[City of Maricopa]
By Jay Taylor | InMaricopa
City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved buying 230 acres of farmland on the southeastern side for $12 million to help it better compete for large industrial projects with high-paying jobs.
“We have competed nationally and internationally and gotten down to the top five, even the top three, but we’re talking about people who want to invest $200 million to $1 billion in capital investment to grow a plant to house these jobs,” City Manager Rick Horst said. “What has hurt us is we don’t have land. We don’t have land.
“This particular site, which is right over here by the ethanol plant off Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway, also has an added benefit in that it has a one-mile railroad spur, which provides opportunities – and I stress opportunities – for an inland port.”