations will be proud to call home.