The official newsletter of the

Enid Regional Development Alliance www.growenid.com
In This Issue
Koch Nitrogen Expansion Construction Starts in September
Oklahoma Wind $750 Million Capital Investment
Envision Enid: Public Input Wanted
2014 OK Rural Health Conference
Walmart Neighborhood Market Coming to Enid
Slight Dip in Retail Sales Reported in Enid
Oklahoma Creates Its Own Affordable Housing Tax Credit Program
THANK YOU TO OUR 2014 CORPORATE MEMBERS
ADVANCEPIERRE FOODS
AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES INTERNATIONAL
AT&T
ATWOOD DISTRIBUTING
AUTRY TECHNOLOGY CENTER
BKD, LLP
CENTRAL NATIONAL BANK
CITY OF ENID
CLEAN LINE ENERGY
CULLIGAN OF ENID
CUMMINS CONSTRUCTION
DENSE MECHANICAL CONTRACTORS
DEVON ENERGY
DILLINGHAM INSURANCE AGENCY
EDWARD JONES
EMRICK'S VAN & STORAGE
ENCOMPASS FINANCIAL SERVICES
ENID EVENT CENTER & CONVENTION HALL/GLOBAL SPECTRUM
ENID NEWS & EAGLE
ENVIROTECH ENGINEERING & CONSULTING
GARFIELD COUNTY INDUSTRIAL AUTHORITY
GEFCO
GROENDYKE TRANSPORT
GUNGOLL, JACKSON, BOX & DEVOLL, P.C.
HAMMER WILLIAMS
HENSON CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
HILAND PARTNERS
GUARANTEE/HUMPHREY ABSTRACT
INTEGRIS BASS BAPTIST HEALTH CENTER
INTERBANK
ITC GREAT PLAINS
JOHNSTON ENTERPRISES, INC.
JUMBO FOODS
KC ELECTRIC CO.
KOCH INDUSTRIES, INC.
MESSER-BOWERS CO.
NEMAHA ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
NICHOLAS COMMERCIAL
NORTHCUTT CHEVROLET TOYOTA BUICK
NORTHERN OKLAHOMA COLLEGE
OAKWOOD MALL
OG&E
ONG
PARRISH MANUFACTURING GROUP
PIONEER CELLULAR
SECURITY NATIONAL BANK
ST. MARY'S REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
TPI STAFFING SERVICE, INC.
TRIANGLE INSURANCE COMPANY
WARD PETROLEUM CORPORATION
WYMER BROWNLEE

Did you now that if you stacked 1.3 billion pennies on top of each other it would reach 1,252 miles into the sky? That puts last week's announcement by Koch Industries in perspective.

 

Koch Industries has already operated one of North America's largest fertilizer plants in Enid for the past several years, but last week they gave final approval to a $1.3 billion investment in our community.  This is one of the largest capital expenditures in the history of our state and for their company.  We are very thankful for Koch's partnership with Enid.


 

Probably the best news from this announcement is the fact that they will now be able to switch from using potable water at their plant to using reuse water.  This will free up almost 5 million gallons of water a day for Enid residents and businesses.  When our area averages 12 million gallons of water a day in total usage, this is big news.  Water drives our economic growth in Northwest Oklahoma, and the more of it we can free up for human and industry consumption, the stronger our future will look.


 

The challenge for Enid will be to manage the 1000 construction workers that will be in town during the project in addition to the 200 construction workers building the new wind farm out by Breckinridge and the 250 workers building the new canola plant just down the street.  It is a great opportunity for us to sell products and services to these folks over the next few years and welcome them into our community.


 

All of this is happening as Sandridge, Chesapeake, and Devon continue to increase their investment in our region in the Mississippian Lime Oil Play and our local manufacturers add new lines of production.  It is an exciting time in Enid and we would welcome anyone and everyone to come be a part of this growth.


 

With companies like these investing in our community, 1,252 miles will only be the start.  For Enid right now, the sky is the limit.

 

Brent Kisling

Executive Director

____________________________________

 

 

Brent and Jennifer Kisling visit with Senator Jim Inhofe in the Oklahoma booth during the 2014 EAA Fly-In at Oshkosh, WI.  

  
KOCH NITROGEN EXPANSION CONSTRUCTION STARTS IN SEPTEMBER
A $1.3 billion expansion of the Koch Nitrogen plant in Enid will begin mid-September, the company announced Wednesday. Koch Nitrogen Co. LLC unveiled the project last year and has been preparing for the expansion that is expected to increase annual ammonia production by more than 1 million tons.  The company calls the facility one of the largest fertilizer production plants in North America. It produces ammonia, liquid fertilizer and granular urea, a solid fertilizer. "This investment by Koch Nitrogen is one of the largest construction projects in the history of Koch Industries," Koch Industries President David Robertson said in a press release. "It reflects the ongoing growth of our fertilizer business and underscores our commitment to innovation and creating long-term value."  Enid Regional Development Alliance Executive Director Brent Kisling said this is the largest investment of capital in Garfield County history, and one of the biggest in the state.  "We're glad that they're doing that in Enid," he said. Read more...
OKLAHOMA WIND $750 MILLION CAPITAL INVESTMENT
wind_farm.jpg One company has plans to complete three wind farms in northwest Oklahoma by the end of the year. The farms, owned by NextEra Energy Resources, represent a capital investment of more than $750 million and will provide as many as 34 full-time positions, said company spokesman Steve Stengel. NextEra Energy Resources Project Manager Krista Hendricks recently told Garfield County commissioners approximately 300 turbines on wind farms in Dewey, Woodward and Blaine counties will produce 500 megawatts of power. The Mammoth Plains project is located in Dewey and Blaine counties, Stengel said.  Read more...
ENVISION ENID:  PUBLIC INPUT WANTED
Enid residents can give their vision of the city's future through a website launched Wednesday. In conjunction with a comprehensive plan that will give analysis and recommendations on many aspects of the city, the Envision Enid website will collect ideas.The first question asks, "What should Enid look like in 20 years?"  In a press release Wednesday, the city said the website acts like a virtual town hall. Visitors to EnvisionEnid.com can comment on a number of topics selected by the comprehensive plan administrators. "The comprehensive plan is the overarching policy of the city of Enid and informs everything from infrastructure investments and development decisions to education, health and social services," the city's release said. "The plan will create a vision for the future of Enid, and outline coordinated policies and recommendations to steer the city towards achieving the vision."  Read more...
2014 OKLAHOMA FALL RURAL HEALTH CONFERENCE 
Registration is now open for the 2014 Oklahoma Fall Rural Health Conference. The conference brings together members of the Rural Health Association of Oklahoma and stakeholders of the Oklahoma Office of Rural Health and is expected to attract more than 200 healthcare professionals from rural and under-served areas of the state. The conference will be held September 16-18 at Embassy Suites, Norman, Oklahoma.  For more information contact Andy Fosmire by email at:  ahecadmin@nwosu.edu or by phone (580) 213-3172. Register now by clicking here.  
WALMART NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET COMING TO ENID
Wal-Mart has confirmed plans for a Neighborhood Market and gas station at the intersection of Cleveland and Chestnut. The area currently is under development as a multi-tenant commercial sector, with homes and apartments nearby. "Construction should start this week," said Erica Jones, senior manager of communications for the retailer. "As far as opening, we are looking for probably the beginning of next year." The 16-acre development at Cleveland and Chestnut is the vision of Gene Anderson, whose Stonebridge Village housing development sits directly north and to the west. Read more...
SLIGHT DIP IN RETAIL SALES REPORTED IN ENID, OTHER COMMUNITIES REPORT ALSO
Retail sales were down in three northwest Oklahoma communities - including Enid - while numbers were up in several other communities in late June and early July, according to Oklahoma Tax Commission reports released this week. Net taxable sales were down $655,485 in Enid, when compared to sales reported in August 2013. The decrease amounted to a 0.88 percent decrease in sales tax revenue for the city. Enid received $2,596,996 this month, for sales occurring in late June and estimated sales for the first half of July. Read more...
OKLAHOMA CREATES ITS OWN AFFORDABLE HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM
Ruth Deyoe puts a human face on affordable housing finance. Her home is a two-bedroom apartment in Waverly Estates, a new senior housing complex in Ponca City.  "I have a walker and I need smooth sidewalks," she said. "That was one of the main reasons I moved here."  Hers is just one of thousands of real-life stories behind often obscure affordable housing tax credits. Read more of her story on the Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency's blog: tinyurl.com/OHFA-Waverly.  So let's get that straight up front: Affordable housing is about housing second, people first. Read more...