South Central Indiana Talent Region to pitch request for READI grant on Friday

Aerial photo of former Walesboro airport property taken since 2012, when discussions about developing it for a commerce park grew serious. Woodside Industrial Park, which has its first tenant open in 1981, can be seen in the foreground. Submitted

COLUMBUS, Ind. — Officials with the South Central Indiana Talent Region plan to make their case for a $49.5 million READI grant at 1 p.m. Friday at Dallara IndyCar Factory in Speedway.

The region that includes Jackson, Bartholomew and Jennings counties and the town of Edinburgh is one of 17 self-identified regions in the state that have already met or will meet with the Indiana Economic Development Corp. and members of the READI grant review committee this week.

The meetings provide officials with each region the opportunity to present their vision, goals and strategies to positively impact their region’s quality of place and quality of life, innovation, entrepreneurship and talent attraction and development. The state has set aside $500 million for grant requests through the program, which also is known as the Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative.

A final decision about grant recipients will be made and announced by the second week of December.

For the complete story, see Thursday’s Republic.