What We Do
Pictured above: Rex Nelson promoting McCook and Southwest Nebraska at a Plastics trade show in California, in cooperation with NPPD.
McCook Economic Development Corporation engages in a comprehensive set of activities to promote the community to business interests, serve the needs of existing businesses and to recruit people to live and work in McCook and the surrounding area.
Here are a few of the activities we have engaged in recently to support economic growth in the community:
- Completed construction of the Keystone Business Center. This $4.2 Million project leveraged over $2,000,000 in federal funds to bring the building back on the tax rolls, support business expansion, create an entrepreneurship center with much needed community meeting facilities, and restore a piece of community pride.
- Expanded our business coaching program dedicated to helping start up and expanding businesses meet their potential to create economic growth. We also serve the growing number of business owners who are approaching retirement and need assistance in transferring their business to new ownership.
- Increased attention to existing businesses through a ramped up business Retention and Expansion visitation program. This program is intended to identify the needs of businesses that the community should respond to.
- Promoted McCook as a great place to locate a business by responding to requests for sites through coming through the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. These detailed professional proposals cover all aspects of the anticipated needs of the business seeking a new location.
- Managed the Red Willow County Revolving Loan Fund, which has proven a critical gap financing tool particularly for young people buying established businesses in the area.
- Continued to work within the Hometown Competitiveness (HTC) framework to partner with other organizations in the area to build the community in four key strategy areas, taking key responsibilities in the areas of Engaging Youth, Developing Entrepreneurs and New Resident Attraction