Situation

A little more than an hour west of St. Louis lies the mostly rural Montgomery County, Missouri — home to approximately 24,000 head of cattle but fewer than 12,000 residents (a census number that’s remained virtually unchanged for the past 50 years due to stagnant growth).

Leaders with the Montgomery County Economic Development Council recognized that not only was Missouri missing out on large development projects but that their home county was an ideal setting for such a project. The council hired Steve Etcher, manager of location strategies for Springline Advisory, to explore the best way to position Montgomery County for a large development, such as a mega site.

In 2017, Etcher brought together the major local players, including the regional electric utilities, the railroad company, the Missouri Department of Transportation, and others. The participants had an opportunity to weigh in on the viability of a mega site and tour the proposed area.

“Steve led that effort,” said Brent Speight, president of the EDC, who was present at the meeting. “And the decision was made that we were the best location for a mega site.”

Etcher said the meeting was necessary to “create a base of local champions” that would be necessary before anything could move forward.

“For a project of this magnitude, they needed to understand why we needed it and how we would go about getting it done,” Etcher said.

After the meeting, the team felt strongly that Montgomery County and its convenient access to a railroad, electric utility, gas utility and a nearby nuclear power plant – plus the site’s proposed location straddling I-70 and a quick drive to a major research university and a large metro area – made Montgomery County an attractive candidate.

“I don’t know if there’s a place in the entire country that has all those,” Speight said.

Etcher began the process of identifying properties and working with the owners to obtain options and representation agreements to assemble the necessary land to advance the project — a process that would take the next four years.

Solution

In addition to his work at the county level, Etcher began meeting with the Missouri Department of Economic Development, as well as Missouri Partnership, a public-private economic development organization, lobbying both groups on the compelling reasons to pursue a mega site. Missouri Partnership eventually hired a consultant to evaluate the state.

“That consultant had to do two things: figure out if Missouri does indeed need a mega site and where the ideal location would be,” Etcher said.

The results were exactly what Etcher expected: The consultant found Missouri “absolutely” needed a mega site, and Montgomery County was at the top of the list of several possible locations.

The DED asked the Missouri General Assembly for financial resources to help with such a development, eventually securing $50 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (funding to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state).

“We knew several years ago we were losing projects because we didn’t have sites at that size,” said Michelle Hataway, director of the DED.

Etcher presented the results of his efforts in Montgomery County and pitched the idea of combining all the properties to make room for a mega site, as well as a broader plan for bringing such a project to fruition.

“We loved the thought that went into it,” Hataway said. “The planning that Steve does around it is top-notch, as he thinks through the studies that need to be done beforehand, what a company needs to look at, the best direction for infrastructure. Instead of just compiling acreage, he was thinking through all those pieces. It was like a master plan of how this would work. So, we were really excited for that opportunity.”

After considering all viable options across Missouri, the state decided to invest in two new mega-site developments, the first in the Kansas City area and a second in Montgomery County. The state then awarded Montgomery County $5 million to complete a more formal master plan. Hataway said Etcher’s ability to anticipate challenges and navigate the complicated bureaucracy made him invaluable to the effort.

“Steve’s such a unique individual when it comes to planning and site development because he can get creative to solve problems, which we love,” she said. “It’s a skill set not always seen because you need the years of experience and have had to touch the different programs in order to put it all together. He’s phenomenal.”

Etcher started by helping the county create a port authority to be the developer of record and a multi-jurisdictional entity, creating a one-stop shop for potential businesses.

“Steve had that vision and foresight, which was another component that helped us get here,” said Speight.

Community education was also a top priority, so Etcher immediately began speaking to the local Montgomery County constituency about the project, allaying misconceptions and sharing the potential of the new mega site at school board meetings, church groups, community activities and more.

“Steve has made himself available to about any group that wants him to talk,” Speight said. “He’s a very intelligent person who handles himself well in about any situation. He could be talking to a Fortune 500 company at 10 in the morning and a group of farmers at 3 in the afternoon and not miss a beat. He’s the perfect person for the job.”p was able to close with an investor in March 2022 with Springline’s guidance. The developers began construction immediately.

Results

For Etcher, developing the mega site is the realization of more than a decade of patience, collaboration and a vision of a more prosperous future for Montgomery County and the state of Missouri as a whole.

“Economic development has to be very intentional, very strategic, and long-term,” he said. “It takes a long time to put impactful projects in place, and this is a great illustration of just exactly how long that actually takes.”

Yet, it was his willingness to see the possibility in the first place that led to the success he’s now witnessing.

“My philosophy has always been: Make no small plans, for they have no ability to stir the soul of man,” he said. “I’ve always been a big dreamer when it comes to changing our communities.”

The newly branded Heart of America Mega Site is now open for business, and Etcher and the Springline team are leading the efforts to attract data centers, large-scale manufacturing, distribution centers and others to the more than 5,000-acre site. With access to gigawatts of power, convenient transportation and a master plan that accommodates any project size, the mega site includes the OEM campus, a Renewables Park and the Logistics Campus — all located within a 45-minute commute of both the St. Louis metro area and Columbia, Missouri (home to the University of Missouri).

Etcher was able to secure agreements with all willing property owners, and the community at large is ready to welcome new development.

Even as excited as the team is to attract new business to Montgomery County, Hataway said it’s also about the ripple effect this project has created.

“I think what it allows us to do is to not be eliminated so often,” she said. “Because we have a site – because we have opportunities – we’re able to make it to the next round. … I’m just excited we have inventory to sell! This continually makes us competitive and allows us to compete for other projects.”

With such an attractive location for heavy equipment, logistics, distribution or tech companies, the Heart of America Mega Site is well-positioned in a booming epicenter of commerce, offering growth, connectivity and support. It’s a true gateway to opportunity, Hataway said, and credits Etcher and Springline for playing a major role in its creation.

“I told him, ‘Can we just duplicate you across the state?’” she said. “If I could, all I would be doing would be cutting ribbons and putting shovels in the ground. … I know the creativity that Steve will bring to get stuff done is what we need to be successful and winning Missouri.”