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Governor Holcomb Accepts One Southern Indiana Recommendations

JEFFERSONVILLE, IND. (April 20, 2018) – One Southern Indiana (1si), the chamber of commerce and economic development organization for Clark and Floyd counties, Ind., expressed their appreciation of Governor Eric Holcomb’s decision to submit five areas in Clark and Floyd counties for consideration as federal Opportunity Zones to the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. The federal Opportunity Zone program was created in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and provides federal capital gains tax incentives to attract private sector investment to low-income urban and rural communities.   

“This new program provides one more tool to attract investment and help more of our Hoosier communities succeed,” Gov. Holcomb said.  

The state collected extensive economic data on all eligible census tracts and received close to 2,000 recommendations, including input from 357 local officials, stakeholders and citizens via an online portal. 156 census tracts from 58 Indiana counties were nominated.  

1si was the lead on the five tracts submitted for Clark and Floyd counties, creating the proposal for the Governor’s consideration and collecting more than 20 support letters from local elected officials and community leaders.   

1si President and CEO Wendy Dant Chesser said, “This is a tremendous opportunity for attracting private sector investment in some of our most critical redevelopment areas.  We thank everyone who took time to write a letter of support and register their opinion with the Governor’s office.”  

The five tracts include:

• Clarksville tract 18019050401 - The approximate 1400-acre tract is bordered by Browns Station Way to the north, the Ohio River to the south, Jeffersonville to the east, and New Albany to the west.
• Jeffersonville tract 18019050199 - The heart of downtown Jeffersonville with the Ohio River to its south, across from downtown Louisville.
• Charlestown tract 18019050903 - This tract is located adjacent to River Ridge Commerce Center (RRCC), the premier industrial park with 6,000 prime acres under development in the Midwest’s top-ranked business environment.
• New Albany tract 18043070400 and 500 – Central to the City of New Albany’s recent reinvention and rise as a destination for traveling foodies, shoppers and residents alike, this census tract is ripe with opportunities for future growth.