Southwestern Indiana officials learned Tuesday that a substantial slice of state economic stimulus dollars — $50 million — is coming this direction.
Recipients of READI grants (Economic Acceleration + Development Initiative Regional Development Plan) were announced in Indianapolis. The state received $1.5 billion in requests from 17 regions of Indiana for the $500 million state lawmakers made available.
The southwestern region's grant process was steered by the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership, and it includes seed funding for an eclectic mix of projects in the region, all of which are aimed at growing population.
Data from the 2020 census showed Warrick County is seeing a population bump, but the trend for Vanderburgh and other area counties is stagnant.
Some of the major goals envisioned by E-REP and local government officials include:
- • River Center, a residential development facing Evansville's riverfront between the headquarters of Old National Bank and CenterPoint Energy. It would have about 135 market-rate apartments, as well as retail and restaurant spaces.
- • An indoor sports complex on Warrick County's western edge, off Interstate 69. It would accommodate track and field, volleyball, basketball, wrestling and pickleball tournaments, plus turf sports activities and non-sports events, and it is seen as a regional tourism-driver.
- • Increased capacity in the University of Southern Indiana nursing program, to help meet regional shortages in that field.
- • A YMCA for Princeton in the city's former Lowell Elementary School building. It has already received a major donation from Toyota Indiana.
- • Three new housing developments in rural and urban areas, constructed to serve needs of the region's major employers.
- • More regional trail networks.
These initiatives and others are seen as public-private partnerships, with the state's funding an incentive to get the private sector and possibly local governments involved.
Gov. Eric Holcomb, who presided over the READI grant announcement during a meeting of the Indiana Economic Development Corp. board, said projects that it will pay for are "the beginning of a new chapter in many of our communities."
In addition to population growth, the projects focus on workforce training, improved public spaces, housing needs and infrastructure, Holcomb said.
He described the READI program as "increasing that cool factor in our communities, making sure we are investing in talent retention and talent attraction. It's about thinking outside the box and thinking outside lines that maybe kept us pinned in before — city, county and partisan lines, and bridging the gap between urban and rural."
Southwest Indiana's application covers Vanderburgh, Warrick, Gibson and Posey counties.
Warrick County has initiatives for trails and job training in line for READI dollars, in addition to the large indoor sports complex.
"It's super exciting for all four counties here in the region," said Steve Roelle, executive director of Success Warrick County. "Hats off to the EREP team that put the application together. Our region obviously stood out as one that received maximum funding. We have multiple projects in the READI queue. ... Everyone should be jumping up and down."
Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke commented in a prepared statement: "The READI grant award is the result of countless hours of hard work and collaboration among many public and private sector leaders in the Greater Evansville Region. Their thoughtful approach to regional collaboration is a model for the rest of the state."
Southwest Indiana received $42 million from a similar statewide economic stimulus program in 2015 called Regional Cities, championed by then-Gov. Mike Pence.
Those dollars contributed to a dozen area projects, such as Downtown Evansville's Ascension St. Vincent YMCA, Post House and Stone Family Center for Health Sciences.
Area officials say the READI grant announced Wednesday could have even greater impact.